The Alabama Crimson Tide shutout the Michigan Wolverines for 28 minutes and 26 seconds of the second half of Monday’s School Soccer Playoff semifinals.
However on its next-to-last drive of regulation, Michigan rallied for an eight-play, 75-yard landing drive that tied the sport at 20 and compelled time beyond regulation, the place the Wolverines stopped the Alabama offense on fourth-and-goal to punch its ticket to the nationwide championship recreation.
Listed here are the important thing takeaways from Michigan’s CFP semifinal win:
J.J. McCarthy wants one other 12 months earlier than he’s NFL prepared: Whereas McCarthy had one other stable and environment friendly recreation (221 yards passing, three touchdowns, no interceptions), he didn’t actually take the sport over like a few of the different high QBs within the nation like USC’s Caleb Williams or LSU’s Jayden Daniels would have.
McCarthy stayed composed and confirmed good mobility escaping the pocket, however he’s not the sort of game-changing sign caller most QB-needy NFL groups are on the lookout for. He could be higher served staying at Michigan for yet one more 12 months and actually proving he will be greater than an environment friendly recreation supervisor. If he does, he might be a sure-fire first-round decide in 2025.
The remainder of school soccer has caught up with Nick Saban: Alabama performed in 4 of the primary 5 CFP nationwide championship video games and 6 of the primary 9. However this 12 months will mark the second straight 12 months the nationwide title recreation received’t characteristic the Tide.
Saban was the most-feared coach and Alabama the most-feared group within the nation from 2009 up by 2020 with six nationwide championships over that span, however the remainder of the faculty soccer world has clearly found out the right way to chip away at his armor as evidenced by Monday’s Rose Bowl loss and his three nationwide championship losses and since 2016.
Blake Corum has a powerful case to be RB1 within the 2024 draft: Of the highest 2024 operating backs who performed in bowl video games, Corum had arguably one of the best exhibiting of all of them. He completed with 19 carries for 83 yards and a landing, and he added two receptions for 35 yards and one other rating.
Each of his touchdowns towards Alabama got here in key conditions — his first on Michigan’s second possession that answered an Alabama landing drive minutes earlier than, and his second in time beyond regulation to place the stress on the Alabama offense.
Between Corum, Trey Benson, TreVeyon Henderson and Will Shipley, Corum did probably the most to spice up his draft inventory throughout bowl season.
Michigan must cease being conservative with its second-half play calling: After two lengthy landing drives and 199 yards of whole offense (115 passing, 84 dashing) within the first half, the Wolverines mustered simply 119 yards within the second half, with 75 approaching one drive.
The steadiness of runs (16) versus move (13) was about as equal to what it was within the first two quarters, however Michigan had half as many dashing yards because it did within the first half and the group took the sport out of McCarthy’s palms.
The Wolverines have performed with a sizeable second-half lead in most of their video games this 12 months, so protecting their foot on the fuel isn’t one thing they’ve needed to do typically. They received’t get away with being gun-shy towards whichever group they face within the nationwide championship recreation.
Alabama must take the reins off Jalen Milroe: Within the Tide’s greatest recreation of the 12 months, Milroe rushed a season-high 21 occasions however solely tried 23 passes and threw for a season-low 116 yards.
Milroe’s 69.6 completion proportion was admirable, however he solely averaged 7.25 yards per completion and he was held with no landing move for the third time in 13 video games.
Milroe is clearly gifted and has game-breaking potential, however throughout a number of video games this season it’s appeared like he’s been held again by some overly cautious play calling. Milroe has an identical skillset to and proven flashes of the sort of offensive upside that a few of the high QBs like Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr., Cameron Ward and Dillon Gabriel have.
The Tide have to lastly unleash him and let him carry the group on his again.
