What They're Saying: Explosive Huskies A Major Challenge For Michigan
By Anthony Broome
The Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies will face off on Monday night in Houston for all the marbles and a national championship on the line. The game is an interesting contrast in styles and features a pair of opponents who join forces this summer as Big Ten opponents moving forward.
Monday night’s game in Houston has a chance to be a classic for two championship-starved programs. Here is what some of the voices in the national media are saying about the title game.
Heather Dinich, ESPN.com
CFP National Championship first look: Michigan vs. Washington
This is a team that has been fueled by its underdog status and perceived lack of respect. The Huskies’ 36-33 win against Oregon on Oct. 14 signaled they should be considered the Pac-12’s leading contender for the CFP this season, but not everyone was convinced they were top-four material. The selection committee was unimpressed with ugly wins against Arizona State and Stanford, and it questioned the Huskies’ defense. It wasn’t until November — after Washington reeled off consecutive wins against USC, Utah and Oregon State to hit the 11-0 mark — that the Huskies cracked the committee’s top four.
Washington was still a 9.5-point underdog against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game, which the Huskies won. Washington was again the betting underdog against Texas — another lower-ranked opponent with a loss — in Monday’s semifinal. Again, though, Washington’s offense had the upper hand, propelled by Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr. This time, the signal-caller took advantage of a Texas pass defense that has now allowed six of its opponents to throw for over 300 yards this season.
Bill Connelly, ESPN.com
College Football Playoff: Takeaways from Alabama-Michigan, Texas-Washington
Now, this soon-to-be conference matchup will also forever be a title game rematch. And it could be awfully fun. The contrast in styles here is pretty spectacular. Washington wings the ball around, goes deep often, and, though Bralen Trice and the Huskies’ defensive front were pretty aggressive and effective against Texas, plays mostly bend-don’t-break defense. Michigan, meanwhile, just beat Alabama with physicality. The Wolverines rarely go deep but specialize in body blows.
Washington has by far the best passing game Michigan has seen all season, and Michigan has by far the best defense Washington has seen. Obviously, Dillon Johnson’s injury — which DeBoer called an extension of a foot injury he’s been battling for a while — could redefine UW’s offense a bit if he’s limited or out. Johnson’s backups, freshman waterbug Tybo Rogers and 202-pound Nebraska transfer Will Nixon, flashed potential, but they’ve combined for just 74 carries on the season. Johnson’s workhorse capabilities provided an extra dimension the Huskies needed to survive so many close games.
Regardless, the matchups here — Penix vs. McCarthy, Washington’s amazing receiving corps vs. Michigan’s incredible secondary, et cetera — are going to be awfully fun to talk about over the next week. Two title game debutants, led by two coaches who have pulled off incredible turnarounds, will look to secure their first ring since the pre-BCS era.
The Athletic
Washington-Michigan CFP championship first look: Can Wolverines slow Michael Penix Jr.?
This will be the best test yet for a pair of stellar units: Washington’s offense and Michigan’s defense. Penix, the Heisman runner-up, has carved up opposing secondaries all season to the tune of an FBS-leading 4,648 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. Michigan’s scoring defense (10.2 points per game) is the best in college football, and its pass defense ranks top 10 in yards per game, yards per attempt, completion percentage, QB rating, interceptions and team pass efficiency. But with all due respect to Biletnikoff Award-winner Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and the Ohio State passing game, the Wolverines’ defensive backs haven’t faced anything like this.
The aerial arsenal of Penix, receivers Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan and Germie Bernard, tight end Jack Westover and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb is a different beast. Michigan’s best chance at slowing the Huskies through the air will be controlling the line of scrimmage, an area the defensive front has excelled at this season. The Wolverines entered the Rose Bowl with a pressure rate of 42 percent for the season, fifth-best in the FBS according to TruMedia statistics. They managed that without blitzing all that often, a wrinkle they added against Alabama when they came after quarterback Jalen Milroe on nearly 43 percent of snaps, recording six sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
Statistically, Michigan will probably hope to hound Penix with a traditional pass rush. The Washington quarterback handled blitzes well in 2023, but his completion percentage dipped from 73.7 to 44.6 against pressure, according to TruMedia, and his yards per attempt fell from 9.6 to 8. That’s easier said than done for the Wolverines against a Huskies offensive line that just won the Joe Moore Award.
The status of Washington running back Dillon Johnson, who was helped off the field late in the Sugar Bowl win over Texas with an apparent foot injury, could be significant as well. The Huskies aren’t a run-heavy team, but at 1,162 yards (5.2 ypc) and 16 touchdowns, Johnson is their only consistent option. No one else on the roster cracks 200 rushing yards for the year.
Paul Myerberg, USA Today
Michigan, Washington bring contrast of styles to College Football Playoff title game
There is no marker based on this season to suggest the Wolverines are prepared for Penix and what this Washington receiver corps can bring to the table. Statistically, Michigan’s pass defense is one of the best in the FBS: regular-season opponents averaged 5.8 yards per attempt (fifth nationally) with just seven touchdowns (first) against 16 interceptions (ninth).
Michigan and Notre Dame are the only FBS teams to allow fewer than 10 touchdown passes with at least 10 interceptions.
But the Wolverines have yet to face a quarterback like Penix nor a cast of receivers close to Washington’s caliber. Of Michigan’s 14 opponents, only two, Maryland and Ohio State, rank higher than 55th nationally in passing yards per game. Those two teams combined for 518 passing yards on 8.5 yards per attempt, though Michigan did force four interceptions against two touchdowns.
And while Michigan did face Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison, maybe college football’s top individual player regardless of position this season, the Wolverines will be tested by Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan and the Huskies’ extreme depth at receiver. And the person delivering the passes will be Penix and not Kyle McCord.
Michigan’s best defense may be a high-performing offense. Can the Wolverines hammer away at Washington’s defensive front and establish some movement at the point of attack?
Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports
Will Michigan’s bully ball or Washington’s explosive offense prevail in national championship game?
The top two offenses Michigan has faced this season are UNLV (43rd nationally) and Alabama (58th). Washington is the best of the best with its passing game. If you want a juicy prop bet in this game, try this one: Odds of Michigan’s defense holding Washington under 30 points. We told you above how that number is sort of the key to both sides of the ball.
Just look what happened to Jalen Milroe and Bama. Jesse Minter’s defense contributed 10 tackles for loss and six sacks. That was Alabama getting tackled behind the line once every 11 offensive snaps. It took a half for Milroe and Alabama’s offensive line to figure out Michigan’s twists and blitzes. Until late, Bama had staged a stirring comeback. Then that defense stood up once again.
The Michigan defensive line vs. Washington’s offensive line might be the matchup in the game. Michigan has 16 sacks in the last four games, 10 in the last two. Kris Jenkins is the latest in a line of great Michigan defensive tackles. Defensive back Mike Sainristil can play anywhere in the secondary. That group will be challenged. More than 80% of Odunze’s catches have gone for first downs or touchdowns.
You know exactly what you’re going to get with the offense. As mentioned, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will pound it with running back Blake Corum. McCarthy has proven he is all the way back from injuries, throwing three touchdowns against Alabama after throwing exactly one in the previous six weeks.
Special teams coach Jay Harbaugh must clean up his group. Punt returner Jake Thaw almost blew the Bama game with a late muff near Michigan’s goal line. James Turner missed a 49-yard field goal, and a bad snap foiled an extra-point attempt.
