The final College Football Playoff National Championship of the four-team era features a matchup between future Big Ten rivals as No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington square off on Monday in Houston. The winner will emerge as the last undefeated team standing in the FBS ranks while bringing home the first college football national title for their school of the BCS or CFP era.
Michigan last won the national championship in 1997, the year before the BCS system went into effect, while Washington’s last title came in 1991. This season, the Wolverines and Huskies used contrasting styles while running the table through their respective conferences and squeaking out close CFP semifinal victories. Michigan’s nasty defense pitted against Washington’s elite passing attack makes for a compelling final game of the 2023 season as we bid this era of college football farewell and welcome in the 12-team CFP era amid substantial conference realignment in 2024.
What should you expect in Houston on Monday night? Let’s break down the game and make picks straight up and against the spread.
Michigan vs. Washington: Need to know
Michael Penix Jr. the superstar: The most important player in this game is Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The sixth-year senior is 25-2 in two seasons as Huskies starter after a promising-but-injury-plagued run at Indiana over four seasons. While with the Hoosiers, Penix played under second-year Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, who was then serving as Indiana offensive coordinator. The two reunited at UW in 2022, and the results have been spectacular. Penix has surpassed 4,600 yards passing each of the past two years and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting this season. A precisely accurate left-handed thrower, Penix turned in another gem during the Sugar Bowl semifinal, lighting up Texas for 430 yards passing. His top target is wide receiver Rome Odunze, who enters with 87 receptions for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns. Fellow receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan as well as tight end Jack Westover will also be a handful for Michigan’s vaunted defense.
Michigan’s nasty defense: The reputation of the Wolverines defense precedes it for a reason. They enter ranked No. 1 nationally in yards allowed per game (243.1). Nobody has surpassed 400 yards or 24 points against Michigan, which just held Alabama to a season-low 288 yards in a 27-20 Rose Bowl victory….
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