[size=+1]#1 Alabama 0-0 (0-0) at #9 Michigan 0-0 (0-0)[/size]
Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Stadium was rocking under the lights for a huge season opener between two of the premier progams in college football. The fans were not deterred in the least by the light drizzle but the Crimson Tide might have been. Alabama's opening possession was not pretty as the it came to an abrupt end when Bama QB AJ McCarron was sacked by Michigan DE Craig Roh. As a result, the Tide were forced to punt.
Michigan then took over and put together a long drive. Taking it all the way to the Bama 14-yard line. Facing 4th-and-one, head coach Brady Hoke decided to go for it. QB Denard Robinson was able to find FB Stephen Hopkins out of the backfield crossing over the middle where he was taken down at the 11-yard line for a Michigan first down!
However, the Wolverines would shortly face another 4th-and-one. This time at the 3-yard line. Again, Hoke kept the offense on the field. This time HB Vincent Smith got the handoff, exploded forward, and eluding a defender at the goal line for a touchdown! The run finished off an impressive 13-play, 68-yard drive.
7-0 Michigan.
Alabama now faced an even more raucous crowd and went three-and-out. Michigan appeared to be ready to go three-and-out also. That was until HB Vincent Smith got the handoff on a draw, and was able to fight forward for a 10-yard gain. Out came the chain gang. First down Michigan! Michigan Stadium roared. Heading into the 2nd quarter, Michigan seemed to be in control.
On 3rd-and-three from near midfield, Denard Robinson scrambled up the middle where juked past a defender for a highlight 14-yard gain. It would be just one of a dozen of scrambles for the dynamic signal caller.
The Wolverines continued to play old school smashmouth Michigan football. Taking right at that Bama front seven again and again. Eventually, HB Fitzgerald Toussaint struck paydirt on a 4-yard toss to the right and celebrated in the endzone to finish off a 13-play, 78-yard drive.
14-0 Michigan.
Alabama was now feeling the pressure. The Tide needed to do something before this game got out of hand. QB AJ McCarron hit WR Kenny Bell on short slant for a first down. Then on 3rd-and-three, HB Eddie Lacy fought forward to pick up another Alabama first down to silence the crowd a bit. Momentum seemed to be swinging. That was until Lacy was taken down in the backfield to set up a 3rd-and-long situation. McCarron then was forced to throw deep into double coverage where he was picked off by Michigan CB JT Floyd as the Big House roared back to life.
Michigan took over near midfield where they would face a crucial 3rd-and-10. But QB Denard Robinson was able to hook up with TE Brandon Moore for a big 26-yard gain out to the Bama 29-yard line for another Michigan first down.
On the next play, Alabama brought the head, but Robinson slung it to WR Jeremy Gallon who got behind the secondary and took it in for a 29-yard score.
21-0 Michigan.
Alabama's situation would actually get worse when on the next play of the ensuing possession, QB AJ McCarron was picked off by Michigan CB Blake Countess.
As a result of the turnover, Michigan took over at the Bama 30-yard line with still 2:03 left to go in the first half. The Wolverines would face another 4th-and-one. This time from the 7-yard line. Again Hoke kept the offense on the field. HB Fitzgerald Toussaint not only picked up the first down but rammed into the end zone for another Michigan touchdown. It would be
28-0 Michigan at halftime.
It had thus far been a one-sided game as Michigan just dominated Alabama in the first half. Nick Saban might have been able to light a fire wake his defending national champion Crimson Tide who were about to get run out of the building if something did not change in a hurry. The opening possession for Michigan did not go so well. Denard Robinson was sacked on third down, and the Wolverines were actually forced to punt.
However, whatever confidence Alabama might have regained was quickly lost when QB AJ McCarron was sacked in the end zone for a safety on the ensuing possesion.
30-0 Michigan.
Fortunately, Alabama's defense was able to hold Michigan to another three-and-out, but this was now turning into a laugher. On the ensuing Alabama possession, McCarron fumbled the ball in the pocket which the Wolverines recovered at the Bama 11-yard line.
The Tide defense was able to hold Michigan to a 25-yard field goal but Michigan was now up
33-0. Now that the game was out of reach, the Crimson Tide were finally able to put an offensive drive together into Michigan territory. But on 4th down at the Wolverine 31-yard line, McCarron's pass fell incomplete, and Alabama turned over the ball on downs just as the game entered the 4th quarter.
The 4th quarter dragged on. Denard Robinson finally made a mistake to show he was human as he was intercepted by Bama SS Vinnie Sunseri. Though Alabama's offense could do nothing with the turnover. Michigan missed a 43-yard field goal. Then both coaches pulled their starters and cleared their benches. Alabama's long nightmare finally would come to an end as Michigan pulls off a
33-0 stunner in the Big House over the #1 team in the land.
#1 Alabama 0
QB AJ McCarron: 11/25, 114 yds, 2 int, 2 fmb
HB Eddie Lacy: 8 car, 25 yds
WR Kenny Bell: 3 rec, 44 yds
MLB CJ Mosley: 13 tkl(6 solo), defl
#9 Michigan 33
QB Denard Robinson: 10/15, 116 yds, td, int, 13 car, 96 rush yds
HB Fitzgerald Toussaint: 26 car, 96 yds, 2 td
WR Jeremy Gallon: 3 rec, 71 yds, td
MLB Kenny Demens: 5 tkl(2 solo), tfl, sk, ff
