Throwback Thursday: Just Another Alabama vs. Michigan Bowl Game

On January 1, 2000 the Crimson Tide faced Michigan in the Orange Bowl, now known to Alabama fans as the Tom Brady game

Fresh off an SEC Championship win vs. Florida, No. 5 Alabama (10-2) was slated to play Michigan in the Orange Bowl. 

The Wolverines (9-2) were led by some quarterback named Tom Brady.

Despite leading by 14 points, the Crimson Tide, coached by Mike Dubose, ended up losing 35-34 in overtime.

Brady led Michigan with 369 yards and four touchdown passes including three to David Terrell, who caught 10 passes for 150 yards, and a bootleg pass to his tight end Shawn Thompson in the extra frame.

The game was clinched by the Wolverines, coached by Lloyd Carr, when Alabama kicker Ryan Pflugner missed an extra-point attempt by inches following Andrew Zow's 21-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Carter. 

This was the first overtime BCS Bowl game.

The Wolverines won even though Anthony Thomas lost a fumble at the Alabama 1 in the fourth quarter and had a 36-yard field goal attempt blocked by Phillip Weeks to force the overtime.

Shaun Alexander, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns in his final game for Alabama. His scores came on runs of 5, 6 and 50 yards, and teammate Freddie Milons scored on a 62-yard punt return .

The No. 8 Wolverines (10-2) managed just one first down in the opening 28 minutes but completed their third consecutive 10-win season. 

The Wolverines’ first six possessions produced just one first down, which came on a 5-yard gain on a fake punt. The offense finally mustered a first down with 1:18 left in the opening half, then scored two plays later on a 27-yard pass from Brady to Terrell.

The Wolverines erased deficits of 14-0 and 28-14 thanks to Terrell, as his three receiving touchdowns tied Orange Bowl and Michigan bowl records.

Brady, who was 34-for-46, led Michigan to three touchdowns in a 12-minute span in the third quarter. The comeback wasn’t the first by the Wolverines, who rallied from fourth-quarter deficits to win three times during the regular season. 

Alabama picked up only one first down in the opening quarter, but a 32-yard run by Alexander got the Tide rolling. The play started a 76-yard drive that ended with Alexander’s 5-yard touchdown run. 

Three minutes later, Alabama scored again on Milons’ 23-punt return and a late-hit penalty gave the Crimson Tide the ball at the Michigan 31 . Alexander’s 6-yard touchdown run made the score 14-0 .

Alexander turned a third-and-1 run into a 50-yard touchdown, breaking three tackles to give Alabama a 21-14 lead in the third quarter. Less than three minutes later, Milons caught a 51-yard punt, weaved across the field and scored untouched to make it 28-14 .

Alabama finished 8th in the rankings after the loss.

The 1999 season statistical comparison of the two teams

Alabama's roster for the 2000 Orange Bowl

Former Alabama football player, Hootie Ingram was honored at the 2000 Orange Bowl.  As a player in the 1953 Orange Bowl game, Ingram had an interception as Alabama crushed Syracuse 61–6. He also set an Alabama Orange Bowl record with an 80-yard punt return in the 1953 Orange Bowl