ORLANDO, Fla. _ The late-season swoons continue for Michigan.
Since winning their first bowl game under coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines have lost four straight and this time fell to Alabama, 35-16, before 59,746 at the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday. Najee Harris gave the Tide their last touchdown with 26 seconds left in the game.
The Wolverines (9-4) were hoping to reach the 10-win plateau and numb some of the disappointment of another loss to Ohio State to end the regular season with a signature win over a big-name program. Some wondered whether Alabama, typically in the national playoff this time of year, would be mentally into playing this bowl.
Clearly, Alabama coach Nick Saban got his players' attention.
Michigan was held scoreless in the second half, after taking the lead into halftime. The main storyline during the weeks heading into the game was Alabama's receivers, featuring three potential first-round NFL prospects, and they didn't disappoint.
Alabama receiver Jerry Jeudy was a back-breaker for the Wolverines. The Tide's first play of the game, Jeudy scored on an 85-yard reception. Then, in the fourth quarter, he had a huge 58-yard catch in Alabama's scoring drive that built a 28-16 lead. Jeudy finished with 204 yards and of Alabama's 405 total yards, 322 were passing.
The Wolverines had proven their vulnerability in pass defense in the loss to Ohio State when the Buckeyes had 15 receptions for 313 yards and four touchdowns. They were equally as porous against the Crimson Tide.
In his final game as Michigan's quarterback, Shea Patterson was 17-of-36 for 226 yards and had one touchdown and two interceptions, including one to end the game. Michigan had 388 total yards, including 162 running.
While it wasn't the flash and splash that Alabama had on its first possession of the game, a quick-strike score, the Tide opened the second half with a touchdown and regained the lead, 21-16, and it quickly felt the moment. Mac Jones found DeVonta Smith, who made a beautiful catch over Lavert Hill for a 42-yard score.
Michigan couldn't move the ball its next two possessions; meanwhile the defense did its job forcing punts on the Tide's next two drives. But the Wolverines appeared to find some juice and started to challenge the Alabama defense as the drive extended into the start of the fourth quarter.
A sack of Patterson that lost 10 yards and forced a fumble recovered by Michigan's Zach Charbonnet, followed by a dropped pass proved costly for the Wolverines. They drove 55 yards on 14 plays and were forced to punt.
Quinn Nordin had three first-half field goals in the first help, but his last with no time left was the most significant and gave Michigan a 16-14 lead. Nordin made a 57-yarder, the longest in Citrus Bowl history, electrifying the Wolverines' fans as the teams headed into the locker room. That tied a Michigan long of 57 yards by Hayden Epstein against Michigan State in 2001.
The Wolverines ran 45 plays in the first half to Alabama's 23. The Wolverines had 286 total yards, including 135 rushing. Charbonnet had 10 carries for 73 yards. Patterson ran for two third-down conversions in the half and was 9-of-18 for 151 yards and a touchdown to Nick Eubanks that tied the game after Alabama's first TD.
Nordin made two field goals to give Michigan a 13-7 advantage.
Alabama regained the lead, 14-13, with 3:32 left in the first half when a questionable roughing-the-passer call on Aidan Hutchinson gave the Tide the ball at the Michigan 13-yard line. Two plays later, Harris scored.
