Nick Saban on Alabama's CFP loss - 'We shot ourselves in the foot' - ESPN

PASADENA, Calif. — Alabama coach Nick Saban took the blame for Monday night's 27-20 loss to Michigan in the College Football Playoff Semifinal Game at the Rose Bowl presented by Prudential.

Crediting the Wolverines for a well-played game, Saban said the result was due to the Crimson Tide's lack of execution.

«We shot ourselves in the foot,» Saban said.

Asked about the final play — a quarterback run on fourth-and-goal in overtime that was stopped short — Saban said the Tide were prepared for Michigan to pressure.

«But we thought we could gap them and block them and make it work, and it didn't,» he said.

On offense, Alabama finished with only 288 yards, due in large part to allowing six sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Jalen Milroe, who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting, was held to 116 yards passing and no touchdowns.

«It was a combination of several things,» Saban said of the offensive line's woes, including missed opportunities redirecting protection because the clock was running down. «I thought we did a better job in the second half, but we didn't give Jalen an opportunity to make some plays, nor our receivers to make some plays down the field, which was a big part of this game.»

Milroe said he appreciated the coaching staff for putting the ball in his hands on the final play.

«With anything, all it came down was fall back to your level of training, and we just failed on that play,» he said. «That's all it was.»

Inside the locker room, players offered different reasons for the team's struggles in all three phases of the game.

Defensive back Malachi Moore said there were «mental lapses across the board.» Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry said, «We could've done a better job of finishing and staying together and