College Football Playoff national championship: Michigan defeats Washington, wins first title in 26 years
At Big Ten Media Days in 2022, one year after Michigan made its first College Football Playoff appearance, Jim Harbaugh listed three goals. They were simple — beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten and win a national championship.
The Wolverines came up short in both 2021 and 2022, meaning 2023 presented an opportunity to finally check off all three boxes. Monday night, in front of a packed house at NRG Stadium in Houston, they finally got to the mountaintop.
Michigan knocked off Washington 34-13 to win its first national championship in 26 years. The last time the Wolverines won a title, Jim Harbaugh was in his third season as the Indianapolis Colts quarterback. Now, in his ninth season as the head coach at his alma mater, Harbaugh did what he set out to do.
He took Michigan back to the top by winning the College Football Playoff national championship.
The Wolverines set the tone with a picture-perfect opening drive, taking eight plays to go 84 yard — capped by a 41-yard touchdown from Donovan Edwards to put his team ahead 7-0. That gave the ball to Washington, which settled for a field goal to make it a 7-3 ballgame.
Then, it was Edwards again as went 48 yards on the next possession to the end zone, extending Michigan’s lead to 14-3. After Washington punted, Blake Corum’s 59-yard rush helped set up a 31-yard field goal from James Turner to go up 17-3 with 13:28 to play in the second quarter.
The Huskies looked like they had an opportunity to get back in the game with one swing, though, when Rome Odunze broke through the coverage on 4th and 7 in the second quarter. However, Michael Penix Jr. overthrew him, resulting in a turnover on downs.
But the Wolverines came up empty, and after a turnover on downs of their own, Washington marched down the field to score its first touchdown of the game as Penix found Jalen McMillan. Just like that, it was a 17-10 ballgame heading into halftime.
The second half was pretty quiet, outside of a few field goals, before Corum finally found the end zone to make it 27-13 with 7:09 to play. That gave Michigan plenty of momentum, and the Wolverines had to hold strong on a 4th and 13 on the drive after the score. It turned into a long interception from converted wide receiver Mike Sainristil, and Michigan fans could sense what was coming.
Corum scored again with 3:37 remaining, and it sealed it. Michigan fans waited a long time to hoist that trophy, and at long last, the Wolverines can check off Box No. 3.
Win the national championship — check.