After two semifinal games that came down to the final play, the College Football National Championship will be played on Monday, Jan. 8 in Houston, Texas. The game features the No. 1 ranked Michigan and No. 2 ranked Washington, the only two remaining undefeated FBS teams in college football.
Michigans Path
Amid lots of scrutiny, Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines boast a record of 14-0, with big wins over #7 Ohio State, #10 Penn State, and their most recent 27-20 overtime victory over #4 Alabama in the semifinal.
Washingtons Path
After finishing last season on a seven game winning streak, the Huskies led by coach Kalen DeBoer, have continued their run, going 14-0 in the last year of the PAC-12. During the year, they defeated #8 Oregon twice, #14 Arizona, #21 Oregon State, as well as defeating #3 Texas in the semifinals.
Players to Watch
Michigan:
J.J McCarthy (QB) – The dual-threat, draft-eligible quarterback averages 203.6 passing yards per game with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. In the biggest games, however, Michigan has largely taken the ball out of his hands, heavily leaning on the run game.
Blake Corum (RB) – Michigan’s main offensive threat, the senior running back has accumulated 1,111 rushing yards (second in the Big Ten) as well as 117 receiving yards. His best trait for the Wolverines this year has been his ability to get into the end zone, as he leads the country with 25 touchdowns.
Jaylen Harrell (LB) – The senior linebacker has finished the year strong, racking up five sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection in the last seven games played.
Washington:
Michael Penix Jr. (QB) – The 2023 Heisman trophy runner-up, Penix Jr, led the country in passing yards with 4,648 yards, equaling 332 yards/game. In the semifinal, Penix had a career game, completing 76.3% of his passes and throwing for 430 yards and 2 touchdowns
Rome Odunze (WR) – One of only two receivers to surpass 1500 receiving yards, Odunze has been Penix Jr’s main target this season. Over the final five games, Odunze surpassed 100 yards receiving in each game and scored six touchdowns.
Troy Fautanu (LT) – Projected to be a first-round pick, Fautanu is the leader of the Washington offensive line. The Huskies offensive line won the Joe Moore award, an award given to the best offensive line in the country. They have been able to protect Michael Penix Jr exceptionally well, allowing only 10 sacks in 14 games.
Keys to the Game
Washington Offense vs. Michigan Defense: Michigan’s defense enters the game with the number one defense in the country, allowing only 243.1 YPG, but they will have a tall task ahead in the Huskies offense. The Huskies offense is top-5 in the country in yards per play and averages 37.6 points per game.
Michigan running game: Over the season, Michigan has averaged 4.3 yards per rush, which ranks 60th in the country. If the Huskies’ defense is able to stymie the Wolverines rushing attack, Michigan will have a hard time moving the ball.
