The Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies will play in the College Football Playoff National Championship for the 2023 season.
Michigan (14-0) and Washington (14-0) will square off at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Monday, January 8, 2024 and the game will be televised by ESPN at 7:30pm ET. Tickets for the game are currently around $1,500 plus fees.
Michigan, the top-ranked team in the College Football Playoff, topped the fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide 27-20 in overtime in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. Wolverine running back Blake Corum scored a touchdown from 18-yards out in the extra period before the defense stopped the Crimson Tide to secure the victory.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 17-of-27 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Those three touchdowns were split among Corum and wide receivers Roman Wilson and Tyler Morris.
On the ground, Alabama’s Jase McClellan led all rushers with 87 yards on 14 carries, while Michigan’s Corum was just behind with 83 yards on 19 carries.
Michigan will be making its first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship appearance. The Wolverines played in the semifinals in each of the last two seasons, but fell to Georgia in 2021 and TCU in 2022.
Washington, ranked second in the College Football Playoff, survived a late rally to defeat the third-ranked Texas Longhorns 37-31 in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. Tied at 21 at the half, the Huskies scored the next 13 points and later added a field goal and held off the Longhorns for the victory.
Huskies quarterback Michael Pennix Jr. was elite in the contest, connecting on 29-of-38 passes for 430 yards and two touchdown passes and also rushing for 31 yards. Running back Dillon Johnson rushed 21 times for 49 yards and two touchdowns to lead Washington on the ground.
Wide receivers Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk led Washington with 125 yards and 122 yards through the air, respectively.
Washington will also be making its first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship appearance. The Huskies are now 1-1 in the semifinals, which includes a loss to Alabama in 2016.
In 13 previous matchups on the gridiron, Michigan is 8-5 against Washington. In their most recent matchup in 2021 in Ann Arbor, Mich., the Wolverines defeated the Huskies 31-10.
According to BetOnline.ag, Michigan has opened as a five point favorite over Washington.
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