Football vs. Michigan Postgame Notes
1/1/2020 6:15:00 PM | Football
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for today's game with Michigan in the 2019 Vrbo Citrus Bowl were linebacker Anfernee Jennings, defensive back Xavier McKinney, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
SABAN VS. AP TOP 25: Alabama's 35-16 win over No. 17 Michigan was Nick Saban's 84th career win vs. the Associated Press Top 25, putting him at second on the all-time. Former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno leads the list, two ahead of Saban with 86. Saban's winning percentage against AP ranked teams is now .666 (84-42).
BEATING THE BEST: The Crimson Tide is 60-17 (.780) against the Associated Press Top 25, including a 33-10 (.767) mark against AP top-10 teams since the start of 2008.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama extended its school record for consecutive games with a score to 255 thanks to junior wide receiver Jerry Jeudy's 85-yard touchdown in the first quarter against Michigan. The Crimson Tide was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000.
OPENING DRIVE TOUCHDOWNS: Junior wide receiver Jerry Jeudy found the end zone with an 85-yard receiving touchdown on the opening offensive possession of the 2019 Vrbo Citrus Bowl. With that score, Alabama extended its streak to 34 straight wins when scoring a touchdown on its first offensive possession of a game. The Tide's last loss after finding the end zone on its first drive was to the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2014 Allstate Sugar Bowl.
HARRIS RECORDS SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE GAME WITH RUSHING SCORE: Junior running back Najee Harris ran for a nine-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter against Michigan, marking his seventh consecutive game with a rushing touchdown and his 12th rushing score this season.
JEUDY ECLIPSES 1,000-YARD RECEIVING SEASON MARK: Junior wide receiver Jerry Jeudy notched his second 1,000-plus yard receiving season after opening the 2019 Citrus Bowl with an 85-yard touchdown reception. With that, he became the second UA receiver with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and first since DJ Hall in 2006-07. Jeudy finished his 2019 campaign with 1,164 yards, one year removed from wrapping up the 2018 season with 1,315 receiving yards.
JEUDY ADDS ANOTHER 200-YARD GAME: Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy notched his first 200-plus yard receiving performance of the season against Michigan in the 2019 Vrbo Citrus Bowl, recording 204 yards on six catches. Jeudy joins fellow junior wideout DeVonta Smith as the Crimson Tide's only pass-catchers to eclipse to 200-yard marker. Smith posted two 200-plus yard games in 2019, first against Ole Miss (274) and then against LSU (213).
JEUDY MAKING HIS MARK ON ALL-TIME RECEIVING YARDS LIST: Junior Jerry Jeudy has accumulated 2,742 receiving yards for his career, a total that is fourth-best on the Alabama career receiving yards list. The Deerfield Beach, Fla., native has totaled 100-plus yards receiving on 10 occasions during his time with Crimson Tide, including five matchups this season.
JONES GOES LONG: On the opening offensive possession of the 2019 Vrbo Citrus Bowl, redshirt sophomore Mac Jones connected with junior wide receiver Jerry Jeudy for an 85-yard receiving touchdown, marking the longest pass completion in Alabama bowl history. Jones' completion moved him past Jalen Hurts, who had a 68-yard pass to O.J. Howard against Clemson in the 2017 CFP National Championship.
