TAMPA, Fla. - When it was all said and done, the Outback Bowl was nothing more than a summary of the entire Michigan football season.
The Wolverines were hurt by a costly turnover, an offense that failed three times to score after moving within the Alabama 35-yard line, and a defense that couldn't hold the Crimson Tide when the Wolverines needed it most. The result was a 17-14 loss to Alabama on New Year's Day in front of 53,161 at Houlihan's Stadium.
Both the Wolverines (8-4) and the Crimson Tide (10-3) came into the game with highly touted defenses, and neither unit disappointed.
Michigan held Alabama to 247 yards of total offense and effectively shut down the Tide for most of the game. For their part, Alabama's defenders made stops when they had to and turned the game around with one fourth-quarter play.
With just 45 seconds left in the third and Michigan up 6-3, Alabama quarterback Warren Faust handed off to flanker Michael Vaughn, and Vaughn handed to flanker Marcell West on a reverse. After a three-yard gain, West was smacked by Michigan safety Marcus Ray and fumbled.
The Wolverines took over on their own 31, and on first-and-10, running back Clarence Williams broke through the right side of the line for 30 yards.
Michigan drove down to the Alabama seven-yard line, but on third-and-five, quarterback Brian Griese floated a forced throw over the middle and was picked off by Alabama linebacker Dwayne Rudd. Rudd turned up field and ran an Outback Bowl record 88-yard interception return. The score gave Alabama a 10-6 lead, and it never looked back.
"The guy was forced to throw the ball when he didn't want to," said Rudd, who was named Player of the Game. "I got it, and I just saw a lot of green."
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr had said after the Nov. 23 Ohio State game that Scott Dreisbach would be the starting quarterback in the bowl if he was healthy.
Dreisbach was healthy, but based on practice performance in Florida, Carr gave the starting nod to Griese.
Griese connected on 21 of 37 passes for 287 yards and one touchdown to go with the interception.
"I would say it was one of the few mistakes he made all day," Carr said of the interception.
While Griese played well, the offense consistently stalled and failed to convert.
Charles Woodson picked off Alabama quarterback Freddie Kitchens with 2:54 left in the first half, and Michigan took over at the Crimson Tide 35.
That drive stalled after only three plays, and Remy Hamilton was going to attempt a 44-yard field goal. Griese, the holder, however, grabbed the snap and ran right for 18 yards, setting up first-and-goal from the eight.
Running back Chris Howard went six yards on first down, and on second down, Griese downed the ball to stop the clock.
Carr said the Wolverines wanted to get a running play in and still have their final timeout if they didn't score on the play. But before Michigan could run the third-down play, it had to call time anyway.
Griese was hit for a loss of three yards on third down and Michigan had to settle for a 22-yard Hamilton field goal that made the score 6-3.
Another missed opportunity was the result of a little trickery. Midway through the third quarter, from the Alabama 41, Griese lateralled across the field to Woodson, who threw back to the right side to Griese.
Griese had nothing but green grass and blue jerseys in front of him, but he tripped at the 40-yard line and fell after only a four-yard gain.
Griese was sacked on the next play and the Wolverines were forced to punt.
"To be a great offense, you have to be able to put the ball in the end zone, and we didn't do that," Carr said.
Despite all of its offensive problems, Michigan was still in position to win late in the game.
However, when the Wolverines needed it most, the defense couldn't come up with a stop.
Alabama took possession with 4:24 left in the game, still leading, 10-6. That's when senior running back Shaun Alexander took over.
Alexander ran the ball five straight times, the fifth carry being a 46-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach at 17-6.
Michigan got a touchdown pass from Griese to Russell Shaw with 59 seconds left, but Alabama recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
It was the final game at Alabama for coach Gene Stallings. Stallings announced earlier in the season that he would be resigning after the game, and when it was over, he was carried off on his players' shoulders.
JOE WESTRATE/Daily
Brian Griese (left) was sacked four times by the 'Bama defense. Shaun Alexander scored in the fourth quarter to give 'Bama a 17-6 lead.