During the final week of the regular season, the Michigan football team lost one of their biggest leaders in their biggest game of the season. Senior captain Zak Zinter went down with a brutal leg injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the season, but the Wolverines have responded very well to that adversity. On Monday, Michigan went to battle against Alabama football in the Rose Bowl without Zinter, and it was a big challenge. However, the Wolverines ended up getting the job done.

The very next play after the Zak Zinter injury showed exactly how the Michigan football team was going to respond to the adversity. Blake Corum broke free for a huge touchdown run that gave the Wolverines the lead in their massive game against the Buckeyes. Corum ran into the end zone and flashed a six and a five, Zinter's number, to the camera crew, and Michigan has been playing for their leader ever since.

Michigan once again won a massive game without Zinter on the field as they beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and after the victory, transfer offensive lineman LaDarius Henderson discussed the challenge of playing another game without their star.

“It's always harder without your captain, All-American, NFL guy, top-100 guy,” Henderson said, according to a tweet from Blue By Ninety. “But I feel like we did a great job; we did it for him too, because he would love to be out there with us. He's a guy we always have in the forefront of our mind when we're out there playing.”

LaDarius Henderson is right, they did do a great job. Michigan won the game 27-20 in overtime, and they are now headed to the national championship. There have been a lot of things that have brought the Wolverines together this season, but the way that they have rallied together to win for Zinter has been special to see.

The offensive line played another great game as they did a fantastic job protecting JJ McCarthy, and they also opened up a lot of lanes for the run game to flourish. A lot of people thought that they couldn't handle the edge rushers on the Crimson Tide, but Michigan simply won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and that is why they won the football game.

Now, Michigan football needs just one more win to get the job done for Zinter. The Wolverines will take on Washington football in the national title game on Monday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Michigan is currently favored by 4.5 points.