By Lauren Merola, Max Olson, Austin Meek, Jim Trotter and Nicole Auerbach
It’s been 26 years, however lastly, nobody has it higher than Michigan.
The Wolverines rushed for 303 yards and held flame-throwing Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in test to emerge because the School Soccer Playoff nationwide champion with a 34-13 defeat of the Huskies on Monday evening at NRG Stadium in Houston. The win marked Michigan’s first nationwide title since 1997 and the completion of a long-anticipated return to the highest of school soccer below head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The Wolverines, who entered the evening ranked second within the FBS in passing yards allowed per sport, held the Heisman Trophy runner-up Penix to 255 yards, one landing and two interceptions on 27-of-51 passing, an enormous divergence from the same old efficiency of the nation’s passing yards chief (4,648). Washington’s explosive offense completed with simply 301 complete yards, as accidents to Penix and operating again Dillon Johnson restricted the Huskies’ effectiveness.
Corum completed with 134 dashing yards and two touchdowns, padding the margin after his backfield mate Donovan Edwards scored the primary two touchdowns of the sport, practically doubling his season complete in a single quarter. By the point Michigan held a 14-3 benefit with 2:23 to go within the first quarter, it had 115 dashing yards. Washington had allowed solely two rush performs of 40-plus yards all season earlier than Monday, when it let up three such rushes within the first half, together with Edwards’ two touchdowns.
41 YARDS TO THE HOUSE
Michigan’s Donovan Edwards strikes first within the #NationalChampionship
@espn pic.twitter.com/SCuRDbtWRV
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) January 9, 2024
Washington appeared to regain some momentum by slicing the result in 17-10 earlier than halftime, however Penix threw an interception to Michigan defensive again Will Johnson on the primary play of the third quarter, then hobbled to the sideline after a lineman stepped on his ankle through the play. The Huskies protection got here up large, with the assistance of two Michigan penalties, to solely give up a subject aim and preserve the sport inside attain. Down 27-13 with lower than 5 minutes to play, Penix tried to string a move to vast receiver Jalen McMillan on fourth down however was picked off by Michigan defensive again Mike Sainristil, who ran it again 80 yards earlier than Corum punched within the remaining rating of the evening.
“I simply really feel prefer it got here all the way down to executing,” Penix stated postgame. “I missed a few throws, simply a few reads on routes and stuff like that. Simply small particulars inside our system that we do nice on a regular basis.”
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After the sport, Penix had noticeable hassle strolling off the sphere however stated that “it doesn’t matter what, I used to be going to verify I completed it for the fellows.”
“I’m not wholesome, however I’ll be there. I’m good. It’s nothing main. I do know that for positive,” he stated. “I talked with the medical doctors and stuff like that. It’s nothing main. If I needed to play tomorrow, I’ll play.”
“I’m simply tremendous happy with this staff and the way far we’ve come, all the time being the underdog,” Penix stated. “That is the one time you all have been proper, however we have been capable of battle and push via a lot adversity and simply individuals doubting us and never believing us all through the season. To get so far, it’s a blessing.”
What the title means for Michigan
Michigan lastly broke via and introduced residence a nationwide championship in a yr that at occasions felt extra like a wild season of actuality TV. This staff had the fitting stuff to complete the job after consecutive CFP semifinal losses in 2022 and 2023, received its third consecutive Large Ten title due to gritty wins over Penn State and Ohio State, saved combating for an extra time triumph towards Alabama within the Rose Bowl and, in its greatest take a look at but, shut down Washington and its prolific offense. This was a particular staff on a path to future.
And that path was affected by drama, from Harbaugh serving a three-game suspension to begin the season to the in-season investigation into Connor Stalions’ impermissible sign stealing operation to a different three-game Harbaugh suspension served up as his staff landed in State School, Pa. By all of it, irrespective of who was teaching or who they have been enjoying, these Wolverines have been undeterred. That they had the No. 1 protection in school soccer, skilled leaders who refused to lose and the poise to play their finest of their greatest video games. — Max Olson, school soccer senior author
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Edwards shines when the highlight is brightest
Edwards has a popularity for exhibiting up in large moments. He wasn’t a lot of an element for a lot of this season, averaging simply 3.5 yards per carry in a restricted position. However within the nationwide championship sport, big-game Edwards reappeared in beautiful style.
Edwards opened the sport with a 41-yard landing burst and scored once more on Michigan’s subsequent drive with a 46-yard run. Edwards laid the groundwork for Michigan’s victory and Corum completed it, plunging into the top zone from 12 yards out to offer the Wolverines a two-touchdown lead.
The 2-headed dashing assault Michigan envisioned with Corum and Edwards didn’t materialize for a lot of the season, however it confirmed up within the greatest sport of the yr. Each gamers topped 100 yards on the bottom, with Edwards dashing for 104 and Corum dashing for 134. When the Wolverines run the ball that manner, no one can cease them. — Austin Meek, Michigan beat author
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What occurred to Penix?
Statistically, it was not the worst efficiency of Penix’s good season. However contemplating the stakes, it felt prefer it.
One week after placing on a stunning efficiency in a School Soccer Playoff win over Texas, Penix was crushed and crushed down, with he and his Washington teammates falling to Michigan within the nationwide title sport. The pinpoint accuracy and explosive performs that wowed observers towards the Longhorns have been nowhere to be discovered Monday evening.
He appeared in bodily ache by the top, although the lack of an ideal season doubtless harm extra. There have been alternatives for giant performs, however Penix was uncharacteristically off on a number of alternatives. And when he was on course he was harm by dropped passes. — Jim Trotter, senior author
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Credit score Washington’s protection
It regarded early like Michigan was going to run away with the sport — actually, after two Edwards landing runs of greater than 40 yards. However credit score Washington’s protection for its resilience and toughness for permitting the Huskies to hold round on this sport, even with Penix not practically as crisp as he was per week in the past within the Sugar Bowl.
After all of the fireworks within the sport’s first 17 minutes, Michigan went punt, turnover on downs, punt, subject aim, punt, punt, punt; the longest drive the Wolverines put collectively solely went 41 yards … till that landing drive on the midpoint of the fourth quarter that resulted in a Corum landing and put Michigan up by two scores. — Nicole Auerbach, school soccer senior author
A Pac-12 swan music
Monday evening’s sport was such a bittersweet second for the Pac-12 convention. The Huskies lastly broke via to succeed in the CFP and snap a seven-year drought for the convention and so they win an exhilarating semifinal to succeed in a nationwide championship sport … and it’s the final sport for the Pac-12 as we’ve all the time recognized it, with 10 of its 12 groups set to depart for different energy conferences subsequent season. This Washington staff has been a blast to look at all season, as was the whole Pac-12 convention, with surging groups like Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona and the nationwide phenomenon that was Colorado. It’s a tricky tablet to swallow as a result of it seems like if the Pac-12 had the season it did this fall a yr or two in the past, its demise would have by no means occurred. Alas.
However the Large Ten is worked up it’s going to boast each title sport contributors as league members come August. A nationwide championship sport rematch can be a Large Ten convention sport, on Oct. 5. — Auerbach
Required studying
(Picture: Maddie Meyer / Getty Pictures)
