The College Football Playoff Championship game is set and the nation’s two best teams face off in Houston, Texas tonight. This marks just the fourth time in the nine-year history of the CFP that the top two-seeds have faced off in the CFP Championship game.

Harbaugh and Michigan have a point to prove

University of Michigan as the top seed is making it past the semifinals for the first time in school history.

Coach Harbaugh and co. faced distractions all year but didn’t let it slow them down during their undefeated season. The Wolverines were the epitome of balance, with a top 15 scoring offense (averaging 36 points per game) and the number one scoring defense, granting opponents only 10.2 points per game.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been in the playoffs before and wants to finish his year with a winning performance. The Junior quarterback completed 73 percent of his passes, with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions this season.

He was helped with a great supporting cast, mainly running back Blake Corum who came back for his senior year to get exactly where they are now. Corum led the team with 1,111 yards rushing and an NCAA-best 26 touchdowns from scrimmage.

Michigan will know the lean on their defense and expect them to make big plays against Washington. But winning this game will come down to how well the offense of McCarthy and Corum can perform.

Huskies seeking historic win

The Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and PAC-12 champions in the Conference’s final year of existence.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. transferred from Indiana and is the main reason for the Huskies’ resurgence and place in the Championship. He finished as the Heisman runner-up after throwing for 4,648 yards and 35 touchdowns: good for the most passing yards in NCAA. The Maxwell Award winner played a flawless semi-final game, scoring 37 points against the University of Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

He was the clear offensive player of the game, but Washington wasn’t all one sided. Their defense came up big in key moments, led by superstar linebacker Bralen Trice. He harassed the Longhorns all game and finished as defensive player of the game with five tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. He was unstoppable.

The Huskies will not be intimidated by the competition and know they belong in this game. If Trice can repeat his performance, and Penix builds off his offensive showcase, Washington will be the first PAC-12 (for now) team to win the CFP Championship.

As a fun reminder, these two teams are now Conference rivals in the Big-Ten and play each other early in the 2024 season. Buckle up and enjoy this showdown and years to come of intense Big-Ten match ups.