CFP Title Game: Michigan vs Washington

Who wins?


  • Total voters
    37
  • Poll closed .
That's the ironic part, I'm not a Buckeye fan. Harbaugh was fine as a player, at Stanford and San Fran and even early on at Michigan, but he's become very creepy. His interviews are awful, he talks and says nothing. Maybe he'll go into politics??
I think he is very calculated and knows exactly how to speak and what to say and not say. Very philosophical. And his Faith drives him as well. But the number 1 telling part: his coaches and players LOVE HIM! And would run through a wall for him and do anything for him. That is a culture that Jim Harbaugh has taught the athletes that he coaches. Go Blue!
 
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I think he is very calculated and knows exactly how to speak. Very philosophical. And his Faith drives him as well. But the number 1 telling part: his coaches and players LOVE HIM! And would run through a wall for him and do anything for him. That is a culture that Jim Harbaugh has taught the athletes that he coaches. Go Blue!
Boy you're drinking the kool aid and good for you. I mean all these guys are getting paid lots of money so yes, they are going to love him and run through a wall for him. So the 6 games he was suspended, just a misunderstanding? This just reeks of so many bad things. I mean you've had the Fab Five stuff decades ago, we knew what was going on and yet no one stopped it. At least it was illegal back then. Now I think with NIL and all that people just don't care about following rules or doing things the right way. And I'm not singling out Michigan, it's college sports in general. There's just so much crap going on.
 
Boy you're drinking the kool aid and good for you. I mean all these guys are getting paid lots of money so yes, they are going to love him and run through a wall for him. So the 6 games he was suspended, just a misunderstanding? This just reeks of so many bad things. I mean you've had the Fab Five stuff decades ago, we knew what was going on and yet no one stopped it. At least it was illegal back then. Now I think with NIL and all that people just don't care about following rules or doing things the right way. And I'm not singling out Michigan, it's college sports in general. There's just so much crap going on.
Michigan loses many recruits due to the fact that they will NOT pay big NIL money that other schools pay. Michigan is more about recruiting the 3-4 star players and DEVELOPING them. Unlike the suckeyes. They have no idea what it truly means to develop players. Michigan has a HUGE edge in that department. Harbaugh and his staff vs. Day and his staff in that department isn't even close. Also, In case you forgot: You had a coach burying his head in the sand regarding an on staff coach beating his wife. No comparison. Oh by the way, right now the kool aid tastes pretty good. How's your bowl of cotton tasting?
 
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I think he is very calculated and knows exactly how to speak. Very philosophical. And his Faith drives him as well. But the number 1 telling part: his coaches and players LOVE HIM! And would run through a wall for him and do anything for him. That is a culture that Jim Harbaugh has taught the athletes that he coaches. Go Blue!
Where was all that brotherly love and culture in hair balls 1st 5 years? TTUN owes some success likely to cheating (plus hairball got suspended for recruiting violations) and to Minter the DC. I believe this will be hairball's last game with TTUN as he ducks out of dodge to the NFL before NCAA comes crashing down on him and will be interesting to see what Minter does if he stays or hits the road as well. But enjoy the moment as it will most likely not last long.
 
Where was all that brotherly love and culture in hair balls 1st 5 years? TTUN owes some success likely to cheating (plus hairball got suspended for recruiting violations) and to Minter the DC. I believe this will be hairball's last game with TTUN as he ducks out of dodge to the NFL before NCAA comes crashing down on him and will be interesting to see what Minter does if he stays or hits the road as well. But enjoy the moment as it will most likely not last long.
First 5 years: did you see his 60+ year old men staff? He was wise enough to make changes within his program and hired younger, more engaging with this generation coaches. That also was more in tune with modern football. That is a smart and good coach. No pride their. Humility. We are enjoying the moments. It's great, to be, a Michigan Wolverine!
 
Bama puts it away if their QB doesn't fumble when he tried to shake and bake past the defenders on the drive before Michigan tied it. I don't think anybody touched him.
 
I think Michigan wins. I just don’t see anyway UW can stop the Michigan run game. Plus, UW losing their RB all but kills any chance they have of running the ball.

