It wasn't pretty. If you were looking for a high-flying, air-raid circus in Houston that night, you probably walked away a little disappointed. But for anyone who actually loves the brutal, trench-warfare reality of Big Ten football, the CFP National Championship 2024 was basically a masterpiece of physical imposition. Michigan didn't just win; they suffocated a Washington team that looked, for most of the season, like it couldn't be caught.
Jim Harbaugh finally did it. After years of "will he or won't he" talk regarding the NFL, and enough off-field noise to distract a NASA engineer, he stood on that podium. 34-13. That was the score. It looks like a blowout on paper, and in the fourth quarter, it certainly felt like one, but there were moments in the second half where the vibe in NRG Stadium got genuinely tense.
The Early Explosion and the Long Slog
Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Those names are going to be etched into Ann Arbor lore forever. Most people expected Michigan to run the ball—that’s their DNA—but nobody expected Donovan Edwards to go for two 40-plus yard touchdowns in the first quarter alone. It was shocking. Washington’s defense, which had played just well enough all year to let Michael Penix Jr. bail them out, looked completely stuck in mud.
Honestly, the game should have been over by halftime. Michigan had 209 rushing yards in the first quarter. Let that sink in. That is an absurd stat for a high-school game, let alone the CFP National Championship 2024. But then, the script flipped. Michigan’s offense went cold. J.J. McCarthy, who has been criticized for being a "game manager," had to deal with a Washington secondary that suddenly decided to tighten up.
Washington clawed back. Michael Penix Jr., the Heisman runner-up who had looked like a wizard against Texas in the semifinal, started finding those tiny windows. A touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan on fourth down right before the half made it 17-10. Suddenly, we had a game. The air in the stadium changed. You could feel the Michigan fans thinking, "Wait, is this happening again?"
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The Michael Penix Jr. Struggle
You have to feel for Penix. He didn't look like himself. Part of that was a nasty rib injury he was clearly playing through, but most of it was the Michigan defensive front. Kris Jenkins, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant—those guys are large human beings. They didn't just pressure him; they lived in his lap.
Penix finished 27 of 51. That’s not the efficiency that won him the Maxwell Award. He missed throws he usually makes in his sleep. There was an overthrow to Rome Odunze in the second half that would have changed the entire complexion of the game. If that ball is six inches lower, Washington might be the ones holding the trophy. But in football, six inches is a mile.
Why the CFP National Championship 2024 Was Won in the Trenches
We talk a lot about stars. We talk about the receivers. Washington had arguably the best trio in the country with Odunze, McMillan, and Ja'Lynn Polk. But receivers don't matter if your quarterback is throwing from his backside. Michigan’s offensive line won the Joe Moore Award for a reason, even if they didn't officially win it this specific year (Washington's line actually took the trophy, ironically).
Michigan’s "Smash" identity was more than just a catchy slogan. It was a tactical choice to negate Washington's speed. By running the ball 38 times for 303 yards, Michigan kept the clock moving and kept Penix on the sideline. It’s the oldest trick in the book. It’s boring to some, sure. But it’s incredibly effective.
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The Turning Point
It was midway through the fourth quarter. The score was 20-13. Washington had the ball. They had momentum. Then, Will Johnson happened.
The Michigan cornerback intercepted Penix on the first play of the fourth quarter, and that was essentially the beginning of the end. It set up a drive that ended in a Blake Corum touchdown. Corum is a fascinating player because he isn't the fastest or the biggest, but his vision is elite. He finished with 134 yards and two scores. He basically put the team on his back and carried them across the finish line when the passing game was struggling to find a rhythm.
Misconceptions About the 2023-2024 Michigan Season
A lot of people want to put an asterisk next to this title because of the sign-stealing allegations and the Connor Stalions drama. Whether you hate Michigan or love them, the reality on the field during the CFP National Championship 2024 had nothing to do with stolen signs.
- The "Weak Schedule" Argument: People said Michigan hadn't played anyone. Then they beat Penn State, Ohio State, Alabama, and Washington in succession. That's a gauntlet.
- The McCarthy Factor: J.J. McCarthy only threw for 140 yards. Some say he’s just a product of the system. Others argue he did exactly what was asked of him: avoid turnovers and make the one or two big throws (like the 41-yarder to Colston Loveland) that break a defense's spirit.
- The Defense was the Real MVP: Jesse Minter, the defensive coordinator, called a masterpiece. He used simulated pressures to confuse one of the most veteran quarterbacks in college football.
The Legacy of the Four-Team Playoff
This was the end of an era. The CFP National Championship 2024 was the final act of the four-team playoff format. Next year, we move to 12 teams. There’s something poetic about the last four-team champion being a team that values "old school" football.
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In a world of transfer portals and NIL deals that look like professional contracts, Michigan built a veteran roster. They had players who stayed four, even five years. That "old man strength" was evident in the fourth quarter when Washington’s younger players looked gassed and Michigan was still rotating fresh defensive linemen into the game.
Final Numbers That Matter
- 303: Rushing yards for Michigan.
- 0: Sacks allowed by the Michigan offensive line.
- 15-0: Michigan’s final record, the first time a Big Ten team has hit that mark.
- 2: Interceptions thrown by Michael Penix Jr., who had been remarkably clean all season.
How to Apply the Michigan "Blueprints" to Strategy
Whether you're coaching a team or running a business, the way Michigan approached this championship offers some pretty solid lessons. They didn't try to be something they weren't. They knew their strength was their depth and their physicality.
Focus on the "Joe Moore" philosophy. In any project, the "offensive line" is the infrastructure. If your infrastructure is solid, your "stars" don't have to be perfect. J.J. McCarthy didn't have to be Superman because his line gave him a clean pocket and his running backs gave him 3rd-and-short situations.
Don't ignore the "Minter" approach. Jesse Minter’s defense wasn't about blitzing every play; it was about the threat of the blitz. Complexity creates hesitation. In any competitive environment, making your opponent think too much is just as good as beating them with raw speed.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the All-22 film of the first quarter. Pay attention to how Michigan’s pull-blockers completely manipulated Washington’s linebackers. It’s a masterclass in geometric angles.
- Review the defensive rotations. Michigan played nearly 20 guys on defense in the first half. That is why they were fresh in the fourth quarter while Washington’s tackles were leaning on their knees.
- Analyze the 12-team transition. Look at how Michigan’s style might fare in a longer playoff run. The physical toll of their playing style is high; would they be able to maintain that for four or five playoff games?
The CFP National Championship 2024 wasn't just a game; it was a statement. It validated a specific, tough-nosed way of playing that many thought was dead in the era of the "spread and shred." Michigan proved that you can still win it all by being the biggest, meanest team in the room.