It was the kind of game that makes you actually love college football, even if your team wasn't playing. If you’re looking for the quick answer to who won the Alabama Michigan game, it was the Michigan Wolverines. They pulled off a 27-20 victory in a Rose Bowl overtime thriller on New Year’s Day 2024. But honestly, just knowing the score doesn't really tell you why this game felt like a tectonic shift in the sport.
Pasadena was electric. You had the sunset hitting the San Gabriel Mountains, and two of the biggest brands in sports history hitting each other even harder. Michigan came in as the #1 seed, carrying the weight of two previous playoff failures and a whole lot of off-field noise. Alabama was the #4 seed, the team that "wasn't supposed to be there" but somehow clawed their way in by beating Georgia.
The Moments That Decided Who Won the Alabama Michigan Game
Most people forget how messy the game was before it became a classic. Michigan's special teams were, frankly, a disaster for three quarters. They muffed punts, they botched an extra point, and they missed a field goal. It felt like they were trying to hand the game to Nick Saban on a silver platter.
Alabama took a 17-13 lead early in the fourth quarter when Jase McClellan found the end zone. Then, Will Reichard—who became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer during this game—nailed a 52-yard field goal to put Bama up 20-13. At that point, with less than five minutes left, most people thought the Crimson Tide had it. They've seen this movie before.
But J.J. McCarthy had other plans. Michigan went on a gritty 75-yard drive. It wasn't flashy; it was just survival. McCarthy found Roman Wilson for a 4-yard touchdown with only 1:34 left on the clock. Tie game.
The Overtime Stand
Overtime in the Rose Bowl is rare. In 110 years, this was only the second time it ever happened. Michigan got the ball first. Blake Corum, who is basically a human bowling ball with a turbo engine, took two carries to go 25 yards. He spun, broke a tackle, and lunged into the end zone. 27-20.
Then came Alabama’s turn.
They moved the ball to the Michigan 3-yard line. It all came down to a 4th-and-goal. The season, the legacy, the Rose Bowl—everything was on that one snap. Alabama called a direct snap for Jalen Milroe. The idea was to let their best athlete make a play. Instead, the Michigan defensive front stayed disciplined. Milroe was stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
Why This Game Mattered More Than Most
It's easy to look back and say Michigan was the better team, but at the time, there was a massive "can they actually do it?" vibe. They hadn't won a bowl game under Jim Harbaugh in years. They were the team that dominated the Big Ten but crumbled when the lights got too bright.
By winning this game, Michigan proved they weren't just a "regional" power. They took Saban’s best punch and didn't blink. It was the bridge to their eventual National Championship win against Washington.
For Alabama, it was a turning point of a different kind. It was the final game of the Nick Saban era. We didn't know it at the time—he announced his retirement shortly after—but watching him walk off that field in Pasadena was the end of the greatest dynasty college football has ever seen.
Real Talk on the Stats
- J.J. McCarthy: 221 yards passing, 3 TDs. He won the Offensive MVP.
- Blake Corum: 83 yards rushing, including that 17-yard OT dagger.
- Michigan Defense: 6 sacks. They lived in the Alabama backfield.
- Jalen Milroe: 116 yards passing and 63 yards rushing. He was under fire all night.
The 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl Rematch
Interestingly, the two teams met again much sooner than anyone expected. In a bit of a scheduling quirk of the new bowl era, they faced off in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31, 2024.
Michigan won that one too, 19-13. Sherrone Moore was at the helm for Michigan, and Kalen DeBoer was leading Alabama. It lacked the Rose Bowl's "Granddaddy of Them All" aura, but it confirmed that Michigan currently has Bama’s number. They used a similar formula: suffocating defense and just enough offense to get by.
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What to Watch for Next
If you're following these two programs, the landscape has changed. Michigan is rebuilding after losing McCarthy and Corum to the NFL, while Alabama is adjusting to life post-Saban.
- Check the transfer portal: Both teams are using it heavily to fill gaps in the secondary.
- Watch the QB battles: Alabama's future under DeBoer hinges on Milroe's evolution or a new face taking the reigns.
- Strength of Schedule: The expanded Big Ten and SEC mean these teams will have even tougher paths back to the playoffs.
The 2024 Rose Bowl wasn't just a game; it was a changing of the guard. Michigan proved they could beat the best of the SEC, and Alabama showed they are finally human. If you ever have a chance to rewatch the fourth quarter and overtime of that game, do it. It’s a masterclass in high-stakes pressure.