However, there is a scenario where Penix and his WRs take over the game, and the D steals a possession with a TO, but I think those odds are low.
 
That's the ironic part, I'm not a Buckeye fan. Harbaugh was fine as a player, at Stanford and San Fran and even early on at Michigan, but he's become very creepy. His interviews are awful, he talks and says nothing. Maybe he'll go into politics??
Harbaugh has always been weird.
 
This is exciting for the Big Ten to see them leapfrog the SEC. Who would have thought that the Big Ten champ would beat the SEC's best team and that the newcomer to the Big Ten would beat the newcomer to the SEC?
I must have missed Michigan beating Georgia.
 
Apparently, the reason Washington is in the championship game was that Ted Cruz was in the crowd rooting for Texas.

Social media users jumped online to poke fun at the politician, blaming Cruz's alleged "curse" for the Longhorns' defeat. According to internet lore, any time Cruz is in the crowd, his team loses, with people dubbing the senator a "jinx" online.

 
I made it clear that I was pretty confident Michigan was going to beat Bama. I really thought they matched up well. Football many times is about matchups. Bama and Michigan both prided themselves on physicality. And I was pretty sure Michigan would win that over 4 quarters like they usually do. But next up is Washington. A totally different animal.

I like:
Washington's defense is suspect. Michigan SHOULD be able to run on them, and keep Pennix on the sideline a lot.
Michigan WILL out physical this team, way more than they did Bama and osu.
Michigan will be able to run AND throw on them, especially after they establish the run, and punch them in the mouth a few times.
Michigan got the playoff monkey off their back. I thought they played tight vs. Bama. They felt the playoff past pressure. That is now gone.
Defense wins Championships! And Michigan has BY FAR the better defense.

Concerns:
Washington reminds me of TCU from last year. Especially that veteran QB presence. And solid passing attack. Can run the no huddle that typically gives Michigan fits.
Everyone thinks Washington has no chance. But no one gave TCU a chance.
TCU was ranked about 98 last year vs. the run. Well they played the run better than I expected. The difference is TCU had a month to prepare for Michigan. Washington only has a week.

So my early take:
The "playoff past" jitters hopefully are history. Hopefully they will play free and loose from the start, instead of tight and nervous.
Special teams were a mess vs. Bama. Normally solid. Should be ok.
Michigan should have learned a lot from that TCU game last year regarding what to do and what not to do against a high flying passing attack like Washington. Even Jesse Minter made some bad defensive calls in the TCU game that I know he would love to have back.
Michigan has had to deal with a high powered osu passing attack the last 2-3 years and done a decent job vs. it.
This has to be the boa constrictor Michigan team. Win the OL and DL trenches. That will allow JJ and Corum to go off. That also opens Roman Wilson, Colston Loveland, AJ Barner, Donovan Edwards, etc... to have a big game as well. If they win the trenches like they SHOULD, they win. If they don't, they lose.

Post and critique away. Agree or disagree wherever you feel the need.
 
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After two semifinal games that had drama but also a lot of sloppy play, this is what we’re left with. Discuss.
I don't know if I would phrase it; "this is who we are left with". It should be more like: "the only 2 undefeated teams, that have battled and earned the right to play for a National Championship".....
 
I don't know if I would phrase it; "this is who we are left with". It should be more like: "the only 2 undefeated teams, that have battled and earned the right to play for a National Championship".....
The only 2 undefeated teams who got a chance to do so. Definitely
 
I must have missed Michigan beating Georgia.
And....Alabama beat Georgia, not quite sure what your infatuation is with the Georgia argument. The commitee got it right.

#1 Michigan was consistently great all season and won their conference title on a neutral field decisively, and finished undefeated.
-Theyre in-

#2 Washington beat the most AP ranked schools, including winning a rematch on a neutral site field for the conference title, and finished undefeated. -Theyre in-

#3 Texas had one bad loss, but also had a road victory against Alabama, who also won the SEC. Texas also won their conference title game on a neutral site, decisively. -Theyre in-

#4 Alabama lost to the B12 Champ, but defeated the #1 team on a neutral site conference title game. -Theyre in-

#5 Florida State, undefeated, but the injuries to both their starting & back up QB, in addition to a sloppy conference championship win left them out.

