PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Trevor Keegan didn't watch Alabama's final game Monday in the Rose Bowl. Instead, the Michigan offensive lineman buried his head in the turf and said a prayer as Alabama's Jalen Milroe tried to gain the three yards needed to extend the game.
Milroe won nothing. Michigan's defensive line made sure of that.
The reaction from the Michigan crowd told Keegan that the Wolverines had made the stop, and he tossed his helmet high into the California sky.
The Wolverines won 27-20 in overtime by stuffing a fourth down play they knew was coming.
Several Michigan players I spoke to in the locker room after the game said they fully expected Milroe to try to run into the end zone on fourth-and-3.
I could make a joke about stealing signs, but that wouldn't be right. That was just common sense.
“I think everyone in the stadium thought the quarterback run was coming,” Michigan offensive lineman LaDarius Henderson said.
“If I were her, I probably would have done the exact same thing. He is their best offensive player. You want to put the ball in the hands of your best player, but we all knew it was coming.”
Alabama's offense encountered significant limitations as the game progressed, and Milroe's runs were considered the Tide's best weapon.
Michigan's coverage secondary deprived Milroe of his usual dose of good completions, and his 116 passing yards were a season low. Milroe used his legs to spark Alabama after halftime. His 15-yard run in overtime gave Alabama a chance to get into the red zone. With the season on the line, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees once again relied on his quarterback's athleticism.
“It’s going to be in No. 4’s hands,” Michigan linebacker Michael Barrett said of the Wolverines’ expectations heading into the final game.
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Nick Saban said the Milroe run was one of his 2-point conversion plays that set up Alabama for Michigan. The Wolverines loaded eight men into the penalty box. A low snap got the game off to a sloppy start. It was the last of several bad snaps that had a lasting impact on Alabama's offense.
The last piece was a fitting conclusion. For most of the game, Michigan appeared to be the better prepared team. The Wolverines also performed better. This continued until the final low point.
Quarterback draws are dangerous red zone plays, especially with a player as dynamic as Milroe. But asking Milroe to gain 3 yards against a stacked defense that was expecting the game is a tall order.
“Milroe, he’s the best player on this team,” Barrett said. “Hats off to him. He's elusive, he's a great quarterback, but we just knew he was going to get his hands on the ball somehow. We knew he was going to be the one running the ball and he came right to us.”
I could argue that Rees should have opted for something more creative, but considering how Michigan constantly harasses Milroe on passing plays, combined with the Wolverines' ironclad secondary, I understand why Rees chose to keep it simple, and trusted Milroe to try and make a play.
This loss was less about a single play and more about Alabama's inability to find much rhythm against an opponent that showed why it has the stingiest defense in the country.
Worse than Alabama's fourth down play was the play two snaps earlier, when Mason Graham swept through Alabama's line and stuffed Jase McClellan for a 5-yard loss.
“You’ve really never seen a defense like ours,” Barrett said. “They were not prepared for the moves and plans that we have.”
Barrett's bold assessment was correct. Alabama seemed unprepared for Michigan.
Barrett had hoped the game would come down to Michigan's defense having to make a stop.
Why?
“We don’t shy away,” Barrett said.
It was helpful to know what role Alabama would play.
Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.
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