Michigan defender Mason Graham discusses how to stop Michael Penix Jr.

Michigan has begun its preparations for Washington, which means the defense is hard at work trying to figure out how exactly to stop Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback.

No one has quite managed that so far this season.

The Huskies gunslinger was on another level in a College Football Playoff semifinal win over Texas, throwing for 430 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. The Wolverines know it will be no easy task preventing Penix from doing similar against them.

“Yeah, for sure. Obviously Penix is a great player,” defensive tackle Mason Graham said. “I feel like they have a great offensive scheme, just a great group of guys on the offensive side of the ball that can really make plays happen, and he’s one of the ones — he is the one that makes their offense go. It all starts with him.”

Penix pushed his way into Heisman Trophy contention this year with a season that would make just about anyone proud.

He threw for 4,648 yards with 35 touchdowns and just nine interceptions, also rushing for three scores. Those numbers kept Washington ahead in every single game, unbeaten until the national title game, just like Michigan.

And the Michigan defense is no slouch either. It also has a potential ace up its sleeve.

A handful of the team’s veterans like Michael Barrett had the luxury of seeing Penix play up close and in person in 2020, when Penix played for Indiana and threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns without an interception against Michigan.

Barrett will be sharing whatever knowledge he can with his teammates, hoping it helps the Wolverines close the gap in the game.

“Talking about Mike B, he’s been a leader on this defense, vocal, physical, any type of leader you can name, he’s been that for us this year on defense,” Graham said. “Not just defense of the team, he’s just really set the tone, whether we take the field first or offense takes the field first. He’s one of the tone setters on our team, and he’s going to continue to do that this game.”

Still, stopping Penix will be a tall task.

Michigan will look to cap its season with a national title in Houston on Monday, with the game against Washington set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.