Staff Picks: The National Championship

We've reached the end of the 2023 College Football season. Just one game left to play. Perry McCarty has wrapped up our 2023-2024 bowl confidence pick em. Perry is the only staff member that believed that Michigan could get over the playoff hump and make the title game. He has the Wolverines winning their first title since 1997. The Washington Huskies will be looking for their first championship since 1991. This year will mark only the second occurrence of a championship game being played without an SEC team in the 10-year history of the four team playoff. Ohio State defeated Oregon in the inaugural 2014 playoff. Our thoughts on tonight's game below.

This game will feature a true contrast of styles. Michigan wants to pound teams in submission with a punishing run game. Washington is a high-octane scoring machine with some of the best weapons at wide out in the country. It's a true PAC 12 vs B1G matchup, oh wait, B1G vs. B1G matchup. These two teams met in the 2021 opener with Michigan winning 31-10 in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines hold an 8-5 advantage in the all-time series between these two feature conference rivals. Washington defeated Michigan in the 1992 Rose Bowl to claim a co-national championship with Miami.

Washington has the best offense that Michigan has seen all year playing in the B1G. The skill positions favor Washington and its dynamic wide receivers, Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk, who have lit up secondaries all season. Michigan is going to need to pressure UW QB Michael Penix, Jr., the way it did Jalen Milroe. Washington's featured running back is a name that might be familiar to Gamecock fans as Shane Beamer and company recruited him in last season's portal cycle. Dillon Johnson, the Miss State transfer, gives Washington a balanced attack as he rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns.

If Washington is vulnerable anywhere it's their rushing defense. They allow 4.4 yards per carry. That's not going to be good enough to stop Blake Corum and the sledgehammer Wolverine ground attack. I'd expect Washington to sell out to stop the run and make QB J.J. McCarthy beat them. McCarthy is just good enough to do that just that. In the end, I think Michigan is the more complete team and turn this into a slugfest which is right up their alley.

Thanks to all of you who followed along this season!