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The College Football Playoff semifinals on New Year's Day did not disappoint. College football fans across the country got to watch two incredible football games, and now, the national title game is set as No. 1 Michigan football will take on No. 2 Washington football on Monday in Houston.
The Wolverines took down Alabama in the Rose Bowl semifinal, and the Huskies outlasted Texas in the Sugar Bowl. Michigan and Washington are the top-two teams in the country. They are the two undefeated teams, and now they will battle it out in the national title game.
The Rose Bowl, the Granddaddy of 'em all, the most storied game in all of college football, had another chapter etched into its rich history on Monday. The game was really a tale of two halves, and then Michigan football dominated in overtime. The Wolverines led 13-10 at halftime, but it should've been more. Michigan absolutely dominated the Crimson Tide in the first half, but they kept them in the game with some key mistakes.
First was a muffed punt by Semaj Morgan that led to the first Alabama touchdown, and that was right after a great stop by the Michigan defense. Alabama didn't have to go far to get their first score. After that, the Wolverines put up two very impressive scoring drives, and the Crimson Tide did very little on offense as Michigan sacked Jalen Milroe five (!!!) times in the first half alone. It should have been 14-3 at halftime, as Michigan also had a bad snap on their second touchdown that led to a failed PAT.
Alabama responded well and played much better in the second half, especially on defense. However, the Michigan defense continued to make big plays and get stops, which gave their offense the opportunity to tie the game late and send it to overtime.
The Wolverines could smell blood, and they were dominant in OT. The offense scored with ease, and the defense continued to shut down Milroe and the Crimson Tide, and now they are heading to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Washington football won a thriller as well. The game was tied at halftime, but the Huskies really started to impose their will in the second half.
It was clear the entire game, especially in that second half, that Washington was the better team, and Texas looked dead in the water in the late stages of the game. However, a couple big plays completely turned the tide, and the Longhorns found themselves with a chance to erase a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit. They got down into the red zone with a chance to win it with a touchdown, but the Washington defense stepped up and got the stop to seal the win.
Now, Michigan football and Washington football will meet in the national title game, and it should be a terrific matchup. At this point, it clearly seems like these are the best-two teams in college football, and Monday's clash will decide who is truly the best team in the nation. It's going to be a great game, and here is one major flaw that Washington has that could spell trouble for them on Monday night.
The Washington defense
The Washington football team is obviously very good if they have made it this far this season without losing a football game. They are 14-0. They are ranked No. 2 in the country, and they are just one win away from winning a national championship. However, even the Huskies have some flaws, and one of them could be a major issue in the national title game.
Everyone always says that defense wins championships. Well, Washington doesn't have that good of a defense. They didn't get here by shutting teams down and win low-scoring slugfests. Michigan did, but the Huskies did not.
Washington got here because they have one of the best quarterbacks in college football and one of the best wide receivers in college football, and there aren't too many defenses out there that can slow them down. However, Michigan has the best defense in college football, so the Wolverines might be able to find a way to get some important stops in this game. Will Washington be able to do the same?
Defense is the weakness of this team, and it could come back to haunt the Huskies on Monday because of Michigan's run game and their offensive line. Texas was able to have a lot of success running the ball in the Sugar Bowl as they averaged over 6 yards per carry, and if they didn't lost two fumbles in the second half, they probably would've won the game.
Michigan has a better running back than Texas and a better offensive line. The Wolverines are also extremely good at taking care of the football. If Washington struggles to stop the run again, there are going to be a lot of long, clock-burning drives for the Wolverines that will keep Michael Penix Jr. off the field. That could be an issue for the Huskies.
The national title game is going to be a good one, and it is just a few days away. Michigan and Washington will kick things off on Monday at 7:30 ET from NRG Stadium in Houston, and the game will be airing on ESPN. The Wolverines are currently favored by 4.5 points.
