Michigan vs. Alabama score: Wolverines survive Tide in OT to win Rose Bowl, play for CFP National Championship

Michigan took down Alabama in the first overtime period on Monday night in the Rose Bowl

It was yet another absolute classic Rose Bowl on Monday night as No. 1 Michigan battled back in the fourth quarter to ultimately prevail 27-20 over No. 4 Alabama in overtime to conclude a dramatic showdown in Pasadena, California. The Wolverines fought back from a 7-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game with 1:34 left to play, scored just two plays into the overtime period and stoned Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe on fourth-and-goal to advance to the CFP National Championship game.

Michigan will now have a chance to win its first national title in 26 years.

Trailing 20-13 late in the fourth quarter, Michigan was led down the field by QB J.J. McCarthy, who ultimately connected with wide receiver Roman Wilson on a 3-yard touchdown pass to knot the contest. The Wolverines got a quick defensive stop on the ensuing possession but ultimately skirted disaster as a muffed punt left them with the ball at the 1-yard line. Michigan got out of the end zone to keel out the clock and conclude regulation.

In overtime, the player who has scored more rushing touchdowns this season than any other player in Michigan history did what he does best. Blake Corum only needed two carries in the overtime period, the second being a 17-yard touchdown -- his 25th of the season -- that gave the Wolverines a 27-20 lead.

Alabama nearly responded when Milroe took off on a QB draw to set up a first-and-goal, but the Tide couldn't finish the drive. After Milroe hit Jermaine Burton on third down just short of the goal line, Bama called another QB draw with Milroe taking a consistently errant snap only to find himself with nowhere to go.

Michigan entered 0-2 in CFP play with semifinal losses to Georgia and TCU over each of the last two seasons. Coach Jim Harbaugh was focused on reversing that trend and did so by handing opposing coach Nick Saban his first semifinal loss since 2014 with Alabama entering the contest having won six straight such games.

Keep on reading for a complete set of takeaways from the 2024 Rose Bowl semifinal.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 9:20 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Don't get it twisted: Michigan, Jim Harbaugh needed this

If Michigan had lost this game, Harbaugh, the Wolverines and the Big Ten would've been hammered over the head with the same narratives they've been fighting for years. Not this year! For the first time in three tries, Michigan won a College Football Playoff game, and it did so by beating the most dominant program of the CFP (and BCS) era in Nick Saban's Alabama.

A loss wouldn't have made inevitable statements about Michigan being overrated -- or only being good because it cheated -- credible, but it would have led to Michigan wondering whether it would ever break through. Considering Harbaugh flirts with the NFL every offseason -- including this one -- perhaps a third straight playoff loss would've been the final straw to him making the jump. Perhaps he still will. It's Harbaugh; none of us know what he's thinking at any moment in time.

What we do know is that this win proved beyond a doubt that Michigan belongs among the elite. It doesn't guarantee the Wolverines will win their national championship since 1997 this year, but if a team can beat the Crimson Tide and dominate them along the lines of scrimmage -- as Michigan did Monday night -- there's no denying that team is legitimate and not just Big Ten bullies.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 9:17 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Alabama waited too long to lean on run game

Most of the focus on play calling from Alabama's side will be on the overtime fourth-and-goal QB draw with Jalen Milroe because it was the final play of the game, and that's the way things go. The call was fine. The actual problem was Milroe trying to force his way through the middle rather than looking to win a race to the edge, which is where he'd been winning most of the game.

The bigger mistake by Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was taking too long to adjust in the first half. The Tide couldn't block without extra protection in the backfield but insisted on trying to spread the Wolverines out. Perhaps they felt they had the superior athletes and would ultimately win the battle, but it was quickly evident this plan was not going to work.

Beyond that, Bama did not run the ball nearly enough in the first half. It toted the rock 17 times compared to eight pass attempts, but the numbers are misleading because Milroe was sacked four times. In reality, it was 13 runs and 12 called passes. Bama changed up the approach in the second half, and it was how the Tide erased the deficit to take a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late. If Alabama had gone to the run earlier, it may have buried Michigan.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 9:09 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Line of scrimmage play decided the game

The most fascinating battle entering this game was going to be Alabama's offensive line against Michigan's defensive line. In short, Bama brought the best such unit Michigan had faced all year, and the Wolverines were easily the best defensive front the Crimson Tide were going to see. Whoever won this battle was likely to win the game.

