Late-game stop leads Michigan football to upset victory over Alabama in ReliaQuest Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. – The Michigan Wolverines faced the Alabama Crimson Tide for the second time in 365 days in a hard-fought battle during the ReliaQuest Bowl inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The previous matchup was held in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 1, 2024, when the Wolverines escaped in a classic Rose Bowl matchup after a 27-20 overtime thriller.

Read: Harbaugh removes thorns from postseason struggles as Michigan football wins OT Rose Bowl thriller

And like the game in Pasadena, the Wolverines escaped with a narrow 19-13 victory behind their stellar defense led by edge rusher Derrick Moore.

Moore started Tuesday’s (Dec. 31) matchup on a mission as Alabama was Jalen Milroe, wanting some revenge opened the ReliaQuest Bowl with the ball.

On the team’s opening drive, Milroe faced his first taste of adversity with a fourth down and four on his own 50-yard line, but Moore got the first sack of the game to end the drive.

The Wolverines moved the ball into Alabama territory after quarterback Davis Warren completed a third-down pass to tight end Hogan Hansen to move the sticks.

Running back Kendrick Bell fumbled the ball for a minus 13 yards out of bounds, but kicker Dominic Zvada ended the once hopeful drive with a 45-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

As the rain started pouring down with 8:15 seconds to play in the first quarter, the fans escaped the concourse to seek shelter.

Milroe fumbled the snap on his next possession, which landed in the hands of Moore as the Wolverines offense received a gift at their own 19-yard line.

But the men in maize spoiled the opportunity as their offense produced seven yards to set up another Zvada field goal, this time for 30 yards, to take a 6-0 lead.

Cornerback Aamir Hall laid a huge hit on Milroe to open the drive before Wesley Walker put on the Turnover Buffs with a self-tipped pass to himself, leading to an interception, which was their second turnover of the first quarter.

With the ball spotted at their own 13-yard line, Warren connected with wide receiver Fredrick Moore to the left side of the endzone for a “Toe Drag Swag” touchdown to take a 13-0 lead.

On the Crimson Tide’s fourth possession, Hall stripped sacked Milroe for his third turnover of the quarter to place the Wolverines at the six-yard line.

Quarterback Alex Orji entered the game on second and goal for a three-yard run, placing the ball at Alabama’s two-yard line.

With the ball in prime territory, Warren got sacked, leading to a 20-yard field goal by Zvada to take a 16-0 lead.

At the end of the quarter, the Wolverines acquired 43 yards of total offense while Alabama was held to a negative two yards.

The Wolverines defense opened the second quarter, forcing another punt as Milroe couldn’t keep his balance on third down and 16 to go.

Warren hit wide receiver Semaj Morgan who sauced up the defender for a three-yard catch-and-run to set up a third and two which was converted by running back Jordan Marshall.

The drive stalled at the 44-yard line, causing Michigan to punt for the first time in the game, pining Alabama at their 16-yard line.

On their fifth possession of the game, Derrick Moore got his second sack of the game to push Alabama back eight yards, leading to another punt.

After a Wolverines punt, Milroe and his offense got tricky with a 28-yard run by Rico Scott.

Tight end CJ Dippre made a nice catch and run but fumbled, which ended up being recovered by Dominic Nichols.

On the next play, the explosive offense of Alabama, Milroe hit Robbie Ouzts for a wide-open 25-yard touchdown to cap off a four-play 71-yard drive in one minute and 50 seconds in the second quarter to narrow the lead to 16-7.

Running back Benjamin Hall broke an eight-yard run before Warren connected with Fredrick Moore down the sideline for a 15-yard catch and run at the two-minute mark.

Warren hit wide receiver Peyton O’Leary for seven yards but was three yards short, forcing a punt.

On third down and one, on their own 10-yard line, Milroe nearly made a house call as he rushed the ball for 41 yards.

He then completed a pass to Germie Bernard for a 41-yard catch and run to put the ball at the Wolverines' six-yard line.

The Crimson Tide capped off an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a field goal in just 54 seconds to narrow the lead to 16-10 at the half.

After a slow start, Alabama, with 33 plays, accumulated 163 total yards in the first half, while the Wolverines ran 34 plays for 109 total yards.

Warren finished the half completing eight of 11 passes for 66 yards and one touchdown, while Milroe after two fumbles and an interception completed seven of 12 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown.

The Wolverines received the ball to open the second half with a one-yard gain by Marshall.

Fredrick Moore got a wide receiver carry for four yards before Warren extended the drive with a completed pass to tight end Marlin Klein for seven yards.

