HOUSTON, TX — With the 2024 CFP National Championship Game between the No.1 Michigan Wolverines and No.2 Washington Huskies set to kick off in a few hours, here are my three things to watch for Monday night in Houston.
1.) Michael Penix Jr. vs. Michigan’s stout defense:
To me, this is what will decide who wins.
Averaging 359.5 yards in his last two games in wins over No.5 Oregon in the PAC-12 title game and No.3 Texas in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Penix Jr. has a chance to earn his second win vs. Michigan–a 38-21 upset win when he was at Indiana–the left-handed gunslinger will have his hands full against the nation’s top defense, that has given up 243.1 total yards a game, and 2nd best in passing yards a game at 150.0.
If Penix can get hot and use his trio of receivers headlined by junior WR Rome Udinze, then Michigan could be in for a long night in Space City.
2.) Michigan to use RB Blake Corum and a balanced ball control offense to keep Penix Jr. off the field.
Throughout history, whenever a high-flying offense has faced a top defense, defense has always won.
One major component: Ball control.
For a tough-minded coach like Jim Harbaugh, and his rugged offensive line, look the Wolverines to lean on their stellar junior tailback Blake Corum and clutch passing from QB J.J. McCarthy to keep Penix Jr. and Washington’s prolific offense on the sidelines.
If they are able to do that and control the clock, Michigan will grind out their first title in a quarter century.
3.) Can Jim Harbaugh finally close the deal?
After failing to beat arch-rival Ohio State and coming up short in the CFP playoffs, Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh has finally gotten both monkeys off of his back en route to helping college football’s winningest program claim its first championship since 1997.
They say that failure is the best teacher, in losing last year to TCU 51-45, Harbaugh and the Wolverines came back with one purpose:
Finish the job.
They have the experience. They have beaten Ohio State. They have slain Nick Saban, college football’s greatest coach of his era, and now they ate 60 minutes away from their destiny.
Look for the Wolverines to be locked in to complete their last mission.