With about five minutes left to play in the 2024 Rose Bowl between Michigan and Alabama, things were looking awfully bleak for the nation's top-ranked team.

Alabama had connected on a field goal minutes prior, and Michigan couldn't get anything going on offense. Michigan hadn't scored in six drives — dating back to midway through the second quarter — and the Crimson Tide had all of the momentum.

But J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and Roman Wilson put together a drive that will go down in Michigan lore. McCarthy found Wilson for a 29-yard gain, which set up a three-yard scoring pass from the quarterback to the receiver two plays later.

Alabama couldn't get into field goal range on its final drive of regulation, and the teams headed to overtime.

To start overtime, Blake Corum knifed through the Alabama defense and scored in two plays.

On Alabama's first overtime drive, Mason Graham burst his way into the Crimson Tide backfield and tackled Alabama running back Jase McClellan for a five-yard loss. It set Nick Saban's team back, but they fought to the three yard-line for a 4th-down play that ultimately decided the game.

Fellow defensive tackle Kenneth Grant spoke highly of Graham's huge play.

"That was just a fantastic play," Grant said. "I expect nothing less out of him. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. So, I just knew. He can do whatever. He's the best."

The two teams burned timeouts ahead of the critical 4th-down play, but when Alabama broke the huddle for 4th down and goal from the three yard-line, Michigan defenders said they knew exactly where the ball was going.

"We knew the QB was gonna run the ball," Kenneth Grant said. "What they do to get their offense going, they run Jalen Milroe. He's a great athlete. So, we knew it was coming. All we had to do was stop it. And, three yards, we did it. We came out on top."

Milroe caught the snap and didn't hesitate — he was keeping it all the way. But the Michigan defense knew it. The Wolverines were all over the quarterback keeper. Milroe hardly got back to the line of scrimmage before he tripped over his own offensive lineman's leg.

"We were expecting that, for sure," Graham said. "We knew they were gonna live or die with their quarterback. He's one of the best players on their team, and they're putting the ball in his hands."

In a moment when Michigan's defense needed to step up, it leaned on arguably its best and deepest unit on the team. Junior defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny left the game with an injury in the early going, but it didn't matter on 4th down and 3 at the end of the Rose Bowl.

Michigan knew where the ball was going.

The Wolverines have won their first ever College Football Playoff game, and they will advance to the National Championship Game to take on the winner of No. 2-ranked Washington and No. 3-ranked Texas.

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