According to AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy, the following information has been reported:

PASADENA, Calif.

Jalen Milroe utilized his running abilities to lead a comeback for Alabama, bringing the fourth-ranked team within reach of their seventh appearance in the College Football Playoff championship game.

The agile quarterback was rejected in the final moments.

In the 110th Rose Bowl game on Monday, the Crimson Tide were in a crucial position, needing a touchdown and facing fourth-and-goal from the Michigan 3-yard line in overtime. Milroe attempted to advance through the center, but was halted by Josaiah Stewart, resulting in a 1-yard gain. This ultimately led to a 27-20 victory for the top-ranked Wolverines.

“I placed my trust in my teammates on the final play and they believed in me. It’s unfortunate that we missed and couldn’t score in the end zone,” stated Milroe, who had a combined 179 yards between rushing and passing.

After utilizing all of their timeouts, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees made the decision to have the quarterback run, a play that coach Nick Saban had prepared as one of their two 2-point conversion options for the game.

Alabama lined up with two wide receivers to the left and one to the right, while also having running back Raydell Williams move before the ball was snapped by center Seth McLaughlin. However, the snap was not executed well and quarterback Milroe’s attempt to advance through the center was unsuccessful.

“We expected them to apply pressure, but we believed we could outmaneuver and block their efforts. Unfortunately, our plan did not succeed,” Saban stated.

In a high-pressure situation with the ball at the 3-yard line, Michigan’s defensive coordinator Jesse Minter anticipated that the ball would be in Milroe’s possession.

Minter explained that they were not willing to allow him to dictate the terms of the game. They were aware that he was the strongest player on the opposing team and had a wide range of skills. They anticipated that he might use a running or passing strategy to gain an advantage on the field. However, they were determined to stay proactive and not passively wait for his moves.

Milroe had a total of 63 rushing yards from 21 attempts, however, a majority of those yards were gained in the second half. He was tackled for a loss six times, with five of those occurring in the first half.

Tyler Booker, the offensive guard, stated that one of the changes made at halftime was increasing the use of six-man protection calls.

“They presented us with many challenges during the first half and were well-versed in our five- and six-man protection strategies. They were a formidable football team,” he remarked. “Their ranking as the top defense was well-deserved.”

Despite facing pressure throughout the first half, Milroe remained composed and led two scoring drives for Alabama, who entered the break trailing 13-10.

Instead of converting on 16 of his 23 passing attempts for a total of 116 yards, Milroe returned to lead two successful drives that resulted in scores, giving the Crimson Tide a 20-13 lead in the fourth quarter. Although he did fumble the ball near the middle of the field, Michigan was not able to capitalize on the turnover and failed to score any points.

The Alabama team ended with a 12-2 record and their coach, Saban, has many reasons to feel positive about the upcoming season. Despite being taken out of a game against South Florida, Milroe returned and started the final 11 games.

Milroe ranked fourth in the country for his 177.5 passer efficiency rating and second for his average of 10.41 yards per pass attempt. Additionally, he scored 14 touchdowns from rushing.

Prior to the Rose Bowl, Milroe mentioned that former offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien had recommended that he change positions.

“I believe this team has made significant progress from the South Florida and Texas games at the beginning of the season. It’s one of the most improved teams I have ever coached and will always hold a special place in my memory. I am extremely proud of this team.”

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The Associated Press college football rankings can be found at the following links: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football.

Source: wralsportsfan.com