If Alabama football is going to have a chance at Nick Saban’s seventh national championship in Tuscaloosa, it’s going to take a better offensive effort than the Crimson Tide could muster in the first half of Monday’s Rose Bowl. The Tide was down 13-10 at the half after struggling throughout the first 30 minutes.

It started on the first offensive play. Jalen Milroe was sacked for a 13-yard loss.

It never got better from there. A few plays later he went down 11 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

The offensive line simply never got any push. Every issue that plagued Alabama up front through the first several games of the season returned in full force.

Alabama gained only 96 yards throughout the half. Milroe was sacked five times for a total of 44 yards.

The only scoring the Crimson Tide could muster came courtesy of the Wolverines. UA sent out James Burnip after its first drive stalled, but Semaj Morgan muffed the punt.

Jase McClellan found the end zone on a 34-yard run that gave Alabama a 7-0 lead starting out. After that, it was nearly all bad.

Seth McLaughlin’s snap issues returned in full force. The line simply couldn’t give Milroe any time for most of the half.

On the final drive of the half, the Tide finally started to move down the field. However, on 3rd-and-3 from the UM 25, Milroe was once again sacked for a seven-yard loss.

Alabama was able to get three points on the drive when Will Reichard hit a 50-yard field goal. However, it still went to the locker room behind the Wolverines.

The winner of the Alabama-Michigan Rose Bowl will face the winner of Texas and Washington in the national championship game on Nov. 8. The College Football Playoff semifinals are being aired on ESPN.