Michigan got the edge after 60+ minutes ... if only barely.

Alabama's OL struggled mightily in the first half, but it was able to open running lanes. Bama left itself in too many empty sets with Michigan able to get easy pressure on Jalen Milroe. The Wolverines weren't blitzing as much as they used stunts and brought in linebackers and cornerbacks while dropping linemen into coverage. It confused Milroe. Alabama adjusted in the second half leaving more protection for Milroe, and for the most part, that solved the problem.

For the most part because Michigan had four sacks in the first half and only two in the second half, but both sacks in the latter period were timely. Alabama finished with 172 yards rushing on 43 carries, but if you remove sack yardage, it had 221 yards on 37 carries. That's an average of nearly 6 yards per touch.

Still, the six sacks and 10 tackles for loss were pivotal in this game -- particularly when considering Alabama only registered one sack itself. The expectation was that Michigan's offensive line would be a bigger problem for the Wolverines following the loss of Zak Zinter in the Ohio State game, but for the most part, it held up well. It didn't dominate the line of scrimmage, but it won enough battles to give the Wolverines a chance.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 9:05 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Special teams nearly cost Michigan

There's no doubt that special teams play -- both ways -- kept Alabama in this game and allowed the Crimson Tide the chance to take the lead in the second half. After a three-and-out on Alabama's first offensive possession, including two sacks of Jalen Milroe, Michigan's Semaj Morgan muffed the ensuing punt. It led to a turnover and short field for Bama with Jase McClellan quickly cashing in to give the Tide an early 7-0 lead.

That was hardly the Wolverines' only special teams miscue. In the second quarter, a bad snap following their second TD resulted in a missed extra point; considering regulation ended with a 20-20 tie, that miscue proved rather important. Michigan also missed a 38-yard field goal after forcing a Milroe fumble early in the fourth quarter after Alabama began to take control of the game. It was a failed opportunity to cut into the Wolverines' deficit.

Michigan only 39.5 yards across six punts with none longer than 45 yards. Alabama averaged 50.3 yards per punt, which allowed them to control field position. Bama's Will Reichard also made two field goals of more than 50 yards.

If Michigan plays better on special teams and doesn't muff a first quarter punt, it might have won this game comfortably. Instead, it muffed a second punt late in the fourth quarter that nearly resulted in a game-winning safety for Alabama in the final minute.

The margins are slim at this level when you're facing an elite team, and Michigan is lucky it didn't fall over the edge. It is unlikely to have that same level of luck in the CFP National Championship.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 9:04 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

In the end ... the committee got what it wanted

If I had a vote on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, Florida State would have been in over Alabama. (I tend to skew more toward regular-season results mattering, so leaving an undefeated ACC champion out of the playoff was the wrong decision.) This was a case of the committee caring more about what they thought would happen instead of considering what had already happened.

So, my field would've had Florida State at No. 3 with Texas in the last spot given the head-to-head tiebreaker win over Alabama in Week 2. Still, though, the expectation here was that the Crimson Tide would win this game. It's Alabama. It's very good!

The committee ultimately chose the Crimson Tide because it felt they would put on the best game, which, the last time I checked, was not one of the its guidelines. In the end, though, the committee got what it wanted. Florida State, with a backup QB, would not have gone into the Rose Bowl and forced overtime against Michigan ... but it might have?

[Jan 1, 2024 at 8:36 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

FINAL (OT): Michigan 27, Alabama 20

Wolverines strike first; stop Jalen Milroe

What a run from Blake Corum, who took the first snap of overtime to the right for an 8-yard gain before dancing through the Alabama defense, bobbing, weaving and spinning out of tackles en route to the end zone on the next touch. The 17-yard touchdown gave Michigan a 27-20 lead with the Crimson Tide set to answer.

