College Football Playoff Championship game game: First take a look at Michigan

• Heather Dinich, ESPN

  • Elder WriterJan 2, 2024, 12:47 AM ET Close College football
  • reporter Joined ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of Indiana University

All season, it was “Michigan vs. Everybody” within the walls of the Wolverines’ program.Now, it’s down to Michigan vs. Washington.The No. 1 Wolverines(14-0 )will deal with the No. 2 Huskies (14-0) in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Jan. 8 at NRG Arena 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 unbeaten teams making their very first look in the championship game in the BCS era.Galvanized by allegations of an elaborate unfaithful scandal that ended up being the biggest story of the season, Michigan has found ways to get rid of challenges and win– a constant characteristic that moved them to a 27-20 overtime success versus SEC champion Alabama on Monday night in the CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated “It was do or die,” Michigan offensive deal with Trevor Keegan said.” We have actually been through some things.

We have actually had to overcome

obstacles

and difficulty. People can say it’s hardship. Individuals can saw we cheated. But I actually don’t offer a f–. It was adversity, and this group relied on each other, and it revealed that last quarter and in overtime. “After losing in the semifinals during each of the previous two campaigns, Michigan made its very first CFP win.It’s also the last time Washington will represent the Pac-12, as the league has been decimated by realignment and the Huskies will be signing up with the Huge Ten in 2024.

With Alabama’s loss, this will be the very first CFP championship game game given that Ohio State dealt with Oregon in the inaugural 2014 season that won’t feature an SEC team.Instead, it will highlight 2 squads with an opportunity to end up being just the sixth group in significant college football history to end up 15-0 or better.No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington CFP National Championship Provided by AT&T When: Monday, Jan. 8, at 7:30 p.m. ET Where: NRG Stadium, Houston How to enjoy: ESPN and ESPN App Opening line from ESPN BET: Michigan -4.5 Jump to: Coaches|Courses to the championship Key players|Matches to watch Last conference|X aspects The coaches AP Photo/Ryan Sun Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh

: Heading into the 2021 season, Harbaugh’s future in Ann Arbor was rare, as he entered that fall 0-5 against competing Ohio State and without any CFP appearances. He has actually considering that turned the script, beating the Buckeyes 3 straight seasons to win the Big 10 and advance to the CFP. This was the very first time, however, that Harbaugh had won a semifinal game, snapping his six-game losing streak in bowls. With the victory versus Alabama, Harbaugh has an opportunity to win a national title for his alma mater, where he played quarterback from 1983 to 1986. Harbaugh, in the second year of a five-year contract with Michigan, can’t leave the speculation surrounding his future with the program. There are still two separate and continuous

NCAA examinations– one for supposed recruiting offenses and another for a supposed sign-stealing plan– that resulted in Harbaugh being suspended for half of the 2023 routine season. There’s likewise Harbaugh’s previous flirtations with the NFL. Michigan’s administration wishes to keep Harbaugh and has actually made that clear; it depends on him to agree to it. Would winning a nationwide title influence his decision? Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire Washington’s Kalen DeBoer: In only his 2nd season as the Huskies’head coach, DeBoer has led the program to 21 straight triumphes– the longest active win streak in the FBS– and the school’s first appearance in a national championship game. It’s a far climb from DeBoer’s simple starts as head coach of his university, the small University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota– but it’s the exact same goal as it was then, when he won as lots of NAIA national titles (three )and had as lots of unbeaten seasons(3) as he had losses.DeBoer was 67-3 total at Sioux Falls, including a 17-2 record in the playoffs. DeBoer’s ascension from NAIA to FCS to the Group of 5 and ultimately the sport’s biggest phase has covered over two decades, 7 schools and three head-coaching jobs, including at Washington. The longtime relationships