#6 Georgia finished with 1 loss, and did not win their conference title game (I know isn't a requirement- see last year). Unfortunately for Georgia the B12 Champ beat the SEC Champ, and two other schools finished as undefeated conference champions without the apprehensiveness FSU had.

If their dominant Bowl Game performance is your litmus test for an argument for UGA being left out then it is flawed. FSU had 9 players opt out and 10 transfer (including backup QB), along with 6 injured. In total they had 6 offensive starters out and 8 defensive starters out. I dont care what kind of coach you are, trying to prepare for a game with anybody would be difficult. Not taking anything away from UGA's win, but they didnt play the same FSU team we saw all year- they played those players backups, and in the case of the QB, his backup's backup.

So what we're left with is a championship game between two undefeated schools, the way it should be.
 
I made it clear that I was pretty confident Michigan was going to beat Bama. I really thought they matched up well. Football many times is about matchups. Bama and Michigan both prided themselves on physicality. And I was pretty sure Michigan would win that over 4 quarters like they usually do. But next up is Washington. A totally different animal.

I like:
Washington's defense is suspect. Michigan SHOULD be able to run on them, and keep Pennix on the sideline a lot.
Michigan WILL out physical this team, way more than they did Bama and osu.
Michigan will be able to run AND throw on them, especially after they establish the run, and punch them in the mouth a few times.
Michigan got the playoff monkey off their back. I thought they played tight vs. Bama. They felt the playoff past pressure. That is now gone.
Defense wins Championships! And Michigan has BY FAR the better defense.

Concerns:
Washington reminds me of TCU from last year. Especially that veteran QB presence. And solid passing attack. Can run the no huddle that typically gives Michigan fits.
Everyone thinks Washington has no chance. But no one gave TCU a chance.
TCU was ranked about 98 last year vs. the run. Well they played the run better than I expected. The difference is TCU had a month to prepare for Michigan. Washington only has a week.

So my early take:
The "playoff past" jitters hopefully are history. Hopefully they will play free and loose from the start, instead of tight and nervous.
Special teams were a mess vs. Bama. Normally solid. Should be ok.
Michigan should have learned a lot from that TCU game last year regarding what to do and what not to do against a high flying passing attack like Washington. Even Jesse Minter made some bad defensive calls in the TCU game that I know he would love to have back.
Michigan has had to deal with a high powered osu passing attack the last 2-3 years and done a decent job vs. it.
This has to be the boa constrictor Michigan team. Win the OL and DL trenches. That will allow JJ and Corum to go off. That also opens Roman Wilson, Colston Loveland, AJ Barner, Donovan Edwards, etc... to have a big game as well. If they win the trenches like they SHOULD, they win. If they don't, they lose.

Post and critique away. Agree or disagree wherever you feel the need.
Great analysis. Kudos!
 
This is exciting for the Big Ten to see them leapfrog the SEC. Who would have thought that the Big Ten champ would beat the SEC's best team and that the newcomer to the Big Ten would beat the newcomer to the SEC?
???🤔
Missouri 14, Ohio State 3
Tennessee 35, Iowa 0 Iowa was in the big ten championship game
LSU 35, Wisconsin 31 - I was actually impressed with Wisconsin, they've found the forward pass up there. I think if Luke Fickel stays around up there, they may be pretty good.

Leap frog? Michigan beat a flawed Alabama team on a day they didn't play well in overtime.
Leap frog?? :ROFLMAO:
 
???🤔
Missouri 14, Ohio State 3
Tennessee 35, Iowa 0 Iowa was in the big ten championship game
LSU 35, Wisconsin 31 - I was actually impressed with Wisconsin, they've found the forward pass up there. I think if Luke Fickel stays around up there, they may be pretty good.

Leap frog? Michigan beat a flawed Alabama team on a day they didn't play well in overtime.
Leap frog?? :ROFLMAO:
Flawed?

What was your premise to your original post on Michigan-Alabama thread? No mention of flawed.

