The Crimson Tide loses to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl after three first-quarter errors by No. 11 Alabama.

The Crimson Tide turned the ball over three times in a span of four plays during the opening 15 minutes as Michigan jumped out to a 16-0 lead.

That turned out to be enough points for the Wolverines to win the game, though they had to sweat at the end. Alabama got to the Michigan 15 yard-line with less than a minute to go, but Jalen Milroe’s fourth-down pass to the end zone fell incomplete before getting to the goal line.

INCOMPLETE AND MICHIGAN WINS pic.twitter.com/lR0MzDswrB

— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) December 31, 2024

 

The loss means Alabama finishes coach Kalen DeBoer's first season at 9-4. It's the first time the Crimson Tide have ended a season with fewer than 10 wins since a 7-6 campaign in 2007. That was Nick Saban's first season in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama entered the game as a 16.5-point favorite in the College Football Playoff rematch from a season ago, but the Tide was all discombobulated to start. The Tide punted after receiving the opening kickoff, and things went downhill from there as rain started to fall at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

 Jalen Milroe fumbled on the first play of Alabama’s second possession, and Michigan kicked a second field goal. Milroe was then picked off two plays into Alabama’s third drive, and Michigan took over at the Alabama 16-yard line. Three plays later, Davis Warren hit Fredrick Moore for a 13-yard TD.

Milroe was sacked and fumbled again to open Alabama’s fourth drive, and Michigan took over at the Alabama 6-yard line. The Tide defense held the Wolverines to a field goal again, but the margin ended up too big to overcome, thanks to a stellar effort from a Michigan defense that didn't have stars Mason Graham and Will Johnson as they prep for the 2025 NFL Draft.

The advantageous field position from the turnovers was the main reason Michigan won the game. The offense had just 190 total yards and struggled to move the ball like it has for much of the season. Michigan was 5-of-16 on third downs.

Warren left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury after he was sacked on a third down. But Michigan retained the ball and got an automatic first down as Alabama was called for a sideline foul for celebrating after the play. Multiple players ran onto the field from the bench in excitement, and the official patrolling that sideline was knocked down by an Alabama player as well.

Alex Orji replaced Warren and Michigan’s offense became even more ground-based. Orji was 2-of-3 passing for two yards and an interception. Freshman running back Jordan Marshall led the team with 23 carries for 100 yards. He saw the most work of any Michigan rusher as both Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings didn’t play Tuesday.

We can put the Alabama playoff arguments to rest

Look, we’re not here to make sweeping judgments about the entire season from a mid-tier bowl game, even if Alabama played extremely poorly on Tuesday.

But we can all agree that the arguments that Alabama should have been in the College Football Playoff over SMU should stop, right? The Crimson Tide were the first team left out of the playoff after SMU lost to Clemson in the ACC title game. Alabama missed out on the playoff, thanks to three losses to SMU’s two, and the Mustangs played an extra game.

The second-guessing of the committee’s decision to include SMU in the playoff reached a fever pitch when the Mustangs were blown out by Penn State in the first round. And that second-guessing conveniently ignored who Alabama had lost to during the season.

Two of the Crimson Tide’s three losses came to teams that finished the regular season at 6-6 and one happened by three touchdowns. Alabama lost 24-3 at Oklahoma in Week 13 in a game that ultimately doomed the Tide's playoff hopes. A win in Norman would have likely put them in the postseason over the Mustangs. And the mistakes that doomed Alabama’s playoff hopes in the regular season showed up again on Tuesday.

via: https://sports.yahoo.com/

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