Michigan has reached the College Football Playoff three years in a row. Like you, I wonder if the third time really is the charm? Tonight’s the first time they’ve reached the championship game, so yeah it is … and it could very well be exactly that in a big way.
Coach Jim Harbaugh and his Maize and Blue Wolverines are No. 1 and unbeaten (14-0), coming off a semifinal overtime win a week ago against Alabama, 27-20.
They’re also a 4-1/2-point favorite going into the 6:30 p.m. contest at NRG Stadium in Houston against unbeaten No 2 Washington also 14-0.
A matchup like this hasn’t come along lately, so you should take advantage of it by getting your popcorn ready.
A subplot is will this be Harbaugh’s final game as coach at UM? If they win, lose or both? Think about it, the NFL presently has some lucrative openings and he’s not getting any younger. Coach says he will address those issues in the coming days.
Right now, his focus is on a ballgame and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The Washington quarterback was good enough in the regular season to guide his Huskies to the Pac-12 crown and himself to a Heisman runner-up finish, throwing for 4,218 yards and 36 touchdowns. And yes, don’t rub it in, he was better than that against Texas in the semifinals a week ago, completing 29 of 38 passes for 430 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns.
His receiving corps is top tier as is his offensive line. So …
As good as the Wolverines are with star running back Blake Corum (1,111 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns) and J.J. McCarthy (completing 73 percent of his passes for 22 touchdowns, just 4 interceptions) at quarterback, they can win running or passing the football. But, Michigan’s strength is defense, allowing just 243.1 yards per game and 10.2 points per game.
The Big Ten schedule next season has this title game rematch for Oct. 5. Tonight, though, is the Big Ten (Michigan) vs. the Pac-12 (Washington). Washington’s CFP appearance is just the third in Pac-12 history, since the four-team playoff began in 2015. The Huskies also earned a berth before losing in the semifinal game in 2017.
Washington has a chance to claim the conference’s first CFP title before all but two of its schools depart, and the Playoff expands to 12 teams next year.
This will be the 14th meeting between the Wolverines and Huskies, with Michigan leading the series, 8-5.