Milroe was able to drive Alabama to the Michigan 3, but the Tide faced fourth-and-goal with the game on the line. The call was a QB keeper with Milroe getting stoned trying to run up the middle -- after what seemed like the 20th low or errant snap of the game for Bama -- with the Wolverines prevailing in dramatic fashion.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 8:29 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

END 4Q: Michigan 20, Alabama 20

In 2018, the last time a College Football Playoff game was held in the Rose Bowl, Georgia and Oklahoma needed two overtimes to decide the winner. How many will we need on New Year's Day 2024?

In a game that's been tight throughout, Alabama seemed to take control in the second half, building a 20-13 lead after trailing 13-10 at halftime, but Michigan put together an impressive touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to tie the game with 94 seconds remaining. Bama was unable to move the ball on its ensuing possession, and Michigan nearly cost itself the game by muffing a second punt -- this time down to its own 1.

Now, the Rose Bowl -- and a spot in the CFP National Championship -- will come down to which team can perform better from the 25-yard line. Given how the first four quarters has gone, if this comes down to field goals, the advantage has to go to Alabama. With that in mind, don't be shocked if Michigan goes for two should it score a touchdown early.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 8:21 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Michigan ties the game with 1:34 to play

J.J. McCarthy and the Wolverines completed the drive of their lives when they needed it most. After doing nothing for the entire second half on offense, Michigan put together an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie the Rose Bowl 20-20 with 94 seconds remaining.

The drive included a gutsy decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 deep in Michigan's own territory, but McCarthy found Blake Corum for an easy completion, and the star rusher picked up an additional 20 yards. McCarthy later hit Roman Wilson with a laser to set up the first-and-goal before throwing a touchdown to Roman Wilson on the same play the Wolverines used for a score in the first quarter.

Alabama will get the ball back, but is overtime in our future?

[Jan 1, 2024 at 8:05 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Special teams has been the difference

A running tab of events that have occurred on special teams.

Michigan:

• Muffed a punt
• Blew an extra point due to a bad snap
• Missed a field goal
  

Alabama:

• Made two field goals of 50+ yard
  

Will Reichard's latest boot, this one from 52 yards, makes it 20-13 Alabama with 4:41 to play.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 7:51 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Jalen Milroe fumbles, Michigan fails to take advantage

You know the saying in baseball that momentum is only as good as your starting pitcher? Well, in football, it's only as good as your QB not being stripped of the ball while running. Milroe got stripped by Michigan's Quinten Johnston trying to make a one-on-one run to the sideline with Josh Wallace recovering the loose ball at midfield.

But Michigan did nothing with it. Add a missed field goal to the list of special teams miscues Monday. There was the muffed punt in the first quarter and the missed extra point in the second preceding this missed 49-yard field goal that started left and kept going that way.

Michigan came up empty after the Alabama turnover, and it's a self-inflicted wound. The missed kick was preceded by an failed flea-flicker with Blake Corum's pitch back to J.J. McCarthy falling short for a loss that put Michigan in third-and-17. In other words, even when things start going Michigan's way, they don't stay heading in that direction. These are the mistakes that matter in a close game.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 7:48 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Momentum has shifted in Pasadena

Michigan followed the Alabama touchdown with a three-and-out possession. The Wolverines have run 12 plays in the second half and managed only 24 yards with one first down. They've only had the ball for 5:45, so not only are they unable to move down the field, they're forcing their defense to get back on the field quickly, and it's showing. The Alabama offensive line that was overwhelmed early has begun leaning on Michigan, and the Alabama ground game is creating lanes.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 7:43 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Alabama retakes lead to open fourth quarter

The first play of the fourth quarter was a Jalen Milroe draw that saw him pick up 18 yards as he barreled through would-be Michigan tacklers down to the 3-yard line. The next play was Jase McClellan scoring his second touchdown of the evening. It's now a 17-13 lead for the Crimson Tide, which still only have 189 yards of offense in the game, 72 through the air.

