College Football Semi-Finals Recap

The College Football Playoff semi-final games did not disappoint as both contests came down to the game’s last play. 

Tide v. Wolverines

Starting in Pasadena, this year’s Rose Bowl was one for the ages. Two defensive juggernauts faced off in what we expected to be a game dominated by the defensive lines. 

The Tide were gifted with a short field early on after a muffed punt by Michigan. Bama would capitalize on the turnover, getting it done on the ground with a 34-yard touchdown run from Jase McClellan. McCarthy and Corum would answer right back, connecting on an 8-yard pass to tie the game up at seven. 

The game remained 7-7 for over 15 minutes of gameplay until Michigan struck again with a 38-yard touchdown score to take a 13-7 lead after a botched extra point attempt. Alabama’s all-time leading scorer, Will Reichard, would tack on a 50-yard field goal before halftime to cut the Wolverine lead to three. 

Michigan’s front seven was too much for the Tide’s O-line to handle and constantly applied pressure on Milroe resulting in five sacks in the first half. The only offense Alabama had was when Milroe was able to escape the pocket and run freely. 

The second half started with solid defense from both sides until Alabama broke the scoring drought with a 3-yard touchdown run from McClellan. After another field goal from Reichard, Alabama found themselves with a 20-13 lead with under five minutes left to play. 

Michigan would get the ball back with 4:41 left on the clock and found themselves in trouble right away as they faced a 4th and 2 from their own 33. However, McCarthy would connect with Corum who found open grass for a 27-yard gain. Four plays later Michigan found themselves celebrating in the endzone after a four-yard score from Roman Wilson. 

Both teams would get another possession, but no damage would be done and we would go into overtime with the game tied 20-20. 

The Wolverines would get the ball first and immediately go to work. Corum took the first touch for 8 yards and then took the next touch for a 17-yard touchdown. Alabama, with their backs against the wall, would have to match Corum’s score to keep the game alive. With a 4th and goal on the Michigan 3-yard line, the ball would be in Milroe’s hand to keep the Tide’s hopes alive, but the Wolverines showed why they have the best defense in the nation and shut down Milroe’s QB run up the middle to secure the win.

McCarthy silenced the haters throwing for 221 yards and 3 touchdowns and Corum also tacked on 118 all-purpose yards. The Michigan defense was too much for Bama to handle and held Milroe to just 116 yards. 

Longhorns v. Huskies

Now heading east to New Orleans the Texas Longhorns took on the Washington Huskies in the Sugar Bowl. 

Washington started the game off with some fireworks as Penix connected with Ja’Lynn Polk for a 77-yard bomb to set up the Huskies at the Texas 2-yard line. Dillon Johnson would finish the job to get the scoring party started. After the Huskies’ first score, the floodgates would open and we would see a back-and-forth first half with each team trading touchdowns. Everybody was getting involved even defensive lineman Byron Murphy who ran a two-yard touchdown in for the Longhorns. Texas closed out the half with a touchdown with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 21. 

The start of the second half would be dominated by the Huskies as they got things started after Penix connected with Jalen McMillan for a 19-yard house call. The Huskies followed up the score with two field goals to take a 34-21 lead. Ewers and Texas wouldn’t back down as they marched down the field to cut the lead to six. Both teams traded field goals in the last 3-minutes of the game and Texas would get the ball back with 44 seconds left in the game down 37-31. After a few big plays, the Longhorns marched all the way down to Washington’s 13-yard line with 15 seconds remaining. Texas couldn’t get anything positive on the first three downs and had a 4th and 11 with one second remaining. Ewers would look for Adonai Mitchell in the corner of the endzone, but the ball would be swatted away by Elijah Jackson, sealing the win. 

Penix showed why he was one of the Heisman finalists throwing for 430 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Huskies dominated the time of possession;  36:20 – 23:40 and Texas was constantly in penalty trouble (10 penalties for 66 yards). 

My Analysis

These two games went exactly how I expected them to go. I am curious if the last play in the Bama Michigan game was a designed run. Milroe’s legs were the only thinking working all game and you are going to run up the middle against the best D-line in the nation when everyone is expecting it. When it comes to the Sugar Bowl Washington continues to show how they will always find a way to win games. Hopefully, Penix can be as productive against the Wolverines’ defense as he was against the Longhorns.