Michigan wins the CFP National Championship game by defeating Washington 34–13.

The College Football Playoff National Championship game took place Monday night at NRG Stadium in Houston. The top-seeded Michigan Wolverines defeated the second-seeded Washington Huskies 34–13 thanks to a punishing rushing attack.

It is the 10th NCAA football championship for the most successful program in college football history and Michigan’s first national championship since 1997.

Inflicting Washington’s first loss of the year, Michigan (15-0), which earlier this season became the first college football program to reach 1,000 all-time wins, ran for 303 yards and four touchdowns as a unit.

While Michigan claims twelve football championships, the NCAA gives Michigan credit for ten. The NCAA does not recognize the championships Michigan claims from 1932 and 1947.

“Everything went perfectly. Following the game, Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters, “It went exactly how we wanted it to go—to win every game.”

Donovan Edwards, the running back for the Wolverines, opened the scoring early in the game with a 41-yard rushing touchdown on the opening drive of Michigan’s matchup with the final two unbeaten teams in the country. Edwards scored a touchdown run of 46 yards to put Michigan ahead 14-3 in the first quarter, and he added another touchdown to the Wolverines’ score on their next offensive drive.

Only Alabama’s Derrick Henry’s 50-yard touchdown pass in 2016 is longer than Edwards’ two touchdown runs, which rank second and third in the history of the CFP championship game.

For the most of the first half, Washington was unable to muster much offensive momentum. However, with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter, Huskies quarterback and Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr. tied the score at 17-10 with a 3-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal to Jalen McMillan.

Both teams traded field goals early in the third quarter before forcing punts on six straight drives as their defenses tightened in the second half.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, Blake Corum added a 12-yard run for insurance, giving Michigan a 27-13 lead.

The Michigan defense produced what was arguably the play of the game when Mike Sainristil intercepted a Penix Jr. pass and returned it 81 yards for a touchdown, giving Washington a chance to tie the score.

To lead the Wolverine’s ground game, Corum finished with 134 rushing yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns, while Edwards added 104 rushing yards on six carries and two touchdowns.

Michigan’s national title brings an end to a contentious off-field season for the Wolverines.

“We were aware of our innocence”
Due to NCAA recruiting violations, head football coach Jim Harbaugh of Michigan’s athletic department voluntarily served a three-game suspension. In that scenario, the NCAA, which is currently conducting an investigation into the situation, might decide to impose additional sanctions.

In October, the NCAA launched a second probe into the Wolverines over accusations of sign-stealing. This led to the firing of linebackers coach Chris Partidge and the suspension and resignation of Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions.

Although Harbaugh has taken a three-game suspension, bringing his total number of games away from the Michigan sideline to six, he has denied knowing of any plot to steal the signs of other teams.

The NCAA is still looking into Michigan in both cases.

After the game, Harbaugh told reporters, “The off-field issues, we are innocent and we stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent.”

“Let me just make it clear: these guys are innocent. We knew we were innocent, so it was not that difficult for us to overcome that.”

The focus then shifted to Harbaugh’s future and the prospect of him leading an NFL team to the Super Bowl in the future.

“I want to savor this moment.” When asked about his future goals, he said, “I hope you give me that.” Can a man possess that? Is it always about what is coming up next, what is in store for us?

“Yes, I do hope to have a future, as I mentioned the other day. I am hoping for tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, the following week, the following month, and the next year.”

“I will not point fingers.”
As for Washington, the Huskies will play their final game in the Pac-12 Conference before moving on to the Big Ten in the upcoming season.

In the championship game, Penix, a Heisman Trophy finalist who led the country in passing, completed 27 out of 51 pass attempts, but he also had two interceptions.

Having played for Indiana for his first four years of college football and having two knees surgically repaired, Penix had an incredible final season as a student-athlete. Now, he is a projected first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

After Patrick Mahomes accomplished the feat at Texas Tech in 2015 and 2016, he became the first college quarterback to throw for 4,500 yards in back-to-back seasons, according to ESPN.

It is awful. We were a strong squad. After the loss, Penix told reporters, “They did some good things.”

“On the offensive end of the ball, I think we just missed a lot of opportunities where we could have done the most to support our team and put us in a better position to win.

“We will not point fingers or do anything of the sort; we have been through a lot together. In the locker room, there is a lot of love.”