It hasn't mattered because Alabama's defense has not given Michigan a chance to pull away. Now, we'll see how well the Tide defense performs when it has a lead to protect, or whether the Wolverines can shake off the cobwebs and finally get their offense going in the second half.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 7:40 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

END 3Q: Michigan 13, Alabama 10

Both offenses are struggling to find solid footing to start the second half. Michigan hasn't had the same success it did to start the game coming out of the break, managing only 23 yards of offense in the quarter. Meanwhile, when Alabama isn't snapping the ball directly into the ground or allowing Jalen Milroe to be sacked, the Crimson Tide are finding some room to maneuver on the ground. Justice Haynes was productive in the third quarter with four carries for 31 yards, and the Tide will begin the final quarter of the game with the ball at the UM 21.

We're 15 minutes away (or maybe more) from knowing who the first team to advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship will be, and we're even closer to a beautiful sunset over the San Gabriel Mountains. A classic finish is brewing at the Rose Bowl.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 7:21 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

J.J. McCarthy isn't making enough throws

While the focus of the game is Alabama's inability to snap the ball or keep Jalen Milroe upright, we can't ignore that McCarthy is missing shots. On Michigan's first drive of the second half, he made his best throw of the evening, rolling to his right to avoid pressure and finding Cornelius Johnson for a first down thanks to some toe-drag swag. However, on the next third down, McCarthy had an open Tyler Morris on another crossing route and threw the ball behind him. Morris caught it but having to slow down caused him to lose his balance and fall down short of the marker. If McCarthy puts the ball in front of Morris, it's not only a first down but likely 10 to 15 yards more.

It's not the first time we've seen this Monday. McCarthy has had open receivers that he's thrown behind or overthrown. He's still 11 of 16 overall, but the incompletions haven't been because of great Alabama coverage. They've been bad throws. If he connects on one or two of them, the Wolverines might be up by a lot more than three points right now.

Apropos of nothing, here's a cool photo of a stealth bomber flying over the stadium.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 7:10 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Snap issues derail Alabama drive

Alabama has had issues with the snap all season, and that trend is continuing iin the Rose Bowl. The opening drive of the second half was derailed by errant bad snaps. As expected, Alabama came out with heavier offensive sets and didn't go empty after Michigan abused those formations in the first half. The adjustment was working; the run game was finding lanes and picking up first downs. Quick plays to the perimeter were picking up yards.

But then there was a bad snap on first down that resulted in a 10-yard loss after Jalen Milroe dove to get onto the ball before Michigan could get to it. The next play featured another ground ball snap to Milroe, who picked it up but was engulfed by the pass rush before he had a chance to lift his head. That left Alabama in third-and-29, and that meant it was forced to punt one play later.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 6:41 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

HALF: Michigan 13, Alabama 10

The Wolverines overwhelmed Alabama along both lines of scrimmage in the first half, sacking Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe five times with seven total tackles for loss. It's the ninth time this season Alabama has surrendered 4+ sacks in a game (most in the nation), and the five sacks for Michigan tied their most in any game this season.

Still, the Tide were able to take advantage of an early Wolverines turnover -- muffed punt by Michigan's Semaj Morgan -- to take an early lead with a 34-yard rushing touchdown by Jase McClellan. Alabama managed little offensively over the remainder of the half. Michigan responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive of its own, adding another in the second quarter when J.J McCarthy hit Tyler Morris on a crossing route for a 38-yard score.

A look at the box score suggests Alabama is lucky to trail by only six points. Michigan has a 197-96 yardage edge, and while the Wolverines defense has been disruptive, the Tide has yet to even register a tackle for loss.

McCarthy is 9 of 14 for 115 yards and two touchdowns, while Milroe is 5 of 8 for 53 yards, getting sacked as often as he's completed a pass. Halftime adjustments will be pivotal for both teams as Alabama will emerge from the locker rooms with possession.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 6:37 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Alabama (sort of) learns how to block

Alabama's offensive line did a much better job protecting Jalen Milroe on final latest possession of the first half as it left him time in the pocket to scan downfield and move the ball. Milroe also picked up a first down using his legs to extend the drive. Unfortunately, it only took one missed blitzer to end a drive, and that's what happened as Milroe was sacked for the fifth time in the opening 30 minutes. Alabama ultimately settled for a 50-yard field goal from Will Reichard to cut its deficit to 13-10 after its best offensive drive of the opening half.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 6:22 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Michigan nearly gets busted on trick play, takes lead

Near disaster turned to immense success for Michigan. A throw-back pass behind the line of scrimmage to J.J. McCarthy almost resulted in a turnover for the Wolverines if not for McCarthy grabbing it and heaving the ball to a wide-open Roman Wilson for a first down as Dallas Turner closed in for a big hit.

