Takeaways from Alabama Football's Heartbreaking Rose Bowl Loss to Michigan
PASADENA, Calif. — This season, the Alabama Crimson Tide has found ways to win time and time again.
Down the stretch of Monday's Rose Bowl loss to Michigan, old issues resurfaced. Poor snaps, sacks, inconsistent play on offense and questionable play-calling were all problems from early in the season that had been fixed. Through it all, Alabama had a 20-13 lead with under five minutes to play.
The Crimson Tide couldn't finish the job, allowing the Wolverines to force overtime, and eventually win the game to reach the national championship.
Here are my takeaways from Alabama's season-ending loss to top-ranked Michigan.
A Season to Remember
It didn't end the way the Crimson Tide and its fans wanted, but the 2023-24 season reenergized the fan base. After the preseason questions and slow start, fans jumped onto the "LANK" train and rode it all the way to the College Football Playoff.
Alabama's coaches and players made it a point to get better every day, and because of that, the Crimson Tide saw steady improvement from the beginning to the end.
This year created a lot of memories. The tight-knit brotherhood atmosphere of the team was a refreshing sight. Fourth-and-31. Taking back the SEC from Georgia. Watching Jalen Milroe develop weekly into one of the nation's top quarterbacks.
While the Crimson Tide has lost two games each of the last two seasons, 2023-24 felt like the resurgence of the Alabama standard.
Offensive Woes Returned
It seemed like the Crimson Tide had flushed out the setbacks and drive-stoppers. On Monday, many old bruises emerged again. Seth McLaughlin was at the center of it all, struggling to effectively get the ball to Milroe consistently.
The offensive line surrendered five sacks in the first half alone. It even felt like Tommy Rees' play-calling dried up some with the lack of protection.
There's a reason Michigan came into the game as the nation's No. 1 defense. From the defensive front to the secondary, the Wolverines were as advertised.
Defense Held Until it Couldn't Anymore
For the most part, Alabama's defense was stout. Monday's game more or less played out like a lot of the Crimson Tide's early-season contests. Through offensive struggles, the defense continually got off the field. If Alabama's offense looked like it had for the past two months, the Crimson Tide is likely playing in Houston next week.
It's hard to put the loss on the unit, but when Alabama needed a stop most, it couldn't come up with one. Michigan took the football 75 yards in eight plays to send the game to overtime, and then made it look pretty easy again in the extra period.
The defense got worn down from carrying the load for the majority of the game. And when the offense was called upon to carry a little extra weight, it failed to do so.
What's Next?
With the season reaching its conclusion, it means there will be plenty of movement between now and next season. That begins with the transfer portal and NFL draft.
Because it played in the CFP, the Crimson Tide's portal guys will now have until Jan. 6 to make a decision on their future. As is with all other big programs, there will certainly be guys that take their talents elsewhere for more playing time and other reasons.
Once again, Alabama will also have several players choose the NFL route, as well. Dallas Turner was the first to put his name into the pot for the next level, declaring his intentions to play at the next level after the game on Monday night.
Earlier in the week, there were rumblings surrounding Nick Saban's potential retirement. It's a very big if, but if that does indeed happen, there would obviously be earthquake-level changes in Tuscaloosa and in the sport as a whole.
If he doesn't choose to hang it up, it'll be restock and reload time for the Crimson Tide, who will be right back in the national championship conversation next season.
