Corum made the play when it mattered for Michigan in Rose Bowl

Michigan running back Blake Corum (2) warms up ahead of the Rose Bowl game against Alabama. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

Blake Corum made the superstar play when it mattered for Michigan in the Rose Bowl

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 1/2/24

If you were simply box score watching, Michigan running back Blake Corum had a "so-so" day on the ground in the Wolverines' 27-20 Rose Bowl win over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He put up 83 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Those certainly aren't superstar numbers, especially for a running back of Corum's stature, so it would be easy to come away with the idea that Alabama shut down Michigan's vaunted running attack.

And for much of the game, that was true. The thing is, though, when the Wolverines needed it most and one player had to stand up head and shoulders above the rest to make a game-changing play ... Nick Saban's Crimson Tide had no answers for Corum and his explosive, yet elusive, running style.

It was second-and-two from the Alabama 17 in overtime. Tied up at 20, Corum broke Alabama's back with one of the best clutch runs you'll ever see.

BLAKE CORUM IS PHENOMENAL#PMSCFBRoseBowl pic.twitter.com/bFBxTe2Mkz
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 2, 2024

If you were able to see the soul leave Saban's team, it would have happened on that run.

Quarterback Jalen Milroe did what he could on the other side of the ball, but facing a critical fourth-and-goal at the 3-yard line he wasn't able to do what Corum could do for Michigan.

Milroe took a quarterback draw right into the heart of Michigan's defense for only a gain of a yard — a defense stop that earned Michigan the Rose Bowl win.

Michigan's defense will get a ton of credit for that stop as well as the critical fumble it caused with 12:47 in the game with Alabama up four and driving.

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy will also get a ton of headlines for his night. He completed 17-of-27 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns (one went to Corum).

It was that overtime run by Corum that won the game for the Wolverines, though. How sweet it must have been for him that the touchdown run also set a Michigan all-time record.

A different breed

Blake Corum becomes @UMichFootball's all-time career rush TD leader with 5️⃣6️⃣〽️ pic.twitter.com/yBiHl4DttO
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) January 2, 2024