What we learned in Michigan football’s historic win over Alabama: Third time’s the charm

PASADENA, Calif. — Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia looks back at Michigan football’s historic 27-20 OT Rose Bowl win over Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal and to what’s ahead for the Wolverines in their national championship matchup with undefeated Washington next Monday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas:

Three things we learned

Defensive line dominance: When Braiden McGregor dropped Alabama’s Jalen Milroe on U-M’s first defensive snap, it felt like a fantastic start. When Josiah Stewart added another on third down to force a quick three-and-out, it felt like another great play, but a coincidence; surely Michigan hadn’t started the game with two sacks in three plays. But two possessions later, Michigan did the exact same thing again. On the Tide’s first offensive play of the second quarter, sixth-year captain Michael Barrett came on a blind-side blitz; by the time Milroe felt it, he was planted on the ground. On the next snap, senior captain Kris Jenkins came around Cam Goode’s right side on a stunt, then thanks to a blitzing Junior Colson requiring a blocker, that left Jenkins free to get around the edge and swallow Milroe for the team’s fourth sack in the first 12 defensive snaps of the day.

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Michigan defensive end Josaiah Stewart celebrates a sack against Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe during the first half of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.

While that pace didn’t quite keep up all day, that was the type of day it was for Jesse Minter’s unit, who didn’t just get the better of Alabama but manhandled the Tide’s offensive front. Sophomore Derrick Moore came away with the fifth sack of the first half on the Tide’s final snap of the second quarter…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/learned-michigan-footballs-historic-win-110818287.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2024-01-03 11:08:18

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