It went a hell of a lot better than the last time.

That may sound derisive; it's not meant that way. When these programs played to open the 2012 season, they didn't appear to belong on the same field. In closing the 2019 season, Michigan showed they've covered a lot of ground since. These teams played an evenly matched contest until Alabama salted the game away late and it's fair to say the Wolverines left a lot of yards and points on the field.

Early on, it looked like the game might go the way of 2012. After Michigan got the opening kickoff, Shea Patterson and Nico Collins couldn't connect on two potential big plays, leading to a three-and-out. Alabama took all of one play to take the lead; Mac Jones found future top-five pick Jerry Jeudy one-on-one with a safety and hit him for an 85-yard touchdown. The next Wolverine drive also ended with an off-target throw and a punt. It felt inevitable that the Tide would break the game open.

Instead, a banged-up defense starting a walk-on and a true freshman at defensive tackle bore down. Lavert Hill broke up a third-down throw on a well-timed changeup to cover two from the usual man coverage, forcing Bama to punt it back.

Hassan Haskins had some punishing runs. [Barron]

Josh Gattis drew up an excellent gameplan and it finally paid off on the ensuing drive. The offensive line started opening up holes for Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet, who both were plenty capable of grinding out extra yards against Alabama's five-star-laden defense. Gattis schemed up a big play on a direct snap to Haskins that turned into a flea flicker with Shea Patterson throwing to a wide open Donovan Peoples-Jones. The next two plays beautifully played off each other; first, a split zone to Haskins with jet motion netted a first down, then they faked the same play with Nick Eubanks leaking wide open into the flat for an easy seven-yard touchdown catch.

After the defense got another quick stop, Gattis drew up another long gain, this time using Giles Jackson as a running back on a play-action wheel route. Patterson couldn't squeeze in a third-down corner route to Nick Eubanks, who had a step on his man, and Michigan settled for a Quinn Nordin field goal.

Nearly the same sequence capped the first quarter and opened the second. Another stop. Another Michigan drive with multiple first downs stalls out in Bama territory, this time when Ronnie Bell steps out of bounds before catching a would-be conversion. Nordin kicks a 42-yard field goal. While the Wolverines owned a 13-7 lead, it felt like they should've been up 14.

That's a dangerous way to play against a team as talented as Alabama. On the next drive, Lavert Hill had to take a defensive pass interference to prevent another Jeudy touchdown, and Najee Harris hurdled over Josh Metellus for a touchdown two plays after a questionable roughing the passer flag on Aidan Hutchinson extended the drive. Michigan once again worked their way into scoring territory to end the half, only for poor clock management and a sack on Patterson to force a 57-yard field goal attempt by Nordin that eked over the crossbar as the half expired.

Second-half mood. [Barron]

In the second half, the missed opportunities continued, and those from the first half began to sting more. A perfect throw-and-catch from Jones to DeVonta Smith went for a 42-yard touchdown on the half's opening drive. Then came an extended staredown; neither team could crack the other's defense for the next five possessions. Patterson missed a couple more deep passes, this time in the direction of Ronnie Bell.

The proverbial dam broke in the fourth quarter. After two long completions to Jeudy, who finished with 204 yards on six receptions, Jones tossed a score to little-used tight end Miller Forristall when two defenders went with Harris on a wheel route. Forristall hadn't caught a pass since October. Michigan's next drive ended on—guess what—an overthrown deep ball to a well-covered Mike Sainristil.

The defense gave Patterson one more chance to lead an unlikely comeback. That ended in one play. Eubanks appeared to break his route upfield in anticipation of a Patterson scramble drill; instead, Patterson lofted a ball well short of Eubanks and directly into the hands of Shyheim Carter.

Alabama then ground away nearly the entire rest of the game clock, and could've kneeled it out completely, but Nick Saban instead let Harris run in another score—which, fair enough. My only complaint is it made the final score less resemble the closeness of the game.

Michigan belonged. But where Bama scored touchdowns, Michigan managed field goals, and while Mac Jones was money when his receivers were open downfield, Shea Patterson was not. The Wolverines finish the season a disappointing 9-4. Still, it wasn't hard to see the potential in this program today; with a few more on-target throws, this is a dogfight with the Crimson Tide. May next year's quarterback hit them, because it sure looks like they'll be there.

[Hit THE JUMP for the box score.]