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This edition of SB Nation Reacts is a fun one — we’re talking about the Michigan Wolverines 2023 season and the final to games of that campaign — a Rose Bowl win over Alabama and a National Championship victory over Washington. Both games will be forever remembered by the Michigan faithful, but when looking back on the two tilts, which game was more memorable? Vote below.
Rose Bowl
Michigan’s Rose Bowl against Alabama featured blue skies and the San Gabriel Mountains as a backdrop at a bowl and a parade that precedes the game, with over 800,000 people in attendance. It was Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh going up against Alabama head coach Nick Saban in what turned out to be Saban’s final game before retiring days later. Michigan was a 16.5-point underdog and the SEC bias was strong, but once kickoff commenced and it was clear this game would go down to the wire.
Michigan led 13-10 at halftime but relinquish the lead in the second half and trail late by a score of 20-13. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy played a pivotal role in Michigan’s scoring drive in the final minutes, including a 4th and 2 pass to Blake Corum for 27 yards to extend the drive, a 16-yard scramble, and a 29-yard pass to Roman Wilson to set up a four-yard TD pass to Wilson. The game would go into overtime, where Blake Corum would score from 17-yards out to put Michigan up 27-20. Alabama’s offense would be stopped on fourth down the next possession when Jalen Milroe attempted to score on a QB run and was smothered. Michigan would win in walk-off fashion, 27-20 and head to Houston to face Washington in the National Championship.
National Championship
Running back Donovan Edwards got Michigan off to a fast start, rushing for two touchdowns in the first quarter. Washington clawed back into the game and it was 20-13 Michigan heading into the fourth quarter, where the Wolverines put the clamps down and pulled away. Mike Sainristil had a key interception in the final minutes and Blake Corum had two fourth-quarter rushing scores and the Wolverines won the game 34-13. Although Washington did make it close heading into the final frame, Michigan always seemed a couple of punches ahead and it never really felt like they were on the ropes. Although Washington had an admirable season with players like quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wideout Rome Odunze leading the way, Michigan was a substantially better team from top to bottom — hence the National Championship victory and a 15-0 record.
This was the last game that Jim Harbaugh coached at Michigan before heading to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, and was also the last game for Michigan greats like J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, Mike Sainristil, Roman Wilson, Kris Jenkins, and Michael Barrett. It was truly the end of an era for Michigan Football.
Conclusion
Obviously a National Championship win means more, but that championship was only possible because Michigan won the Rose Bowl — you cannot have one without the other. However, as far as a football contest for a fan that has no ties to Michigan, it’s hard not to say that the Rose Bowl was more memorable. Two legendary coaches, two historic programs, a game that goes down to the wire and is decided in overtime? That’s an incredible story to talk about. I look at Michigan’s win over Alabama the same way I look at the Green Bay Packers win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Ice Bowl (the 1967 NFL Championship Game). People remember that more than the Packers next game, Super Bowl II which pitted the NFL Champion Packers against the Oakland Raiders, the AFL Champions. The Packers beat the Raiders handily, 33-14. Any football historian would say that the Ice Bowl was more memorable, but that doesn’t diminish Green Bay winning Super Bowl II. With that in mind, Michigan’s win against Alabama in the Rose Bowl may live in football lore from coast to coast at a higher clip, while still being known simply as…. National Champions.