TAMPA, Fla. — Michigan’s defense sacked Jalen Milroe five times and forced three turnovers by the Alabama quarterback to lead the Wolverines to a 19-13 victory over the Crimson Tide in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Tuesday.
Dominic Zvada kicked four field goals and Davis Warren threw a first-half touchdown pass to Fredrick Moore for Michigan (8-5), which finished the season on a three-game winning streak that included back-to-back upsets of rival Ohio State and Alabama.
Alabama’s season ended with a loss to Michigan for the second year in a row. The Wolverines and Crimson Tide (9-4) met in a College Football Playoff semifinal in last season’s Rose Bowl, with Michigan winning on the way to the national championship.
Tuesday’s loss ended Alabama’s string of 16 consecutive seasons with double-digit wins.
Milroe shrugged off a disastrous first quarter that was played almost exclusively in Alabama territory during heavy rain that sent many in the crowd at Raymond James Stadium scurrying for cover. The Tide had a chance to win in the closing minutes but turned the ball over on downs after driving to the Michigan 15.
Milroe lost two fumbles and threw an interception on three of Alabama’s first four drives. The fourth possession ended badly, too, with Milroe sacked for an 11-yard loss at the Tide 44 on fourth-and-4.
Michigan, however, was able to turn the blunders into only 16 points — Warren’s TD pass to Moore and field goals of 45, 30 and 21 yards for a 16-0 lead.
Milroe cut into Alabama’s deficit with a 25-yard TD pass to Robbie Ouzts, then ran for 41 yards and threw to Germie Bernard for 40 on back-to-back plays to set up Graham Nicholson’s 24-yard field goal just before halftime.
Michigan’s defense made the narrow halftime lead stand until Zvada’s 37-yard field goal put the Wolverines up 19-10 midway through the fourth quarter. Alabama countered with Nicholson’s 51-yarder to make it a one-score game again with 4:38 to go.
Milroe finished 16 of 32 for 192 yards with one touchdown and an interception.
Warren was 9 of 12 for 73 yards without an interception before limping off the field after being sacked early in the third quarter. Alex Orji finished up at quarterback for the Wolverines.
Takeaway
Michigan pressured Milroe all day, and the Tide never fully recovered from the quarterback’s early mistakes.
Up next
Michigan: Opens next season Aug. 30 at home versus New Mexico after a highly anticipated battle for the starting quarterback job. The nation’s No. 1 high school recruit, Bryce Underwood, practiced with the Wolverines for the ReliaQuest Bowl and was on the sideline Tuesday as an early enrollee. The competition also will include Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene.
Alabama: The Tide open their second season under coach Kalen DeBoer on Aug. 30 at Florida State. One question mark heading into the offseason is who will take the first snap at quarterback. Milroe hasn’t declared if he’ll enter the NFL draft or return to school.
