Fascinating things you didn't know following Michigan's win over Alabama

Trent Knoop | Jan 1, 2025

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Michigan capped off the 2024 season on top. The Wolverines took down Alabama for the second time during the year. The maize and blue beat Bama in the Rose Bowl in overtime back on Jan. 1 to get to the national championship, and then on Tuesday, Michigan beat the Crimson Tide 19-13 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The Wolverines got three quick turnovers off of Jalen Milroe and Co. to get 16 first-quarter points. Michigan would only score three more for the rest of the game, but the Wolverines' defense did their job. Michigan allowed a few big plays, but tightened up when they needed to. The Wolverines held Bama to a fourth down stop with seconds left to play in the game to win the bowl game.

Following the game, MGoBlue put out some stats that you might not have known.

• Today's game marked the seventh all-time meeting between U-M and Alabama. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 4-3 all-time in the series with consecutive wins this calendar year (2023 CFP Semifinal Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, 2024).

• This marked U-M's seventh appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly Outback Bowl, Holiday Bowl). U-M is now 4-3 in the postseason game all-time and snapped a three-game losing streak to pick up its first win in this game since 2003.

• Running back Jordan Marshall, right tackle Andrew Sprague, and defensive linemen Enow Etta and Trey Pierce each made their first career start in today's game, marking the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th different players to earn their first career start during this 2024 season. Others include wide receiver Kendrick Bell, center Greg Crippen, tackle Andrew Gentry, center Dominick Giudice, tight end Marlin Klein, right tackle Evan Link, wide receivers Fred Moore and Peyton O'Leary, quarterback Alex Orji, quarterback Davis Warren on offense; defensive back Zeke Berry, edge TJ Guy, defensive back Jyaire Hill and edge Derrick Moore on defense.

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• Alabama was held to 13 points in today's game, its second-lowest total of the year.

• U-M forced turnovers on Alabama's first four possessions: one on downs, two via fumble (first and fourth), and one interception. That sequence led to Alabama finishing the first quarter with minus-two (-2) yards of total offense (including 11 carries for -15 yards), while U-M had gained 43.

• The three turnovers forced by the U-M defense set a season high and marked the most since the Wolverines turned Iowa over three times in the 2023 Big Ten Championship Game (Dec. 2, 2023).

• The 16 points U-M scored in the first quarter are the most Alabama allowed in the opening frame across the 2024 season. Against the Tide, only Vanderbilt (23 points) scored more first-half points than U-M's 16.

• Edge rusher Derrick Moore generated a sack on Alabama's first possession and recovered a fumble on the next possession. The sack was Moore's third this season and first since Michigan State (Oct. 26). It was the second time Moore recovered a fumble in his career, and his first recovery this season.

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• Defensive back Wesley Walker recorded his first interception as a Wolverine and the second of his career near the five-minute mark in the first quarter.

• Edge rusher Cameron Brandt recovered a fumble on Alabama's fourth possession. It was his first career fumble recovery. Brandt later added a sack, his third of the year.

• After Brandt and Walker recorded their first turnovers of the year, 11 different players have now recorded a fumble recovery or interception for U-M this season (five fumble recoveries, 12 interceptions).

• Wide receiver Fred Moore scored his first career touchdown on U-M's first trip to the end zone today. Moore finished with career highs in catches (three entering game) and yards (38 entering game).

• Running back Jordan Marshall set career highs across the board with 23 carries for 100 yards. He joined Kalel Mullings as U-M backs to eclipse 100 yards this season, a mark Mullings hit four times this year. It also gives U-M a 100-yard rusher in consecutive games (Mullings: 116 at Ohio State).

• The Wolverines held Alabama to only a fourth-quarter field goal in the second half of today's contest. Across the final four games of the season (Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State, ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Alabama), U-M's defense permitted six points total (one field goal against Indiana, one today).

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