That first down set up a 38-yard touchdown pass from McCarthy to Tyler Morris on a crossing route. A bad snap on the extra point put a slight damper in the sequence, but Michigan nevertheless leads 13-7 late in the second quarter.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 6:03 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Michigan's defense dominating up front

If you thought Michigan's defensive numbers were only a result of facing Big Ten offenses, the first 18 minutes of the Rose Bowl have been a wake up call. Michigan sacked Jalen Milroe twice on the same possession giving the Wolverines four sacks and five tackles for loss early in the second quarter.

Other than Jase McClellan's 34-yard touchdown run, Alabama's offense has 3 yards on 12 plays. The offensive line is having a lot of difficulty blocking Michigan's front and identifying blitzers. At this point, the Crimson Tide need to survive the first half and get into the locker room to figure out how to adjust to what the Wolverines are doing. And the defense needs to make sure to keep this game close.

I truly don't remember the last time I have seen Alabama get bullied up front like this. Perhaps it was the Texas game, but that didn't feel as relentless as the onslaught feels in the Rose Bowl.

This is the ninth time this season Alabama has been sacked 4+ times in a game. That's tied for the most in the country with Arkansas, Colorado and Old Dominion. Not really the company Milroe & Co. are trying to keep.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 5:56 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

End 1Q: Michigan 7, Alabama 7

We're off to a wild start in the Rose Bowl as No. 1 Michigan and No. 4 Alabama are tied 7-7 after 15 minutes. It was an inauspicious start for the Wolverines as J.J. McCarthy threw an interception on the first play of the game, though it was ultimately overturned after it was ruled Alabama's Caleb Downs had stepped out of bounds before intercepting the pass. Alabama's defense forced a punt, and after Michigan responded by sacking Jalen Milroe twice, Semaj Morgan lost the ensuing punt in the sun, muffing it with the Crimson Tide recovering in Wolverines territory.

Alabama running back Jase McClellan opened the scoring with a 39-yard touchdown run, but Michigan responded with a 75-yard TD drive capped by a Blake Corum receiving score. Alabama finished the quarter with only 38 yards of offense averaging 3.8 yards per play. Michigan's offense has been the much stronger of the two but has hurt itself with mistakes.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 5:50 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Strange sequence as Alabama punts

An odd moment occured as Jalen Milroe dropped back on third-and-11 before taking off. It looked like he had plenty of room left to run, but Milroe just kind of, well, stopped. He went into a spin move for reasons only he knows and slipped on the turf, falling 4 yards shy of the first down. Then Michigan got away with what should -- by any observer's eyes -- have been running into the kicker penalty on the ensuing punt. It was an odd turn of events for sure.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 5:41 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Michigan answers quickly, ties game 7-7

The Wolverines offense is clearly over its early game jitters. After a rather disastrous start, Michigan responded with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 7-7. The biggest play of the game was a 19-yard pass to Kalel Mullings on third down as J.J. McCarthy rolled to his left and fired a dart to the sideline. It was his most impressive throw of the game to this point by far.

The throw that resulted in points was an easy 8-yard toss to Blake Corum out of the backfield. Corum's no stranger to the end zone, but he's usually on the receiving end of hand-offs, not passes. It looks like we could be in store for a fun evening in Pasadena.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 5:31 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Alabams draws first blood, leads 7-0

After Jalen Milroe converted third-and-1 with a QB sneak, a bad snap nearly led to Milroe to kneel; instead, his off-rhythm hand-off to Jase McClellan ... worked to Alabama's benefit. The low snap froze Michigan's linebackers, and McClellan took advantage, flying through the hole past Mike Sainristril and into the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown making it 7-0 Alabama in the first quarter.

