Nearly 75,000 fans gathered at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, as the venue witnessed a seismic clash between No. 1 Michigan Wolverines (15-0) and No. 2 Washington Huskies (14-1), where the Wolverines took the National Championship 34-13 Jan. 8.
The Wolverines boasted a juggernaut offense helmed by the dynamic duo of quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum. McCarthy put up a quaint ten passes for 140 passing yards without a passing touchdown or interception. Corum, however, exploded against the Huskies, amassing 21 carries for a ridiculously high 124 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
“Today was a complete team effort,” Corum said during the post-game conference following the win against Washington. “When a play needs to be made, playmakers make them, and we have a lot of them [playmakers.]” The Michigan Wolverine running back secured the offensive MVP in the National Championship.
Michigan running back Donovan Edwards put up a monstrous six carries for 102 rushing yards and two touchdowns, with the bulk of the damage coming in the opening drive of the contest.
Following the win, Wolverines quarterback McCarthy spoke about what the victory meant. “We came a long way,” McCarthy said. “To accomplish things like this, you have to go to those dark places where everything is not great. I had this feeling that we would be where we are right now.”
The Huskies rode the intense wave of momentum fueled by quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s efficient and electric passing, honing in the crucible of the Pac-12, or what will soon be left of the conference. Their win over the Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl Jan. 1 showcased their full-bodied blend of physicality and finesse. Penix Jr., a transfer from Indiana University, was the runner-up for the 2023 Heisman Award, falling short to LSU QB Jayden Daniels.
Penix shared his feelings after losing on one of college football’s grandest stages. “It sucks,” Penix said. “We came in here and we wanted to win. We played a good team; they did some good things. On the offensive side of the ball, we missed a lot of opportunities that we needed to execute the most to help put our team in a better position to come out with the win. It is okay, though, we are good.”
The Huskies quarterback put up 255 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
All-American wideout Rome Odunze was the main point of attack for the Huskies in the National Championship game. Odunze outperformed Reggie Williams’ record of 1,454 yards in a single season, a school record that stood for over two decades. Odunze mustered up five catches for 87 receiving yards in the contest, leading all receivers.
This season also marks the end of Washington’s tenure in the PAC-12, as the Huskies will join Michigan in the Big Ten Conference later this summer in August.
“Glorious, glorious win; I couldn’t be happier or prouder,” Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said. “We are 15-0. We are the last ones standing. It is a great feeling.”
Contact multimedia staff writer Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Email him at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Twitter @3Noral. For more sports news courtesy of the Indianapolis Recorder, click here.
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