Nick Saban Says Alabama's Final Play Was 'Really Bad Call' and Fans Agree

Alabama bowed out of the college football playoffs on Monday in dramatic fashion, falling to Michigan 27-20 in overtime after the Crimson Tide's final play of the game from the 3-yard line came up short.

The final play left a lot to be desired for Alabama. Needing a touchdown to match Michigan's opening overtime drive, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees dialed up a quarterback sneak, but the snap came in low and Alabama failed to create any space for redshirt-sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Milroe ran into a wall of defenders and was brought down for no gain, and Michigan players flooded the field in celebration.

After the game, Alabama coach Nick Saban addressed the media and explained why his team went with a sneak.

"We called three plays," Saban said. "One they called timeout, one we called timeout, and the last one didn't work. The fact that it didn't work made it a really bad call, you know what I mean? We called timeout because we had a bad look. We had a good look on the first one.

They must have known it, but Tommy just felt like the best thing that we could do was have a quarterback run, which was kind of our two-point play—one of our two-point plays for this game, and the ball was on the 3-yard line, which is just like a two-point play. But we didn't get a block, so it didn't work. We didn't execute it very well, and it didn't work."

Members of the press on social media shared Saban's assessment of the play.

"Nick Saban is the greatest coach in the history of the sport. But Alabama offensive plan made no sense all night. And that last call was inexplicable," ESPN's Mike Greenberg wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Just zero chance for success on that play. Everyone knew what was coming when the back motioned to empty," former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz wrote.

Fans, meanwhile, balked at Saban's qualification that the play was bad because it didn't work.

"No, it was just a really bad call that had very little chance of success," user @WCespar wrote.

"Saban thinking this OL could block/scheme any play call that doesn't give Milroe options blows my mind. Like he's seen all 13 games right?" user Yother10 added.

"No, Nick. The fact that everybody knew it was coming made it a bad call!" user @WadeStinson78 wrote.

Other users, meanwhile, were less than impressed by Saban's claim that this was "one of the most amazing seasons in Alabama football history."

"The Best Coaching Job Of Nick Saban's Career™️ was losing in the first round of the CFP with the highest-rated recruiting roster in the history of the sport," user Patrick Mayhorn wrote.

Alabama will have Milroe back next season, as well as the fourth-rated recruiting class and numerous returning runnings backs and wide receivers.

Michigan, meanwhile, advances to the title game on Monday, January 8, where it will face the University of Washington. The Huskies eked out a victory in their semifinal over Texas on Monday, winning 37-31.