Michigan stymies Michael Penix Jr., Washington to win CFP

By Lauren Merola, Max Olson, Austin Meek, Jim Trotter and Nicole Auerbach

It’s been 26 years, however lastly, nobody has it higher than Michigan.

The Wolverines rushed for 303 yards and held flame-throwing Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in verify to emerge because the College Football Playoff nationwide champion with a 34-13 defeat of the Huskies on Monday night time at NRG Stadium in Houston. The win marked Michigan’s first nationwide title since 1997 and the completion of a long-anticipated return to the highest of school soccer underneath head coach Jim Harbaugh.

The Wolverines, who entered the night time ranked second within the FBS in passing yards allowed per recreation, held the Heisman Trophy runner-up Penix to 255 yards, one landing and two interceptions on 27-of-51 passing, nicely under the standard output from the nation’s passing yards chief (4,648). Washington’s explosive offense completed with simply 301 whole yards, as accidents to Penix and working again Dillon Johnson restricted the Huskies’ effectiveness.

Michigan working again Blake Corum completed with 134 speeding yards and two touchdowns to set the college’s single-season landing report (28), padding the margin after backfield mate Donovan Edwards scored the primary two touchdowns of the sport, practically doubling his personal season whole in a single quarter. By the time Michigan held a 14-3 benefit with 2:23 to go within the first quarter, it had 115 speeding yards. Washington had allowed solely two rush performs of 40-plus yards all season earlier than Monday, when it let up three such rushes within the first half, together with Edwards’ two touchdowns.

41 YARDS TO THE HOUSE 🏠

Michigan’s Donovan Edwards strikes first within the #NationalChampionship

🎥 @espn pic.twitter.com/SCuRDbtWRV

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 9, 2024

Washington appeared to regain some momentum by slicing its deficit to 17-10 earlier than halftime, however Penix threw an interception to Michigan defensive again Will Johnson on the primary play of the third quarter, then hobbled to the sideline after a lineman stepped on his ankle in the course of the play. The Huskies protection got here up large, with the assistance of two Michigan penalties, to give up solely a subject aim and hold the sport inside attain. Down 27-13 with lower than 5 minutes to play, Penix tried to string a cross to vast receiver Jalen McMillan on fourth down however was picked off by Michigan defensive again Mike Sainristil, who ran it again 80 yards earlier than Corum punched within the closing rating of the night time.

“I just feel like it came down to executing,” Penix stated. “I missed a couple of throws, just a couple of reads on routes and stuff like that. Just small details within our system that we do great all the time.”

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After the sport, Penix had noticeable bother strolling off the sphere however stated that “no matter what, I was going to make sure I finished it for the guys.”

“I’m not healthy, but I’ll be there. I’m good. It’s nothing major. I know that for sure,” he stated. “I talked with the doctors and stuff like that. It’s nothing major. If I had to play tomorrow, I’ll play.”

He added: “I’m just super proud of this team and how far we’ve come, always being the underdog. This is the only time you all were right, but we were able to fight and push through so much adversity and just people doubting us and not believing us throughout the season. To get to this point, it’s a blessing.”

What the title means for Michigan

Michigan lastly broke by and introduced dwelling a nationwide championship in a 12 months that at occasions felt extra like a wild season of actuality TV. This group had the correct stuff to complete the job after consecutive CFP semifinal losses in 2021 and 2022, received its third consecutive Big Ten title due to gritty wins over Penn State and Ohio State, saved preventing for an additional time triumph towards Alabama within the Rose Bowl and, in its largest check but, shut down Washington and its prolific offense. This was a particular group on a path to future.

And that path was suffering from drama, from Harbaugh serving a three-game suspension to begin the season to the in-season investigation into Connor Stalions’ impermissible signal-stealing operation to a different three-game Harbaugh suspension served up as his group landed in State College, Pa. Through all of it, regardless of who was teaching or who they had been enjoying, these Wolverines had been undeterred. They had the No. 1 protection in school soccer, skilled leaders who refused to lose and the poise to play their greatest of their largest video games. — Max Olson, school soccer senior author

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Edwards shines when the highlight is brightest

Edwards has a fame for displaying up in large moments. He wasn’t a lot of an element for a lot of this season, averaging simply 3.5 yards per carry in a restricted position. But within the nationwide championship recreation, big-game Edwards reappeared in beautiful trend.

Edwards opened the sport with a 41-yard landing burst and scored once more on Michigan’s subsequent drive with a 46-yard run. Edwards laid the groundwork for Michigan’s victory, and Corum completed it, plunging into the tip zone from 12 yards out to provide the Wolverines a two-touchdown lead.

The two-headed speeding assault Michigan envisioned with Corum and Edwards didn’t materialize for a lot of the season, however it confirmed up within the largest recreation of the 12 months. Both gamers topped 100 yards on the bottom, with Edwards speeding for 104 and Corum speeding for 134. When the Wolverines run the ball that means, no person can cease them. — Austin Meek, Michigan beat author

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What occurred to Penix?

Statistically, it was not the worst efficiency of Penix’s good season. But contemplating the stakes, it felt prefer it.

One week after placing on a blinding efficiency in a College Football Playoff win over Texas, Penix was overwhelmed and overwhelmed down. The pinpoint accuracy and explosive performs that wowed observers towards the Longhorns had been nowhere to be discovered Monday night time.

He appeared in bodily ache by the tip, although the lack of an ideal season doubtless damage extra. There had been alternatives for large performs, however Penix was uncharacteristically off on a number of alternatives. And when he was on track, he was damage by dropped passes. — Jim Trotter, senior author

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Credit Washington’s protection

It regarded early like Michigan was going to run away with the sport — actually, after two Edwards landing runs of greater than 40 yards. But credit score Washington’s protection for its resilience and toughness for permitting the Huskies to hold round on this recreation, even with Penix not practically as crisp as he was every week in the past within the Sugar Bowl.

After all of the fireworks within the recreation’s first 17 minutes, Michigan went punt, turnover on downs, punt, subject aim, punt, punt, punt; the longest drive the Wolverines put collectively solely went 41 yards … till that landing drive on the midpoint of the fourth quarter that resulted in a Corum landing and put Michigan up by two scores. — Nicole Auerbach, school soccer senior author

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A Pac-12 swan music

Monday night time’s recreation was such a bittersweet second for the Pac-12 convention. The Huskies lastly broke by to achieve the CFP and snap a seven-year drought for the convention, then win an exhilarating semifinal to achieve a nationwide championship recreation … and it’s the final recreation for the Pac-12 as we’ve at all times identified it, with 10 of its 12 groups set to depart for different energy conferences subsequent season. This Washington group has been a blast to observe all season, as was your entire Pac-12, with surging groups like Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona and the nationwide phenomenon that was Colorado. It’s a tricky capsule to swallow as a result of it appears like if the Pac-12 had the season it did this fall a 12 months or two in the past, its demise would have by no means occurred. Alas.

But the Big Ten is happy it’ll boast each title recreation individuals as league members come August. A nationwide championship recreation rematch will probably be a Big Ten convention recreation, on Oct. 5. — Auerbach

Required studying

(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)