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No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington have taken different paths to the College Football Playoff National Championship, even though they share a 14-0 record and the privilege of standing as the final two undefeated teams in the sport.
The Wolverines began the year as one of the top teams in the country and have delivered on those preseason expectations with a third straight Big Ten title and CFP appearance. Star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies, meanwhile, have been overlooked in nearly every high-profile spot this season only to prove doubters wrong amid what’s now a 21-game winning streak that dates back to the 2022 season.
Michigan boasts the best scoring margin in the country, defeating opponents by an average of 25.8 points per game, while Washington has won 10 consecutive games by 10 points or less. The Wolverines were a slight favorite in their CFP semifinal win over No. 4 Alabama and got the job done in overtime, while the Huskies, for the third time this season, won outright as the betting underdog over No. 3 Texas.
It’s in those semifinal wins that we find a few commonalities between these title game participants and possibly a key to Monday night’s showdown in Houston. Because while Michigan and Washington share thrilling victoties, both teams probably could have (or should have) had the game wrapped up before the final play and cut the need for defensive heroics to keep their championship hopes alive.
You could argue that Washington’s penchant for drama is simply part of the team’s DNA, but inside that locker room after the win, there was the understanding on both sides of the ball that the game maybe should not have been so close. Offensively, there were three second-half drives that ended in field goals…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/michigan-vs-washington-margin-of-error-thins-in-cfp-national-championship-after-close-calls-in-semifinals/
Author : Chip Patterson
Publish date : 2024-01-05 15:56:25
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