John Kerry likes you. You wear your flip-flops well
 
I made it clear that I was pretty confident Michigan was going to beat Bama. I really thought they matched up well. Football many times is about matchups. Bama and Michigan both prided themselves on physicality. And I was pretty sure Michigan would win that over 4 quarters like they usually do. But next up is Washington. A totally different animal.

I like:
Washington's defense is suspect. Michigan SHOULD be able to run on them, and keep Pennix on the sideline a lot.
Michigan WILL out physical this team, way more than they did Bama and osu.
Michigan will be able to run AND throw on them, especially after they establish the run, and punch them in the mouth a few times.
Michigan got the playoff monkey off their back. I thought they played tight vs. Bama. They felt the playoff past pressure. That is now gone.
Defense wins Championships! And Michigan has BY FAR the better defense.

Concerns:
Washington reminds me of TCU from last year. Especially that veteran QB presence. And solid passing attack. Can run the no huddle that typically gives Michigan fits.
Everyone thinks Washington has no chance. But no one gave TCU a chance.
TCU was ranked about 98 last year vs. the run. Well they played the run better than I expected. The difference is TCU had a month to prepare for Michigan. Washington only has a week.

So my early take:
The "playoff past" jitters hopefully are history. Hopefully they will play free and loose from the start, instead of tight and nervous.
Special teams were a mess vs. Bama. Normally solid. Should be ok.
Michigan should have learned a lot from that TCU game last year regarding what to do and what not to do against a high flying passing attack like Washington. Even Jesse Minter made some bad defensive calls in the TCU game that I know he would love to have back.
Michigan has had to deal with a high powered osu passing attack the last 2-3 years and done a decent job vs. it.
This has to be the boa constrictor Michigan team. Win the OL and DL trenches. That will allow JJ and Corum to go off. That also opens Roman Wilson, Colston Loveland, AJ Barner, Donovan Edwards, etc... to have a big game as well. If they win the trenches like they SHOULD, they win. If they don't, they lose.

Post and critique away. Agree or disagree wherever you feel the need.
I'm going to double down. I did underestimate Michigan's O and D lines, and while they are good, I don't think they are stellar in any sense. Washington has played good football all year and I think they'll be able to hold the line just fine. To me the difference is easy, Penix vs. McCarthy. McCarthy made a few plays Monday but he missed on alot more. He just isn't an real accurate thrower. Even the game tying drive, the big catch, that ball was tipped, could had easily been the game right there. Bama couldn't throw, and they couldn't keep Milroe safe. If Washington can keep Penix clean, he'll feast on the Michigan secondary. How many QB's like Penix has Michigan seen? Zero. Not even close. There is not a QB in the big ten who even is close to Penix and Milroe certainly isn't that kind of thrower either.
 
I'm going to double down. I did underestimate Michigan's O and D lines, and while they are good, I don't think they are stellar in any sense. Washington has played good football all year and I think they'll be able to hold the line just fine. To me the difference is easy, Penix vs. McCarthy. McCarthy made a few plays Monday but he missed on alot more. He just isn't an real accurate thrower. Even the game tying drive, the big catch, that ball was tipped, could had easily been the game right there. Bama couldn't throw, and they couldn't keep Milroe safe. If Washington can keep Penix clean, he'll feast on the Michigan secondary. How many QB's like Penix has Michigan seen? Zero. Not even close. There is not a QB in the big ten who even is close to Penix and Milroe certainly isn't that kind of thrower either.
I agree with your assessment about how many QB's like Pennix has Michigan seen this season. None. But Michigan has seen good ones from osu. They can and will draw from those games with osu and the TCU game last year. Minter is no dummy and Michigan has studs at all 3 levels on defense. Will they give up yards. Yes. Will they give up a lot of TD's, that will be the question. The other factor is the ability Michigan has to eat clock with their mauling style. Washington's defense is not the best. That defense will potentially be on the field a long time. And over 4 quarters will wilt like many that get hammered by Michigans physical 4 quarter style. That also keeps Pennix on the sideline. The more clock they eat up, the less possessions Pennix gets. Also, has Washington faced a mauling, grinding, physical football team like Michigan. No! Michigan WILL win the time of possession, and that will help them win the Natty.
 