After another two runs for minimal gain, Warren on third down and nine got sacked by James Smith for a loss of 14 yards, but a sideline penalty by Alabama gifted them a 15-yard penalty.

Warren was injured on the play and taken into the Michigan medical blue tent for evaluation.

Orji was inserted back into the game as the Wolverines got the gall on the 32-yard line for a first down and 10.

With Orji in the game, Michigan, who was struggling to complete a forward pass, lined up in run on the next two plays, and Orji recovered his own fumble.

On third down and 12, Michigan started playing not to lose as they ran into the heart of the defense for one yard and punted to flip the field.

With the momentum fully on their side, Milroe started heating up as he completed his first pass of the second half to Bernard for 15 yards.

He took a sack from Wolverines defensive back Brandyn Hillman for a negative 10 yards, forcing another punt.

After the punt, cameras caught Warren limping back to the locker room.

Marshall gained his longest carry of the game with a 13-yard run. They were moved back 15 yards after a facemask penalty to their own 33-yard line.

They ultimately punted the ball to the Crimson Tide’s 35-yard line.

Milroe tossed a quick screen to Ryan Williams for four yards to open the drive. He went back to him on second down but overthrew him for the incompletion.

On third down, Milroe got sacked again, this time by lineman Ikechukwu Iwunnah, for a negative 10 yards, forcing another punt.

Marshall took a big hit after a seven-yard gain to open the drive. He gained a first down with a five-yard run.

Orji completed a pass, but it was to Morgan for negative two yards.

He ran a quarterback keeper for a negative two yards, forcing an arrant pass that Zabien Brown intercepted.

Milroe connected with Rico Scott for a nine-yard gain to end the quarter.

Milroe threw an incomplete pass on third down, which Hillman broke up on the Wolverines 34-yard line.

With the Wolverines unable to complete a forward pass, Alabama went for it on forth down with Milroe tossing an incomplete pass intend for Kobe Prentice.

Warren returned to the sideline with a giant ice pack on his right leg with crutches holding him up for the senior quarterback.

Marshall got the drive rolling with a two-yard run on their own 36-yard line.

He followed that up with a 23-yard on his 18th carry of the day for 89 yards.

Orji ran a quarterback keeper on second and 12 for a gain of 10 yards.

On third down and two on Alabama’s 32-yard line, Benjamin Hall rushed up the gut for four yards to get the first down.

Marshall ran the ball for nine yards on third and 10, bringing up a fourth down and one, but head coach Sherrone Moore decided to take the Zvada field goal to extend their lead 19-10 with a little over seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter.

Milroe threw an incomplete pass down the middle of the field while taking a vicious hit but was gifted a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer to extend the drive.

On third down and 11 at the Wolverines' 33-yard line, Milroe broke three tackles and threw an incomplete pass with 4:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, setting up a 51-yard field goal by kicker Graham Nicholson to bring the game to 19-13.

Alabama gifted Michigan 15 yards with an unsportsmanlike penalty to open the drive.

Marshall eclipsed the 100-yard mark on his next carry. But on third down and nine yards to go, Benjamin Hall gained one yard to force another punt with 2:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The punt was returned to Alabama’s 44-yard line and Milroe got the drive started with a four-yard pass to receiver Ryan Williams at the 2:00 mark.

On second down and six trailing 19-13 with two timeouts remaining, Milroe threw an incomplete pass.

Milroe completed an 11-yard pass to Bernard for the first down.

He later completed a 25-yard catch and run to Jamarion Miller to place the ball at the Michigan 15-yard line.

Milroe nearly threw a game-ending interception to linebacker Ernest Hausmann but the ball hit the ground.

On fourth down and 10 to go, the Michigan Wolverines lineman Rayshaun Benny got a quarterback pressure, resulting in an incomplete pass to seal the victory.

The matchup was the Wolverines’ 41st time facing off against an SEC opponent in school history, where they are 27-13-1.

But their matchup against Alabama, which is usually a classic with much at stake, broke a 3-3 tie as the Wolverines jumped to 4-3 in their seventh matchup.

Their most recent loss occurred during their week two 31-12 beat down against the No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns, who became one of the newest members during the 2024 season.

Read: Michigan football’s quarterback struggles exposed in blowout loss to Texas, ending 29-game win streak

The former Outback Bowl has now become a glorified spring game between both powerhouse schools as many of their starters opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.

The ReliaQuest Bowl is in its 39th year and in their previous 31 matchups between the SEC and the Big Ten, the SEC holds a 20-12 advantage including 14-9 since 2003.

It was the 19th time the men in maize faced a Southeastern Conference (SEC) school in a bowl game, with the Wolverines improving to 10-9 all-time.