Takeaways from Michigan Football’s massive upset win over Alabama

It wasn’t pretty, but in the end the Michigan Wolverines got the job done against the Alabama Crimson Tide on New Year's Eve, winning the ReliaQuest Bowl 19-13.

Here are key takeaways from the game.

Mayhem with a monsoon

The first quarter was absolutely bonkers with torrential downpours greatly impacting Alabama’s offense. Quarterback Jalen Milroe committed three turnovers in the first quarter — two fumbles and one interception. Milroe was sacked twice and was bottled up when he tried to run the ball. Milroe was slipping and sliding all over the field and would wind up changing his cleats. Michigan had a 16-0 lead at the end of the first half and had all the momentum on their side. Alabama had -2 yards of total offense in the first quarter.

Wink Martindale had Michigan’s defense ready to play

Without stars such as Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Will Johnson playing against Bama, many pundits expected Michigan’s defense to get steamrolled. Well, that wasn’t the case. Michigan’s defense was often relentless with their pass rush, sound with their gap discipline against the run and a mobile QB in Milroe, and played admirably in pass coverage as well. Alabama had just 260 yards of total offense and were 4-of-13 on third down and 0-for-4 on fourth down. Jalen Milroe was 16-of-32 for 192 yards with one touchdown and one interception and was sacked five times. Despite Alabama’s lack of success on offense, they still had a chance to win in the last minute, trailing 19-13. However, for the second consecutive year against Michigan, Milroe wasn’t able to convert a 4th down attempt in the red zone against Michigan, leading to a Wolverines win.

Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale deserves all the credit in the world. The Michigan defense has been elite since of late, including allowing just 10 points to Ohio State in a 13-10 win last month. Martindale has found his footing as a collegiate coordinator and this writer is excited to see what he and the Michigan defense do in 2025.

Jordan Marshall shines

Marshall, a true freshman, finally got his chance to make his mark with Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards both sitting out the bowl. Marshall rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries and showed a steady balance of speed, power, and elusiveness.

Dominic Zvada continues to be a Michigan legend

Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada capped off an extraordinary 2024 campaign going 4-of-4 against Alabama. Michigan wouldn’t have beat Ohio State if it wasn’t for Zvada, and they wouldn’t have beaten Alabama either. Zvada has already announced he’s returning to Michigan in 2025 and that’s great news for the Wolverines.

Offense sputters down the stretch

Michigan scored just three points in the final three quarters and the overall game plan drastically changed once starting quarterback Davis Warren went out with an injury in the third quarter. Michigan inserted Alex Orji, who’s actually in the transfer portal, and Orji had virtually no success passing the ball. Orji was 2-of-3 for two yards with a bad interception. Orji, who’s known for his running abilities, wasn’t much of a factor on the ground either, rushing for nine yards on four carries. While Michigan didn’t net many points offensively, they still were able to control the tempo of the game and had the ball for 38:12 compared to Alabama having control for just 21:48.

A successful year?

8-5 on the season, with wins over Michigan State, Ohio State, and Alabama. Things could have went a lot worse for Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore in his first season on the job, especially with a passing offense that ranked at the bottom of the barrel and field three starting quarterbacks. Michigan’s 8-5 record in 2024 won’t be the standard in 2025 and beyond, though — Moore will be judged by Big Ten Championships, College Football Playoff appearances, and National Championship runs moving forward.

Thank you, Maize n Brew readers

The 2024 season is over, 2025 is upon us and we’re excited to turn the page to a new season for the Wolverines, one that’s filled with optimism due to staff changes, transfer portal additions, and a top-10 recruiting class featuring the No. 1 overall recruit and No. 1 quarterback in Bryce Underwood. I truly love interacting with you all throughout the season and you are a part of my life, albeit virtually. Thank you for reading my stuff, our stuff. Thank you for agreeing with me, disagreeing with me, and having some laughs along the way. Happy New Year!

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