I'm going to double down. I did underestimate Michigan's O and D lines, and while they are good, I don't think they are stellar in any sense. Washington has played good football all year and I think they'll be able to hold the line just fine. To me the difference is easy, Penix vs. McCarthy. McCarthy made a few plays Monday but he missed on alot more. He just isn't an real accurate thrower. Even the game tying drive, the big catch, that ball was tipped, could had easily been the game right there. Bama couldn't throw, and they couldn't keep Milroe safe. If Washington can keep Penix clean, he'll feast on the Michigan secondary. How many QB's like Penix has Michigan seen? Zero. Not even close. There is not a QB in the big ten who even is close to Penix and Milroe certainly isn't that kind of thrower either.
Regardless, either the PAC or the BIG will have had a better bowl / playoff season than the SEC.
 
Missouri 14, Ohio State 3
Ohio State with a Freshman QB who was playing high school basketball this time last year. You can't honestly say Ohio State and Florida State were the same teams they were during the season.
Tennessee 35, Iowa 0 Iowa was in the big ten championship game
Iowa, the same team they were all season. The champion of the Big 10 West and the same no offense all season long. Big surprise here!
LSU 35, Wisconsin 31 - I was actually impressed with Wisconsin, they've found the forward pass up there. I think if Luke Fickel stays around up there, they may be pretty good.
I agree.
Leap frog? Michigan beat a flawed Alabama team on a day they didn't play well in overtime.
Would either team that wins the Natty Monday be able to beat any National Champion team since the four game playoffs started. I don't think so. This is a down year for college football. Parity. That is a good thing.
 
I think Michigan wins. I just don’t see anyway UW can stop the Michigan run game. Plus, UW losing their RB all but kills any chance they have of running the ball.

I think this is a very smart point ..... 2 RB able to get it done - Corum of course, and that other Dude that ran wild on the Bucks last year !!!

Wash - allowed the Texas RB's 6.42 yds per attempt, that is wild !
 
I think this is a very smart point ..... 2 RB able to get it done - Corum of course, and that other Dude that ran wild on the Bucks last year !!!

Wash - allowed the Texas RB's 6.42 yds per attempt, that is wild !
His name: Donovan Edwards. Yes, Michigan will run on Washington and keep Pennix on the bench more than he's used to. That will cut down the amount of possessions Washington/Pennix will get. Bring out the world famous "boa constrictor". Washington is a perfect fit for it. Go Blue!
 
His name: Donovan Edwards. Yes, Michigan will run on Washington and keep Pennix on the bench more than he's used to. That will cut down the amount of possessions Washington/Pennix will get. Bring out the world famous "boa constrictor". Washington is a perfect fit for it. Go Blue!

10 to 1 ...... He starts Bitching at players - and with these insanely Long Commercial breaks, we'll see if he can keep his mouth shut !
 
His name: Donovan Edwards. Yes, Michigan will run on Washington and keep Pennix on the bench more than he's used to. That will cut down the amount of possessions Washington/Pennix will get. Bring out the world famous "boa constrictor". Washington is a perfect fit for it. Go Blue!
I think this is the key to the game … if Michigan can control the game with their running game, they win … but if Washington brings an extra man up into the box (something they didn’t/could do because of Texas’ passing game) and shuts down Michigan’s run game without getting hurt in the pass game, then Washington wins.
 
I think this is a very smart point ..... 2 RB able to get it done - Corum of course, and that other Dude that ran wild on the Bucks last year !!!

Wash - allowed the Texas RB's 6.42 yds per attempt, that is wild !
The thing with HCs that also call plays, they tend to outsmart themselves. It’s not sexy running Power, Duo, Inside Zone, Outside Zone, etc. They feel the need to show how smart they are and designing route concepts and throwing in trick plays instead of sticking with what works.
 
The thing with HCs that also call plays, they tend to outsmart themselves. It’s not sexy running Power, Duo, Inside Zone, Outside Zone, etc. They feel the need to show how smart they are and designing route concepts and throwing in trick plays instead of sticking with what works.
Yes, Harbaugh/Moore with the sometimes unnecessary trick plays.

If they don't have to, don't!
 
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