Jan. 2, 2000 SportsLine wire reports

MIAMI -- Michigan's defense never really stopped Shaun Alexander. It was the Wolverines' offense that finally slowed down the Alabama star in the Orange Bowl.

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Alexander rushed for 161 yards on 25 carries and scored three touchdowns, but the Southeastern Conference player of the year wasn't much of a factor in the latter stages of the Crimson Tide's 35-34 overtime loss on Saturday night.

Tom Brady's passing helped Michigan overcome a 28-14 third-quarter deficit. And once the Wolverines caught up, Alabama abandoned the running game that had helped it take control of the game after a slow start.

Alexander scored on second-quarter runs of 5 and 6 yards, staking the Crimson Tide to a 14-0 lead that Brady wiped out with two touchdown passes to David Terrell.

The SEC's leading rusher finished the first half with 84 yards on 15 carries. He did most of his post-halftime damage on one run, a 50-yard burst up the middle in which he broke three tackles before outrunning Michigan's Whitley James to the end zone for a 21-14 Alabama lead.

Alabama running back Shaun Alexander (37) breaks through for his second touchdown of the game.(AP)

Freddie Milons returned a punt 62 yards to put the Crimson Tide up by 14 again. Alabama wouldn't score again until the overtime when Andrew Zow faked a handoff to Alexander and threw to a wide-open Antonio Carter for a TD that trimmed Michigan's lead to 35-34.

Ryan Pflugner missed the extra point, giving Michigan the game and the MVP award to Terrell, who had 10 receptions for 150 yards and three TDs.

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