Alabama’s remarkable season came to a heartbreaking end in the Rose Bowl semifinal against Michigan. The Crimson Tide, ranked No. 4, had kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive with a thrilling fourth-down conversion in the Iron Bowl against Auburn. Still, it was a failed fourth-down play in overtime that sealed their fate with a 27-20 loss to No. 1 Michigan.
The decisive play was a straightforward call—a designed run up the middle for quarterback Jalen Milroe. However, it was executed poorly, and Wolverines defensive lineman Derrick Moore stopped Milroe short of the goal line. This play, occurring after timeouts by both teams, became a topic of debate.
Nick Saban, Alabama’s head coach, attributed the failure to execution rather than the play call itself. He explained, “[Offensive coordinator] Tommy [Rees] just felt like the best thing that we could do was have a quarterback run, which was kind of our 2-point play, one of our 2-point plays for this game.” The play took place from the 3-yard line, similar to a 2-point conversion attempt, but it fell short due to a lack of execution and blocking.
According to that blocking by @AlabamaFTBL , Milroe was supposed to start middle and cut left. (Watch Guard pull and lead and not trap) They got what they wanted with the @UMichFootball DE as he ran up field and they didn’t have to block him. #CFBPlayoff #littlethings pic.twitter.com/tgaaWHcwg7
— Kevin Kelley (@coachkelley1) January 2, 2024
A recurring issue for Alabama throughout the season, including the Rose Bowl, was the problem of poor snaps. This factor likely contributed to Milroe’s hesitation during the play.
Milroe emphasized the importance of preparation, highlighting the relationship between the quarterback and the center. He expressed his trust in his teammates but acknowledged the missed opportunity.
The loss extended Alabama’s national championship drought to three seasons, marking the longest such stretch during Saban’s tenure. Additionally, it prevented the Tide from achieving the feat of defeating two AP No. 1-ranked teams in the same season for the first time in their history.