In the latest rendition of the College Football Playoff National Championship, the number one ranked University of Michigan Wolverines defeated the number two ranked University of Washington Huskies 34-14 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. This marks Michigan’s 12 college football title and their first one since 1997.
The Wolverines started the game hot with a 41-yard touchdown run from Running Back Donovan Edwards. This gave Michigan a 7-0 lead. After a Washington field goal, Edwards scored a 46-yardard touchdown and gave the Wolverines a 14-3 lead. After Michigan scored a field goal to make the game 17-3, Washington Quarterback and Heisman trophy finalist, Michael Penix Jr. threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to WR Jalen McMillan making it a one-score game, 17-10.
After a third quarter of exchanged field goals, the score going into the fourth quarter was 20-13 Michigan. Unfortunately for Washington, Michigan’s top running back Blake Corum rushed in for another Wolverine’s touchdown. After Penix Jr. and the Washington Huskies failed to respond late in the fourth quarter, Michigan scored another Corum touchdown, making the final score 34-13.
While both these teams are extremely talented, the Michigan Wolverines’ dominant run game set them apart with 134 yards and two touchdowns from Corum and 104 yards and two touchdowns from Edwards. The Wolverines were also led by Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was extremely grateful for his coaches and team. “I’m just tremendously grateful for him to be my head coach. Obviously, all the great words he says about me means a lot and it’s a blessing to play for him.” Head Coach Jim Harbaugh also praised McCarthy for his excellent performance all season. “I’ve said it before, but right here, this is the greatest quarterback in University of Michigan—college football history. Got a long way to go to get to where Tom Brady eventually got to, which is the GOAT (Greatest of all time). But in a college career there’s been nobody at Michigan better than JJ. I know we talk about it as an amalgamation of quarterbacks. He is that guy.”
This win leaves Michigan as the only undefeated team this season, and marks a massive milestone for Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh who has coached the Wolverines since 2015.
For Washington, this is their last game in the PAC-12 conference, which they have been a part of since 1915 and the end of Michael Penix Jr.’s historic season, throwing for nearly 5,000 passing yards and 36 touchdowns.
