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MIAMI (Ticker) -- Even though Ryan Pflugner missed the point, Alabama and Michigan made theirs. When these college football powers face each other, a classic usually ensues. Pflugner's missed extra point allowed No. 8 Michigan to escape with a 35-34 overtime victory over No. 6 Alabama in a thrilling Orange Bowl. Regulation featured a duel between Alabama's Shaun Alexander and Michigan's David Terrell, each of whom scored three touchdowns and amassed at least 150 yards. But neither played a big part in overtime, which Crimson Tide safety Phillip Weeks forced by blocking Hayden Epstein's potential game-winning 36-yard field goal at the gun. Michigan's Tom Brady wasted no time in the extra session as he threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game on the first play, a 25-yard strike to Shawn Thompson. Epstein's kick gave Michigan (10-2) its first lead at 35-28. Alabama (10-3) struck right back. After a four-yard run by Alexander, Andrew Zow found Antonio Carter with a 21-yard play-action pass for a score. But Pflugner pushed the kick wide right. It was the third meeting between the perennial powers, all in bowl games and all coming down to the final seconds. In the 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl, Michigan beat Alabama 28-24 on a fourth-down TD pass in the final minute. In the 1997 Outback Bowl, Alabama rallied for a 17-14 victory, scoring two TDs in the fourth quarter before recovering a last-second onside kick.
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