Michigan Got Away With A Clear Running Into the Punter Penalty in the Rose Bowl

Michigan got off to a very rocky start in the Rose Bowl against Alabama but quickly recovered and now it’s very much a game that could go either way and will likely be decided late. The Wolverines caught a break late in the first quarter after forcing the Tide to punt on 4th-and-3 when edge rusher Kechaun Bennett appeared to commit a textbook running into the punter penalty that for some reason or other the officials weren’t keen on calling.

It’s not that Bennett crushed punter James Burnip’s kicking leg on its follow through or anything yet … if what happened wasn’t worthy of a five-yard penalty, what is?

Again, long game and there will be 50-50 calls down the road and there’s no need to make a federal case out of it — but a flag would have meant an Alabama first down. Michigan didn’t do anything with their subsequent possession so play on.