2024-01-03 18:17:36
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Consider Until Saturday your most convenient destination for all things national championship prep. We’ll start with all-you-need-to-know guides on the two contenders.
First up, here’s everything about the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines. We’ll talk Washington tomorrow.
How They Got Here
Dominant defense and enough offense
When the season began, all the buzz was around Georgia, a program searching for college football’s first three-peat since the 1930s. Slightly lower on the radar, Michigan was searching for three-peats of its own: three straight wins against Ohio State, Big Ten championships and CFP berths.
Returning many key players from the 2022 season, Michigan was a championship favorite — despite starting with Jim Harbaugh being suspended for a different kind of three. The Wolverines debuted in the preseason AP poll at No. 2 and never veered from that spot, besides one week at No. 3, the only time Michigan did not receive any first-place votes.
Michigan allows the fewest yards per game in the FBS (243.1) and is tied for the most defensive TDs (five). The Wolverines are one of the most disciplined teams, committing only 40 penalties in 14 games, second-fewest in the FBS. J.J. McCarthy ranks in the top 10 in passing efficiency, and the Wolverines have the third-best fourth-down conversion rate nationally.
But the story of Michigan’s season goes beyond the poll and numbers. For that reason, I brought in The Athletic’s Michigan beat writer, Austin Meek, to answer a few questions.
Three Questions
Wolverines win it all if …
Blake Corum said when Michigan forced OT against Alabama, he “knew it was over.” What was the vibe of the stadium at that point? Did you agree with Corum?
I admire Corum’s confidence, but I wouldn’t say that was the prevailing vibe inside the stadium. It definitely felt like anybody’s game, and Michigan had momentum on its side. The amazing part was how quickly that game went from boring to spectacular. The second half was looking like a dud until J.J. McCarthy hit Corum to convert that fourth-and-2 with under five minutes left to set up the tying touchdown, and everything went into overdrive.
Off-the-field drama aside, what has been the defining characteristic of this Michigan team?
This Michigan team doesn’t panic. The Wolverines easily could have spiraled when so many things went wrong in the second half against Alabama, but they stayed composed and never lost hope. That’s been a theme all season: When Jim Harbaugh was suspended, the team played through it and kept winning. Michigan did the same thing Monday night.
Michigan wins the national championship if …
Michigan wins the national championship if the offense scores at least 30 points and the Wolverines win the turnover battle. Michigan’s defense bailed out the offense a few times in the Rose Bowl, but that’s a bigger ask against Michael Penix and Co. The Wolverines can’t put the ball on the ground on special teams and need to force a turnover or two on defense.
Turbulent Timeline
Scandals, suspensions and wins, oh my
For most teams, a timeline of the season would begin in Week 1. But because this is 2023 Michigan, plenty had already happened by then.
- Aug. 12, 2023, Michigan self-imposes Harbaugh suspension: In a disciplinary action that quite literally feels like it happened years ago, Michigan suspended Harbaugh for three games following alleged recruiting violations within his program. Harbaugh would miss games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green, all easy wins.
- Sept. 23, 2023: Harbaugh returns (the first time): He was on the sideline in a 31-7 victory against Rutgers. It marked the Wolverines’ 19th home win in a row, their longest streak since winning 21 in a row from 1998 to 2001.
- Oct. 18, 2023, NCAA launches sign-stealing investigation: The biggest off-the-field scandal of the season, as the NCAA notified the Big Ten and Michigan that it’d received allegations of Michigan being involved in an illegal sign-stealing scheme. Next, off-field analyst Connor Stalions was identified at the center of the investigation, and Michigan later suspended him. Details like Stalions’ purchases of tickets to opponents’ games (and a photo of a man who resembled Stalions on the Central Michigan sideline) continued to surface until Stalions resigned on Nov. 3.
- Nov. 10, 2023, Big Ten suspends Harbaugh: With member schools frustrated, the Big Ten took action. The head coach was banned from the sidelines for the remainder of the regular season (against Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State) for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy.
- Nov. 18, 2023, Michigan reaches milestone: By beating Maryland 31-24, Michigan became the first college football program to reach 1,000 all-time wins.
- Nov. 25, 2023, Ohio State loses: Michigan again beat its arch-rival, this time at home by a score of 30-24, putting Ryan Day in the anxiety-ridden spot that’d been occupied by Harbaugh just a few years ago. Three-peat indeed.
- Dec. 2, 2023, Big Ten Championship: In the final year of Big Ten divisions, the Wolverines claimed a lopsided 26-0 victory against Iowa.
- Dec. 3, 2023, CFP field announced: Michigan jumped to the No. 1 seed for the first time this season. The Wolverines’ response to being matched against Alabama looked like a mixed reaction in the watch party room.
- Jan. 1, 2024, beat Alabama: We’ll never forget it. A Rose Bowl semifinal between two of college football’s elite that went to overtime and came down to one final play. And, in a full-circle moment, Stalions was in attendance.
Quick Snaps
This special edition of Quick Snaps highlights the biggest stories behind Michigan’s championship-run season:
The man who helped Jim Harbaugh elevate Michigan: tales of strength coach Ben Herbert.
Harbaugh returned from a somber goodbye and “a place I’ve never been.”
The coach promised “gold standard.” Instead, Michigan got more trouble.
A monumental Michigan-Ohio State game without Harbaugh: How did the Wolverines get there?
Michigan got the final word against Ohio State in what might’ve been the end of an era.
The Rose Bowl was J.J. McCarthy’s moment. How Michigan’s QB blocks out the noise.
What can anybody say about Michigan now? Wolverines stars stepped up when it mattered most.
(Photo: Chris Williams / Getty Images)
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