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A14 SPORTS
Monday 8 January 2024
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington for CFP title caps season of

realignment

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer
HOUSTON (AP) — Michigan
vs. Washington is just about
the perfect way to end the
2023 college football sea-
son, a matchup of unbeat-
ens that hits all the major
themes and storylines of
the past five months from
conference realignment to
the transfer portal — with
Jim Harbaugh as the main
character.
Harbaugh’s top-ranked
Wolverines (14-0) face Mi-
chael Penix Jr. and the sec-
ond-ranked Huskies (14-0)
on Monday night at NRG
Stadium in the last national
title game before the Col-
lege Football Playoff ex-
pands from four teams to
12.
“We’re going to have to
play really good. And I
think our team is ready,”
Harbaugh said Sunday dur- Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, left, and Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh pose with the trophy after a news conference
ing a news conference with ahead of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game between Washington and Michigan Sunday, Jan. 7,
Washington coach Kalen 2024, in Houston. Associated Press
DeBoer in which he com-
pared his team to a pack Being doubted only gal- it,” Penix said. or Clemson winning eight ence game.
of wolves and — yet again vanized a team loaded Penix decided to run it straight titles, the top tier of Whether Harbaugh will still
— ducked questions about with experience that came back for 2023 in Decem- contenders grew — but too be the Michigan coach by
his future. “Still the hay is not into the season unafraid to ber 2022 and a bunch of soon for the CFP to accom- then remains to be seen.
in the barn. It never is for us. point to winning Michigan’s talented teammates fol- modate all the deserving The presumption and spec-
Still polishing. Still working. first national championship lowed, such as All-America teams. ulation has been that for
But super excited, super ex- since 1997 as the goal. receiver Rome Odunze, The four-team playoff will the third straight year, he
cited to watch our players “A lot of guys came back and defensive end Bralen go out like it came in, with a will draw interest from NFL
go out there and compete just for this moment,” said Trice and offensive tackle Big Ten vs. Pac-12 champi- teams. Harbaugh spent
tomorrow night.” linebacker Michael Barrett, Troy Fautanu, both third- onship as Washington plays four years with the San Fran-
Michigan’s regular season one of nine Michigan start- team All-Americans. the final Pac-12 football cisco 49ers, leading them
started and ended with ers in their fifth or sixth years. “He kind of led the charge. game for the conference to a Super Bowl against his
Harbaugh serving three- Washington is built similarly And a lot of guys chose to as it is currently structured. brother John’s Baltimore
game suspensions related and led by the type of star go down the same road,” During the three weeks Ravens, before returning to
to NCAA infractions cas- who typifies college foot- DeBoer said Sunday. “I leading into the 2023 sea- his alma mater in 2015.
es. The latter was handed ball’s new era of player think they just really firmly son, the Pac-12 was plun- It took a while, but the
down by the Big Ten in No- empowerment. believe that there was dered by its Power Five 60-year-old Harbaugh has
vember as punishment for Penix is a Florida native more left out there for this competitors. Ironically, the delivered on the high ex-
an in-person scouting and who started his career at football team.” conference then went on pectations he brought to
sign-stealing scheme the Indiana — he already has a It helps these days that to have its most entertain- Ann Arbor. And despite the
conference determined win against Michigan on his college players can make ing and competitive sea- tumult off the field, Michi-
broke its sportsmanship pol- resume — but transferred some extra money off their son in years, with the Hus- gan would like to keep him
icy. to Washington to play for fame and be compensat- kies snapping a six-year around.
The scandal dominated DeBoer in 2022. ed for name, image and Pac-12 playoff drought. The uncertainty about
headlines just as Michigan Finally healthy after four in- likeness. NIL collectives for The Huskies will try to win Harbaugh, especially with
was entering the meat of jury-ravaged seasons in the both schools concentrated the Pac-12’s first national even more NCAA-related
its Big Ten schedule. The Big Ten, Penix has become efforts on retaining their es- title in football since South- penalties possibly looming
accusations against Har- a star in the Pacific North- tablished players. ern California in 2004, a for him and Michigan, has
baugh’s program led many west. The runner-up for the The combination of NIL parting gift of sorts for the given this Wolverines’ sea-
to question the legitimacy Heisman Trophy had some money and loosening league it helped found in son a last-dance vibe.
of the Wolverines’ renais- voters questioning their transfer rules seemed to 1915. Washington’s last na- “Everything is right here in
sance over the past three decision last week when tip the balance of power tional championship came front of us, coming down
seasons. This is Michigan’s he threw for 430 yards in a in college football this sea- in 1991. the straightaway, like a
third straight playoff ap- Sugar Bowl victory against son. After years of the same The Huskies will join the thoroughbred,” Harbaugh
pearance, but first time Texas. small group of teams lock- new coast-to-coast Big Ten said. “You can see the fin-
advancing after beating “Man, it’s a dream come ing down the majority of this summer, and in nine ish line. Got the blinders on.
Alabama in overtime in the true. To be honest, I’m still playoff spots, and South- months will welcome Michi- Each guy, I’m just going to
Rose Bowl. wrapping my head around eastern Conference teams gan to Seattle for a confer- the whip.”q