First look at the CFP National Championship: Michigan vs. Washington
All season long, the Wolverines’ program has been “Michigan vs. Everybody.”
Now it depends Michigan vs. Washington.
The No. 1 Wolverines (14-0) face the No. 2 Huskies (14-0) on the regular season. College Football Playoffs National championship game on Jan. 8 at NRG Stadium in Houston. This year’s title game – the last in a four-team playoff before the field expands to 12 in 2024 – will feature two undefeated teams appearing in the championship game for the first time in the BCS era.
Reeling from allegations of an elaborate cheating scandal that became the biggest story of the season, Michigan has found ways to overcome obstacles and win, a constant trait that has driven them a 27:20 win in overtime against SEC champions Alabama on Monday night in the CFP semifinals at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential.
“It was a matter of life or death,” Michigan’s offensive tackle said Trevor Keegan said. “We’ve been through some things. We had to overcome obstacles and adversity. People can say it’s adversity. People can see that we cheated. But I really don’t give a shit. There was adversity and that. “The team relied on each other and it showed in the last quarter and overtime.”
After losing in the semifinals each of the previous two seasons, Michigan earned its first CFP victory.
It is also the last time Washington will represent the Pac-12, as the league was decimated by realignment and the Huskies will join the Big Ten in 2024.
With Alabama’s loss, this will be the first CFP national championship game since then Ohio State confronted Oregon There will be no SEC team in the first season in 2014.
Instead, it highlights two teams that have a chance to become just the sixth team in major college football history to finish 15-0 or better.
number 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington
CFP National Championship presented by AT&T
When: Monday, January 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
How to watch: ESPN and ESPN app
Opening line from ESPN BET: Michigan -4.5
Jump to:
Trainer | Paths to Mastery
Key figures | Matchups to watch
Last meeting | X factors
The trainers
Jim Harbaugh from Michigan: Entering the 2021 season, Harbaugh’s future in Ann Arbor was uncertain as he went 0-5 against rival Ohio State this fall and had no CFP appearances. He has since flipped the script, beating the Buckeyes three straight seasons to win the Big Ten and advance to the CFP. However, this was the first time that Harbaugh won a semifinal game, ending his six-game losing streak in bowling. With the win against Alabama, Harbaugh has a chance to win a national title for his alma mater, where he played quarterback from 1983-86.
Harbaugh, who is in the second year of his five-year contract with Michigan, cannot escape speculation about his future with the program. There are still two separate and ongoing NCAA investigations — one over alleged recruiting violations and another over alleged sign stealing — that resulted in Harbaugh being suspended for half of the 2023 regular season. There’s also Harbaugh’s previous flirtations with the NFL. Michigan’s administration wants to keep Harbaugh and has made that clear; it’s up to him to agree to it. Would winning a national title influence his decision?
Kalen DeBoer from Washington: In just his second season as the Huskies’ head coach, DeBoer has led the program to 21 straight wins – the longest active winning streak in the FBS – and the school’s first appearance in a national championship game. It’s a far cry from DeBoer’s humble beginnings as head coach of his alma mater, the small University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota – but it’s the same goal as when he won and had as many NAIA national titles (three). undefeated seasons (three) as he had defeats.
DeBoer had an overall record of 67-3 in Sioux Falls, including a 17-2 record in the playoffs. DeBoer’s rise from NAIA to FCS to the Group of 5 and ultimately to the sport’s biggest stage spanned two decades, seven schools and three head coaching jobs, including at Washington. The long-standing relationships he has developed with his staff, including Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, and the continuity of the staff are directly related to the Huskies’ success. Washington’s entire full-time coaching staff remained intact beginning in the 2022 season — a rarity in today’s postseason coaching carousel — and DeBoer was the glue.
How they got here
Michigan: Despite their head coach being suspended for six of the twelve regular season games, the Wolverines reached the national title game because of their unity, talent and acting head coach Sherrone Moore. With Harbaugh suspended for the final three games of the regular season – against the most important and difficult opponent on the schedule – Moore led the Wolverines to victories Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State. The “Michigan vs. Everybody” merch and mentality combined with possibly the program’s best team in decades led to a perfect season that now includes a statement win against the sport’s winningest program and winningest coach. Michigan’s aggressive defense sacked Alabama’s quarterback Jalen Milroe six times, and the Wolverines overcame a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter to prevail in overtime.
The CFP selection committee considered Michigan a top-four team all season, but didn’t move the Wolverines to the top spot until selection day after then-No Georgia lost to Alabama in the SEC title game. No team in the CFP race has ever faced such serious allegations of cheating, but the CFP maintained its stance that a team could be ranked by the committee as long as it was eligible to play in a bowl game. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel was one of the 13 committee members but refused to vote when Michigan was considered. Michigan has now won 14 games in a season for the first time in school history.
Last national title: 1997 (together with Nebraska)
Washington: This is a team driven by their underdog status and perceived lack of respect. The Huskies’ 36-33 win over Oregon on Oct. 14 signaled that they should be considered the Pac-12’s leading CFP contender this season, but not everyone was convinced they belonged in the top four. The selection committee was unimpressed by the ugly victories against them Arizona State And Stanford, and it called the Huskies’ defense into question. Only in November – after Washington had won consecutive victories USC, Utah And Oregon State to reach the 11-0 mark – that the Huskies cracked the committee’s top four.
Washington was still a 9.5-point underdog against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game, which the Huskies won. Washington was once again the betting underdog Texas – another weaker opponent with one loss – in the semi-finals on Monday. But here too, Washington’s offense had the upper hand, fueled by the Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr. This time the signal caller took advantage of a Texas pass defense that has now allowed six of his opponents to throw for over 300 yards this season.
Last national title: 1991 (together with Miami)
Key figures
Michigan: RB Blake Corum. At the start, guard on the right Zak Zinter In the Wolverines’ win over Ohio State, the team suffered a season-ending leg injury and lost its best run blocker. That was evident in the Big Ten title game against Iowa, as none of Corum’s 16 carries went longer than 6 yards. That wasn’t the case against Alabama, as Corum recorded 118 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. His 56 career rushing touchdowns are the most in school history.
Washington: WR Rome Odunze. It’s hard to separate Odunze from it Yes’Lynn Polk, as they represent one of four 1,000-yard receiving tandems in the FBS, but Odunze was particularly captivating. He reached the semifinals against Texas with 82% of his balls going for first downs or touchdowns.
Matchup to watch
Michigan’s defensive line vs. Washington’s offensive line. Michigan has recorded 16 sacks in its last four games, including four against Iowa and six against Alabama. Michigan forced its way into the Crimson Tide’s backfield and limited its running game to 43 yards in the first half while sacking Milroe five times.
On Monday, Penix had completed just 41% of his passes outside the pocket. However, Washington only gave up 11 sacks all season and the Longhorns failed to get close to Penix. If Michigan wants to find a way to win, it needs to get back into the backfield.
Last meeting
September 11, 2021: Michigan 31, Washington 10. Washington has seen Corum before. In 2021, he ran for a 67-yard touchdown, giving Michigan a double-digit lead in the second quarter. Washington finished 4-8 this year under former coach Jimmy Lake, while Harbaugh went 12-2 with a loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinals.
X factors
Michigan’s special teams. The Wolverines botched a punt in the first quarter against Alabama, missed an extra point because of a botched snap in the second quarter and missed a field goal wide left in the fourth quarter.
Washington defensive end Bralen Trice. For the second consecutive year, Trice was named the team’s MVP on defense. He sacked the Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers twice on Monday night and was just as disruptive against Oregon this season, recording four tackles and a pass breakup in the Pac-12 title game.