he has established with his staff, consisting of Washington offending coordinator Ryan Grubb, and the staff continuity have actually had a direct connection to the Huskies’success. Washington’s whole full-time coaching staff stayed intact from the 2022 season– a rarity in today’s training carousel postseason– and DeBoer has actually been the glue.How they got here Michigan: Despite their head coach being suspended for 6 of the 12 regular-season games, the Wolverines reached the nationwide title game due to the fact that of their unity, skill and acting head coach Sherrone Moore. With Harbaugh suspended for the last three games of the routine season– versus the most important and most hard challengers on the schedule– Moore assisted the Wolverines to wins versus Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State. The”Michigan vs. Everybody” merch and mindset combined with what could be the program’s finest team in decades resulted in a best season that now consists of a declaration win against the sport’s most accomplished program and coach. Michigan’s aggressive defense sacked Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe six times, and the Wolverines conquered a seven-point deficit in the 4th quarter to prevail in overtime.The CFP selection committee thought about Michigan a top-four group all season, but it didn’t bump the Wolverines into the top area until Selection Day, after then-No. 1 Georgia lost to Alabama in the SEC title game. No group in the CFP race has ever dealt with such serious accusations of cheating, however the CFP kept its position that as long as a team was eligible to take part in

a bowl game, it could be ranked by the committee. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel was one of the 13 committee members, but he recused himself from voting when Michigan remained in factor to consider. Michigan has actually now won 14 games in a season for the first time in school history.Last nationwide title: 1997(shared with Nebraska)Washington: This is a group that has actually been sustained by its underdog status and perceived lack of respect. The Huskies’36-33 win against Oregon on Oct. 14 signified they should be considered the Pac-12’s leading contender for the CFP this season, however not everybody was persuaded they were top-four material. The selection committee was unimpressed with awful wins versus Arizona

State and Stanford, and it questioned the Huskies’defense. It wasn’t till November– after Washington reeled off successive wins versus USC, Utah and Oregon State to strike the 11-0 mark– that the Huskies split the committee’s leading four.Washington was still a 9.5-point underdog against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game, which the Huskies won. Washington was again the betting underdog against Texas– another lower-ranked opponent with a loss– in Monday’s semifinal. Again, however, Washington’s offense had the upper hand, propelled by Heisman Prize runner-up Michael Penix Jr. This time, the signal-caller benefited from a Texas pass defense that has actually now enabled six of its opponents to toss for over 300 backyards this season.Last national title: 1991(shared with Miami)Secret players Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Michigan: RB Blake Corum. When beginning best guard Zak Zinter suffered a season-ending leg injury in the Wolverines ‘win against Ohio State, the team lost its leading run-blocker. That was evident in the Huge Ten title game versus Iowa, as none of Corum’s 16 brings went longer than 6 yards. That wasn’t the case versus Alabama, as Corum signed up 118 skirmish backyards and two touchdowns. His 56

profession rushing goals are the most in school history. Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire Washington: WR Rome Odunze. It’s tough to different Odunze from Ja’Lynn Polk, as they represent one of four 1,000-yard receiving tandems in the FBS, but Odunze has actually been particularly clutch. He got in the semifinal against Texas with 82% of his receptions having actually opted for first downs or touchdowns.Matchup to view Mason Graham leads a tough Michigan defensive frontthat will have its hands complete in the title game. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Michigan’s defensive line vs. Washington’s offending line. Michigan has tape-recorded 16 sacks in its past 4 games, consisting of 4 against Iowa and 6 versus Alabama. Michigan pushed its method into the Crimson Tide’s backfield and limited their running game to 43 backyards in

the first half while sacking Milroe five times.Entering Monday, Penix had actually completed simply 41%of his passes when beyond the pocket. Washington, however, just gave up 11 sacks all season, and the Longhorns were unable to get to Penix. If Michigan is going to discover a method to win, it needs to find its method into the backfield again.Last conference Sept. 11, 2021: Michigan 31, Washington 10. Washington has actually seen Corum before. In 2021, he ran for a 67-yard touchdown to give Michigan a double-digit lead in the second quarter. Washington finished 4-8 that year under previous coach Jimmy Lake, while Harbaugh ended up 12-2 with a loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinals.X elements Michigan’s unique teams.

The Wolverines muffed a punt in the very first quarter versus Alabama, missed out on an extra point in the second quarter due to the fact that of a messed up snap and missed out on a basket broad left in the 4th quarter.Washington defensive end Bralen Trice. For the second straight season, Trice was called the group’s MVP on defense. He sacked Texas

quarterback Quinn Ewers two times on Monday night and was similarly as disruptive versus Oregon this season, publishing 4 takes on and a pass break up in the Pac-12 title game.