The Rose Bowl

 

It has been a magical season for the University of Michigan Wolverines.  They beat Ohio State in the last game of the regular season on November 25^th to advance to the Big Ten Championship.  While we beat Ohio State, it was a hard-fought game.  In fact, they were driving at the end of the game for a field goal to tie and send the game to overtime or to score a touchdown and outright win the game.  Our defense pressured their quarterback into an errant throw that was intercepted and sealed a Michigan win, the third in a row against them.  The following Saturday, December 2, Michigan took on Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game.  Iowa was all defense and little offense.  It was a good test for us as we prevailed 26-0. 

After we won the Big Ten Championship, we were ranked #1 in the College Championship Playoffs, and we were pitted against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.  The winner of the Rose Bowl would face the winner of the Sugar Bowl, Texas vs. Washington, in the Championship game on January 8^th in Houston.  Both the Rose and Sugar Bowls were played today, New Year’s Day.

When the Michigan fan base learned we would be playing Alabama in the semi-finals, our optimism became a bit more cautious.  Frankly, we have not done well in Bowl games and we have done even worse against SEC teams in bowl games.  I kept telling myself that was old thinking and that this team was different and different in a very good way.  There was that magic one sees in championship seasons when things just seem to go your way.  I define magic as a wee bit of luck on top of a well-coached, superbly talented team, that executes at a high level. 

OK, but this was still Alabama, and they are still coached by Nick Saban.   Clearly, it was going to be a hard-fought game that would be won in the trenches.  Some of my friends thought it would be a shoot-out.  Others, including myself, thought the defenses would dominate making it a lower scoring game that would, per my buddy and football guru Jack, “go down to the final drive of the game.”  Jack certainly called that correctly.

It was a hard-fought defense dominated game.  There were mistakes on both sides, the kind that comes from playing a high-stake game like this when everyone is over excited and on edge.  Michigan made the first error.  They fumbled a punt early in the first quarter which Alabama recovered.  Bama scored a TD on a knife through butter 4 play 44-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead.  Michigan answered with a 7 play 75-yard drive to tie the game.  After five back and forth series all of which ended in punts, Michigan mounted an 8 play 83-yard drive to score another TD.  Due to an errant snap, we were not able to kick the extra point.  The score was 13-7.  Alabama then drove for 52 yards in 10 plays and kicked a 50 yard field goal to make it 13-10 Michigan at the end of the first half.  Michigan sacked Alabama QB, Jalen Milroe, five times in the first half and held Bama to under 100 yards rushing.  Michigan looked like the stronger team. 

Both teams were strong 3^rd quarter teams, outscoring their opponents by a very large margin.  The third quarter of the Rose Bowl was surprisingly scoreless.  Both defenses were on point.  But it was apparent that Alabama made better adjustments during half-time as they seemed to be moving the ball better and they held Michigan to a dismal 32 yards of offense in the third quarter and won the field position battle.

Alabama mounted a beautiful 8 play 55-yard drive that started late in the third quarter and ended with a TD in the first minute of the fourth quarter.  With Alabama leading 17-13 and looked dominating doing it.  Things were looking gloomy for Michigan.  Michigan still could not move the ball.  Alabama looked like they were driving for another touchdown.  A penalty and another sack stalled their drive.  They kicked a 50-yard field goal to extend their lead to 20-13.

With only 4:41 left in the game Michigan had to score a touchdown.  I was texting my son on other friends saying that JJ and Corum, as leaders of the offense and both of whom had came back vowing to win a national championship, had to produce.  And they did just.  With 4^th and 2 on the Alabama 40, JJ hit Corum on a swing pass for 27 yards.  JJ ran for a first down.   JJ then connected with Roman Wilson for another 29 yards.  A few plays later, JJ threw a short pass in the flat to Wilson for a TD.   The score was tied at 20-20.

Alabama got the ball with 1:34 left, ran 5 plays, and were forced to punt.  Michigan fumbled the punt but recovered it on their own 1 yard line.  They ran one play and took a knee twice to end regulation time and sending the game into overtime.

In the overtime, Michigan had the ball and scored a touchdown in two plays.  Corum ran both plays with great determination.  We had a 27-20 lead.  Alabama had their chance and now they had to score a touchdown.  The ran five plays it was 4^th down and goal to go on the Michigan 3 yard line.  After a Bama timeout followed by a Michigan timeout and then, OMG, another Bama time out, they finally ran a play.  It was a quarterback keeper which Michigan snuffed stopped to end the game:  Michigan 27 – Alabama 20.

It was an amazing game.  Both teams came to play. 

This was the first time I felt that an SEC team was not faster and more agile than us.  We were as tough or tougher than their linemen on both sides and as fast or faster than their skill players.   I believe one of the best assets of Michigan is the strength and conditioning coach. I am not the first to note this. 

It was a nail biter, edge of the seat, heart pounding game for us watching.  Here is a sampling of what texts with my favorite Michigan fans.

I’m a bundle of nerves.

Me too.

 

How’s your heart?

Pounding.

 

Nerves are fried.

Mine too.

 

Congrats! You may now breathe!!!

I’m on oxygen!

 

I. Can’t. Believe. We. Did. It.

 

Was it all just some wonderful dream?

We weren’t alone.  Here is a thread from a Michigan FB groups.

Damn . I had a heart attack with the OT!!! Go blue!!

You ain’t the only one.

Me too i was praying the whole time.

This game was nerve racking!

And from another.  Apparently the reaction and nervousness was universal:

This game aged me by about 20yrs. Who else about had a heart attack.

I may have used a few special words more than normal?

Yes, I consider this game a personal survival story and will tell the grandkids one day.

Yep. Have to go have my hair colored tomorrow.

I had to take both my heart meds for blood pressure and rate and I’m 45. 

Defibrillator was on standby

I'm glad I'm not a big drinker. I would have been plastered by half time, lol.

 I cannot imagine the National Championhip against Washington will be any easier.  

No matter what I might imagine, I do remember this.  After Michigan lost to Georgia 34-11 in the 2021 National Semifinal, JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum came back out onto the field to watch Georgia celebrate and hoist the Orange Bowl trophy.  You could sense their resolve to get back and win the whole shebang.  Go Blue!  Beat Washington!