Alabama’s national championship dreams fall short, losing to Michigan 27-20 in overtime

Alabama place kicker Will Reichard (16) celebrates after making a field goal during the second half of the Rose Bowl CFP NCAA semifinal college football game against Michigan Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer

Alabama had a shot in overtime to score a touchdown in the Rose Bowl to send the game into a second overtime against Michigan. Quarterback Jalen Milroe connected with Jermaine Burton at the Michigan 3 on third-and-goal, and Alabama leaned on Milroe’s athleticism on the final play call — but he ran straight into a Michigan defense that was waiting for him.

Michigan won the college football playoff semifinal game 27-20.

Michigan’s Blake Corum rushed for a 17-yard touchdown on the second snap of overtime, which proved to be the game-winning play.

Michigan’s defense ended only the second overtime game in the 110 editions of the Rose Bowl when Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was emphatically stopped for no gain when he attempted to sneak up the middle on fourth down from the Michigan 3.

Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines (14-0) will play for their school’s first national title since 1997 against Washington or Texas on Jan. 8 in Houston, but only after a late comeback and a hair-raising finish to the Granddaddy of Them All.

Jase McClellan rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns for Alabama, which fell heartbreakingly short of the chance to play for Nick Saban’s seventh national title at the school. The Tide led 20-13 on Will Reichard’s 52-yard field goal with 4:41 to play, but their defense couldn’t preserve the lead.

The Alabama defense also couldn’t step up at key moments to stop Corum, who caught an early TD pass and then rushed for 83 yards, capped by his overtime heroics. Corum has been at Michigan for three straight appearances in the CFP, but he barely played two years ago when the Wolverines were routed by Georgia, and he was injured when they were upset by TCU last year.

McClellan made an untouched 34-yard TD run in the first quarter for the game’s first points. Michigan answered with a statement 75-yard drive capped by Corum’s 8-yard catch for his FBS-leading 25th TD — his first on a reception.

Roman Wilson made a 4-yard TD catch with 1:34 left in regulation for the Wolverines, who hadn’t scored in the second half until that gritty 75-yard drive led by J.J. McCarthy.

Corum then needed only two snaps to score in the first overtime period, breaking tackles and spinning wildly on his second carry into the end zone.

Alabama finishes the season at 12-2 after winning the SEC Championship nearly a month ago.

The Tide will go three straight seasons without a national title for the first time in Saban’s tenure, but there’s no reason to be embarrassed about this well-played game against an elite opponent. Saban’s program remains a gold-standard powerhouse, and it’ll likely stay that way for as long as he wants to keep coaching.

Alabama will next host Western Kentucky on Aug. 31.

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