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By Lauren Merola, Max Olson, Austin Meek, Jim Trotter and Nicole Auerbach
It’s been 26 years, however lastly, nobody has it higher than Michigan.
The Wolverines rushed for 303 yards and held flame-throwing Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in examine to emerge because the Faculty Soccer Playoff nationwide champion with a 34-13 defeat of the Huskies on Monday evening at NRG Stadium in Houston. The win marked Michigan’s first nationwide title since 1997 and the completion of a long-anticipated return to the highest of school soccer beneath head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The Wolverines, who entered the evening ranked second within the FBS in passing yards allowed per recreation, held the Heisman Trophy runner-up Penix to 255 yards, one landing and two interceptions on 27-of-51 passing, effectively under the standard output from the nation’s passing yards chief (4,648). Washington’s explosive offense completed with simply 301 whole yards, as accidents to Penix and operating again Dillon Johnson restricted the Huskies’ effectiveness.
Michigan operating again Blake Corum completed with 134 dashing yards and two touchdowns to set the varsity’s single-season landing report (28), padding the margin after backfield mate Donovan Edwards scored the primary two touchdowns of the sport, practically doubling his personal season whole in a single quarter. By the point Michigan held a 14-3 benefit with 2:23 to go within the first quarter, it had 115 dashing yards. Washington had allowed solely two rush performs of 40-plus yards all season earlier than Monday, when it let up three such rushes within the first half, together with Edwards’ two touchdowns.
41 YARDS TO THE HOUSE 🏠
Michigan’s Donovan Edwards strikes first within the #NationalChampionship
🎥 @espn pic.twitter.com/SCuRDbtWRV
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 9, 2024
Washington appeared to regain some momentum by reducing its deficit to 17-10 earlier than halftime, however Penix threw an interception to Michigan defensive again Will Johnson on the primary play of the third quarter, then hobbled to the sideline after a lineman stepped on his ankle through the play. The Huskies protection got here up huge, with the assistance of two Michigan penalties, to give up solely a subject objective and maintain the sport inside attain. Down 27-13 with lower than 5 minutes to play, Penix tried to string a move to extensive receiver Jalen McMillan on fourth down however was picked off by Michigan defensive again Mike Sainristil, who ran it again 80 yards earlier than Corum punched within the last rating of the evening.
“I simply really feel prefer it got here right down to executing,” Penix mentioned. “I missed a few throws, simply a few reads on routes and stuff like that. Simply small particulars inside our system that we do nice on a regular basis.”
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After the sport, Penix had noticeable hassle strolling off the sphere however mentioned that “it doesn’t matter what, I used to be going to ensure I completed it for the fellows.”
“I’m not wholesome, however I’ll be there. I’m good. It’s nothing main. I do know that for certain,” he mentioned. “I talked with the docs and stuff like that. It’s nothing main. If I needed to play tomorrow, I’ll play.”
He added: “I’m simply tremendous pleased with this staff and the way far we’ve come, at all times being the underdog. That is the one time you all had been proper, however we had been capable of combat and push by way of a lot adversity and simply folks doubting us and never believing us all through the season. To get up to now, it’s a blessing.”
What the title means for Michigan
Michigan lastly broke by way of and introduced residence a nationwide championship in a yr that at occasions felt extra like a wild season of actuality TV. This staff had the appropriate stuff to complete the job after consecutive CFP semifinal losses in 2021 and 2022, gained its third consecutive Massive Ten title due to gritty wins over Penn State and Ohio State, saved preventing for an time beyond regulation triumph towards Alabama within the Rose Bowl and, in its greatest check but, shut down Washington and its prolific offense. This was a particular staff on a path to future.
And that path was plagued by drama, from Harbaugh serving a three-game suspension to begin the season to the in-season investigation into Connor Stalions’ impermissible signal-stealing operation to a different three-game Harbaugh suspension served up as his staff landed in State Faculty, Pa. By all of it, irrespective of who was teaching or who they had been enjoying, these Wolverines had been undeterred. They’d the No. 1 protection in school soccer, skilled leaders who refused to lose and the poise to play their greatest of their greatest video games. — Max Olson, school soccer senior author
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Edwards shines when the highlight is brightest
Edwards has a status for displaying up in huge moments. He wasn’t a lot of an element for a lot of this season, averaging simply 3.5 yards per carry in a restricted function. However within the nationwide championship recreation, big-game Edwards reappeared in beautiful vogue.
Edwards opened the sport with a 41-yard landing burst and scored once more on Michigan’s subsequent drive with a 46-yard run. Edwards laid the groundwork for Michigan’s victory, and Corum completed it, plunging into the tip zone from 12 yards out to present the Wolverines a two-touchdown lead.
The 2-headed dashing assault Michigan envisioned with Corum and Edwards didn’t materialize for a lot of the season, nevertheless it confirmed up within the greatest recreation of the yr. Each gamers topped 100 yards on the bottom, with Edwards dashing for 104 and Corum dashing for 134. When the Wolverines run the ball that method, no one can cease them. — Austin Meek, Michigan beat author
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What occurred to Penix?
Statistically, it was not the worst efficiency of Penix’s good season. However contemplating the stakes, it felt prefer it.
One week after placing on a blinding efficiency in a Faculty Soccer Playoff win over Texas, Penix was overwhelmed and overwhelmed down. The pinpoint accuracy and explosive performs that wowed observers towards the Longhorns had been nowhere to be discovered Monday evening.
He appeared in bodily ache by the tip, although the lack of an ideal season probably damage extra. There have been alternatives for large performs, however Penix was uncharacteristically off on a number of alternatives. And when he was heading in the right direction, he was damage by dropped passes. — Jim Trotter, senior author
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Credit score Washington’s protection
It seemed early like Michigan was going to run away with the sport — actually, after two Edwards landing runs of greater than 40 yards. However credit score Washington’s protection for its resilience and toughness for permitting the Huskies to hold round on this recreation, even with Penix not practically as crisp as he was per week in the past within the Sugar Bowl.
After all of the fireworks within the recreation’s first 17 minutes, Michigan went punt, turnover on downs, punt, subject objective, punt, punt, punt; the longest drive the Wolverines put collectively solely went 41 yards … till that landing drive on the midpoint of the fourth quarter that resulted in a Corum landing and put Michigan up by two scores. — Nicole Auerbach, school soccer senior author
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A Pac-12 swan music
Monday evening’s recreation was such a bittersweet second for the Pac-12 convention. The Huskies lastly broke by way of to achieve the CFP and snap a seven-year drought for the convention, then win an exhilarating semifinal to achieve a nationwide championship recreation … and it’s the final recreation for the Pac-12 as we’ve at all times recognized it, with 10 of its 12 groups set to depart for different energy conferences subsequent season. This Washington staff has been a blast to look at all season, as was your complete Pac-12, with surging groups like Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona and the nationwide phenomenon that was Colorado. It’s a tricky capsule to swallow as a result of it seems like if the Pac-12 had the season it did this fall a yr or two in the past, its demise would have by no means occurred. Alas.
However the Massive Ten is worked up it can boast each title recreation individuals as league members come August. A nationwide championship recreation rematch can be a Massive Ten convention recreation, on Oct. 5. — Auerbach
Required studying
(Picture: Maddie Meyer / Getty Photos)
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