By David Ablauf and Chad Shepard
HOUSTON, Texas — The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan football team captured the program’s 12th national championship and first since 1997 with a gritty 34-13 victory in the CFP National Championship Game on Monday night (Jan. 8) at NRG Stadium.
The Wolverines ran their way to the title, rumbling for a CFP title-game high 303 ground yards — with 174 coming in the first quarter alone. Running backs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards led the charge, posting 134 and 104 rushing yards, respectively, making Michigan the first team in CFP title game history to have two rushers of over 100 yards. The two also combined for four rushing touchdowns (two each), the entirety of U-M’s trips to the end zone.
Corum was named the Offensive Player of the game, while defensive back Will Johnson was named Defensive Player of the Game.
After setting the pace early with an explosive ground game, the Michigan defense secured the ultimate title, holding the Huskies scoreless after the 8:58 mark in the third quarter. Defensive back Mike Sainristil sealed the victory with an interception returned 81 yards with just 3:53 remaining in the game. Sainristil played a key role, also leading the team in tackles (eight) and tackles for loss (one).
Along with allowing just 13 points, the Maize and Blue held Washington to just 46 rushing yards and conversions on only two of 14 third downs.
The Wolverines came out of the gates running, putting the ball in the hands of their running backs on six of eight plays during the game’s first drive. Edwards bounced off a defender on his first carry, rerouted, and gained speed along the Washington sideline for a 41-yard touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Huskies responded with a long drive of their own, taking 13 plays to get down to the U-M eight-yard line before being held by U-M’s second-ranked red zone defense to a 25-yard field goal that snuck inside of the right goalpost.
The early offensive onslaught continued, with Michigan taking just four plays to find the end zone on its second drive. Two plays after quarterback J.J. McCarthy threaded a 37-yard pass to wide receiver Roman Wilson on a corner route, Edwards added a second rushing touchdown (46 yards) to mark the first time a player has posted two touchdown runs of 40-plus yards in College Football Playoff National Championship Game history.
On the first play of the next offensive series, Corum closed the first quarter with a run up the middle and bounced outside for a 59-yard gain. Despite the play setting up the Wolverines at the U-W 20-yard line, Michigan was stopped and settled for a 31-yard James Turner field goal to extend its advantage to 17-3.
The first half closed with a score of 17-10, as the Huskies put together an 11-play, 61-yard scoring drive following a U-M turnover on downs. The touchdown, a three-yard pass, brought the Huskies within a score despite being outgained by 130 total yards (177 on the ground) heading to the break.
On the first play of the second half, Johnson came up with his fourth interception of the season to shift the game’s momentum back in the direction of U-M. The key turnover allowed Turner to convert his second field goal (38 yards), widening the U-M lead to 20-10. Washington, however, added a field goal of its own (45 yards) on the game’s next drive to claw back to within a score.
Over the course of the next quarter, a field-position battle took hold, with the teams trading six punts. The offensive lull was broken with a 41-yard pass completion over the middle between McCarthy and tight end Colston Loveland — who finished the night as Michigan’s leading receiver with 64 yards. This play set up a 12-yard Corum rushing score with 7:09 remaining in the contest, extending the Michigan lead to 27-13.
Michigan’s national championship came to fruition in the last four minutes, as Sainristil’s interception — his sixth of the season — set up a seven-yard Corum rushing score with 3:37 remaining in the contest.
Following one final defensive stand, the Wolverines lined up in victory formation, marking the moment the 2023-24 Michigan Wolverines took home the national championship.
