At one of the largest athletic events in the nation, punter James Burnip, an Australian, caused a stir when he led Alabama, a college football team, to a Rose Bowl defeat against Michigan.
In the 27-20 OT loss, Burnip was a standout for Alabama. Victorian Tory Taylor broke the 85-year-old NCAA football punting record that day.
Alabama will miss the College Football Playoffs after falling to Michigan. The following week, Michigan will play the winner of Washington and Texas in the National Championship.
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For the first time in 27 years, the Wolverines will attend the national championship.
Burnip played more than usual due to Alabama’s offensive struggles against Michigan’s strong defence. He did well, making five of seven punts inside twenty.
When a punt is down inside the other team’s 20-yard line, they start the next drive in bad field position.
Many on social media thought Burnip was Alabama’s most useful player after he changed the game’s trajectory.
Another controversial incident occurred late in the first half when a Michigan player collided with Burnip while punting.
Strangely, Michigan didn’t get a penalty for clashing with the kicker, which would have given Alabama another down. Burnip seems dissatisfied with the performance.
Bill Richardson, an ESPN replay and rules pundit, thought a flag should have been raised.
On the broadcast, Richardson remarked, “I’m running into the kicker minimally.”
He kicked with it. A kicker run would have been an early down call.
I wanted the flag on that one, even though there’s no roughing. Wait for the punting to cease before finding him.
Sportscaster and former NFL punter Pat McAfee praised Burnip’s toughness during a special ESPN game broadcast.
On Alabama’s next drive, Burnip would punt.
The 200-centimetre-tall 22-year-old former Mount Macedon ruckman arrived in Alabama on scholarship in 2021.
After a game against Texas early in 2023, he was named All-SEC second team and Ray Guy Punter of the Week for his best season.
Burnip said he still “pinches himself” at playing for one of the most prestigious college football programmes and the crowds he plays for before the Rose Bowl. In a Herald Sun interview.
“My home stadium has a capacity of 101,000, and it is nearly full every weekend,” she says.
I played versus Texas at Kyle Field a few months ago to the largest crowd I’ve ever seen—over 108,000.
“I find it mind-boggling; the energy before games here is incredible—it’s just electric.”
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