The upcoming National Championship game is expected to be an instant classic. The Michigan team, with their strong defense, is all set to take on the Huskies’ passing attack led by Michael Penix Jr. It will be interesting to see if the Wolverines’ pressure will affect Penix’s performance or if the Huskies’ aerial attack will prove too much for Michigan to handle.
So, without further ado, here’s a look at The Comeback’s staff predictions for Monday’s National Championship game.
National Championship: No. 1 Michigan vs No. 2 Washington
After watching Michael Penix Jr. play the game of his life in the CFP Semifinals against Texas (Penix was truly spectacular and boosted his 2024 NFL Draft stock), I’m giving Washington a better chance in this game than I initially assumed. The Huskies continue to come through in what has been a storybook season.
However, I’m ultimately siding with the all-around abilities Michigan possesses, led by the nation’s best defense. This is a complete football team with an answer for any opposing attack and an excellent dual-threat ability on offense, led by quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum.
The Wolverines get their first national title this century in a fantastic game that will come down to the wire. And that would be a heck of a way for Jim Harbaugh to exit college football and return to the NFL.
National Championship Prediction: Michigan 31, Washington 27
— Matt Clapp
This is incredibly difficult to pick, as it’s one of the most balanced National Championship Games in recent years. Michigan’s defense is a juggernaut, as it showed yet again in the Rose Bowl victory over Alabama, when the Wolverines recorded six sacks and ten tackles for loss. Michigan also held the Tide to just 288 yards of total offense. Washington hasn’t played a defense of Michigan’s caliber yet this season.
At the same time, Washington’s offense has repeatedly shown to be one of the nation’s best all season. Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze are perhaps the best quarterback-receiver duo in the country. Washington would be the best offense Michigan has faced this season. However, facing Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr (five catches for 118 yards against the Wolverines) could be a blueprint for how they’ll look to cover Odunze.
I think Michigan grounds out a close win by running the ball, dominating time of possession, and limiting big plays from the Huskies’ offense.
Prediction: Michigan 24, Washington 17
— Robert O’Neill
Ahead of the semifinals, I predicted that Washington would beat Michigan 23-20 in the National Championship Game. The big question now is, has anything changed? Yes — and no. After several weeks off, the Wolverine defense picked up right where it left off, dominating Alabama’s offense. But Washington has too many weapons on offense to be completely shut down. The Huskies may be contained, but expect Michael Penix Jr. to make his mark on this game.
And as good as Michigan’s defense was against Alabama, the offense was just as concerning. The Wolverines should have decisively won the Rose Bowl but needed a late tying drive to even force overtime. That simply cannot happen in Houston. And ultimately, that’s why the prediction isn’t changing.
National Championship Prediction: Washington 23, Michigan 20
— Michael Dixon
Having previously picked against Washington, I’m not so sure I’ll make that mistake again. Michigan certainly boasts a better defense than Texas, making Jalen Milroe’s life a nightmare in the CFP semifinals. But Milroe isn’t Michael Penix Jr., who can pick apart a defense with his arm, relying on his talented wide receivers — Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillian — in addition to a stout offensive line and Dillon Johnson, who will play Monday, despite not being 100%.
It’s fair to say that Washington hasn’t faced a defense as strong as Michigan’s this season. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will have the Wolverines ready after their impressive six-sack performance against Alabama. At the same time, we should acknowledge that Washington’s offensive line has done a great job of protecting Penix all season, allowing him to operate with a surgeon-like precision under center. While Johnson might not be at full strength, he’ll be able to open holes for the Huskies’ rushing attack, forcing Michigan to commit defenders and leaving Penix with even more options to shred their secondary.
Alright, I may have misjudged the Huskies earlier. But that’s what makes football exciting, right? Anything can happen, especially on Jan. 8. That’s why it’s tough to bet against Michigan. The Wolverine defense is top-notch, but apart from Blake Corum, their offense isn’t formidable enough to intimidate an opposing defense. J.J. McCarthy needs to keep his composure; if he does, it’ll improve Michigan’s likelihood of winning. However, I don’t see him carrying the team and outshining Penix. Admittedly, Washington may need to score every time they have possession, but in recent weeks, the country’s best passing offense has shown no signs of incapability.
And that’s why I’m going with the Huskies; in a close one.
National Championship Prediction: Washington 33, Michigan 29
— Sam Neumann
This matchup features two opposites, the elite defense of Michigan coming up against the prolific passing attack of Washington led by Michael Penix Jr. That begs the question of which unit will win in this scenario.
Truthfully, I didn’t expect either team to be in this scenario. But I was more impressed with Washington, Penix Jr., and his ability to take over the game against Texas in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
This certainly has the potential to blow up in my face, but I believe that Washington will be able to move the ball on offense in a way that Michigan and star quarterback JJ McCarthy won’t be able to keep up with. Give me Washington to complete its journey and defeat Michigan in a game that could be a higher-scoring affair than some may think.
Prediction: Washington 38, Michigan 27
— Reice Shipley
Michigan and Washington are both two teams clearly equipped to be here at this stage.
They both have a completely different approach to the game. While Michigan started off the game against Alabama by passing the ball more, running is their bread and butter. Blake Corum is one of the best Michigan running backs in program history. This will be his final college game, and he’ll probably try to go out with a bang.
Washington’s high-flying aerial attack has left teams astounded all season. Michael Penix Jr. is sharp and makes silly throws at times. As an Oregon fan, I will tip my cap, but I won’t like doing it. Rome Odunze is one of the best receivers in the country, and they have an assembly line of great talents under him too.
This game feels like one that’s going to be dictated to who can get the other team to be off schedule first. These teams have found a way to win in different ways this season. With nothing else on the table but what we have here, you figure that if someone finds an exploit and shakes the other team up, then they’ll be the victor. It’s been a very long season.
I expect Michigan to play physically against Washington. The pass rush might have been a surprise to some people last week, but Alabama struggled with pass protection issues all season. Washington had the best offensive line in the country by the Joe Moore Award. But Michigan’s defense is a really tenacious bunch.
The matchup to really watch is Will Johnson vs. Rome Odunze. If Johnson plays physically with Odunze and doesn’t let him get what he has in the past, it could change the dynamic of the game. Washington has talented receivers, but Odunze is a Bilietnikoff Award finalist. Shutting him out would be outrageous. I fully expect them to try and cover him like they covered Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Ohio State game. You’ll recall he still went off, but Michigan threw coverages at the future NFL Draft pick that he said he hadn’t seen before.
As an Oregon fan, I will not be picking Washington under any circumstances. I won’t be rooting for them either. Go Blue.
Michigan 31, Washington 16
MVP: Blake Corum
— Chris Novak
