HOUSTON — Michigan football reached the national championship game in dramatic fashion, winning the Rose Bowl thanks to a big defensive stand on fourth down by the maize and blue against Alabama.
It was fourth-and-3, and the Crimson Tide put the ball in its best playmaker’s hands: quarterback Jalen Milroe. Milroe kept the ball and rushed up the middle. But he was slowed by both a low snap and Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart bullrushing star right tackle JC Latham into the ground. The other edge, Derrick Moore, shot the gap and got his arms around Milroe to seal the game for the maize and blue.
On Saturday, Moore spoke to Wolverines Wire about the play and he gave a lot of credit to Stewart for his play opening the door.
“First, shout out to Josaiah. One-on-one, was one hell of a play that he made on that tackle,” Moore said. “And (JC Latham is) projected to be like a first-round pick and Josaiah is coming from a smaller D-I college. So you know, just to be able to share that moment with him.
“And, yeah, it was a great moment, but at the end of the day, I didn’t really think of too much about their play. When I got up, I just seen everybody just running around. The band was going off, so like, I didn’t even know I even had him in my arms. I was just so excited that we won it and were going to the natty. So at the moment, I wasn’t really thinking of it.”
So, wait — Moore didn’t realize he’s the one who made the tackle? He insists, no, he was so caught up that he enacted his assignment that before he knew it his teammates were rushing the field celebrating a victory.
“I did not know!” Moore said. ” Literally, I did not know. I was on the ground, I got up, I’d seen everybody running around, the band’s playing. And I’m just like, I’m shocked. I’m like, we just beat Alabama, you know. It was just a great moment. It was just a great moment, just that moment.”
As a result of the big play, Michigan will face Washington in the national championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday at 7:30 p.m. EST.