All this was set up by the muffed punt from Michigan. So far in this game, Michigan's had an interception overturned and a muffed punt. Meanwhile, Milroe has taken a couple sacks, but Alabama isn't making mistakes. Whether real or not, you get the sense one team is confident and knows it's been in this situation before, while the other is anxious and trying to prove it belongs.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 5:21 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Michigan muffs a punt; Alabama recovers

The Wolverines defense forced a three-and-out of its own with two sacks of Jalen Milroe on Alabama's first possession of the game. Unfortunately, Michigan still found a way to give the ball back as Semaj Morgan muffed the ensuing punt with the Crimson Tide recovering at the Michigan 44. It has certainly been a wild start to this Rose Bowl.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 5:14 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

JJ McCarthy (nearly) picked off on first play

Remember last year when JJ McCarthy threw two pick-sixes against TCU? He started the Rose Bowl rolling to his right, unable to find an open receiver and inexplicably fired an interception to Caleb Downs ... BUT! ... Caleb Downs was out of bounds and came back into the field of play before picking off the pass. That's illegal touching. A huge break for Michigan.

McCarthy was lucky his interception was overturned, but his next two passes went nowhere and Michigan went three and out. An interesting note: Alabama star cornerback Terrion Arnold was in man coverage on Michigan tight end Colston Loveland in the slot on third down. That is an interesting wrinkle and shows Alabama is more concerned about Michigan's tight ends than receivers.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 5:12 pm ET · Dean Straka]

Spectacular day in Pasadena 

You can't ask for a better setting than the one in which Alabama and Michigan are about to compete. There isn't a cloud in the sky as the Crimson Tide and Wolverines prepare to kick in the Granddaddy of Them All, with a spot in the national championship on the line. It's been a bit, too, since we've seen a CFP game actually held at the Rose Bowl Stadium; The 2020 Rose Bowl was a semifinal, but the game was moved out of Pasadena, California, and contested in Arlington, Texas, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last CFP semifinal actually played in Pasadena was the OT thriller between Georgia and Oklahoma at the end of the 2017 season. It could be a matchup to remember in Southern California as we ring in the new year. 

[Jan 1, 2024 at 4:30 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

This is only the sixth time these teams have played

You would think that two schools who have been playing this sport as long as these two, who have both played in so many huge games, would've crossed paths more often than they have. The Rose Bowl will be the sixth meeting between the schools, with Alabama holding a 3-2 edge in the series.

The last meeting came in the 2020 Citrus Bowl which Michigan won 35-16. Before that it was the 2012 season opener at AT&T STadium in Arlington, Texas. Nick Saban and Alabama crushed Brady Hoke's Michigan team 41-14. The Tide would go on to win the national title that season.

Michigan's last win over Alabama came during the 2000 Orange Bowl. THe Wolverines won that game 35-34 with some guy named Tom Brady at quarterback.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 4:00 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Alabama has won more playoff games than any other program

With a win in the Rose Bowl today Alabama would become the first school to reach the 10-win mark in College Football Playoff games. The Tide are 9-4 in the College Football Playoff, including a 6-1 record in semifinal games. No other program has more than six wins (Clemson, 6-4).

Meanwhile, on the other sideline, Michigan is looking for its first win. The Wolverines are in the playoff for the third straight season, but they've lost both their semifinal games. In 2021 they were trounced by Georgia, and last year they lost as favorites to the TCU team that was then trounced by Georgia.

[Jan 1, 2024 at 3:30 pm ET · Tom Fornelli]

Remember the time Alabama benched Jalen Milroe?

There's been a lot of attention paid this week to Jalen Milroe's comments about former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien suggesting he change positions, and I get it. But do we not remember earlier this season when current offensive coordinator Tommy Rees benched Milroe following the Texas loss in favor of Ty Buchner?

Buchner started against South Florida and was replaced during the game by Ty Simpson. Both struggled mightily, though Alabama managed an ugly 17-3 win. Milroe reclaimed his starting gig the next week and has been a different player since. He became more comfortable with the new offense, and his new offensive coordinator became more comfortable with his QB. It was a move that seems insane to look back at, but in retrospect, it's a moment that changed the trajectory of the 2023 season for the Tide.