For much of the College Football Playoff title game, Washington was outplayed and outmanned by its opponent and new national champion, the Michigan Wolverines. Monday night's loss ended a lot of things for the Huskies, but head coach Kalen DeBoer was still upbeat about his team's performance.

“I know what the score looks like, but I feel like that fine line was right there again tonight and we weren't that far off,” DeBoer said, per Kyle Bonagura. “There's not a doubt in my mind that we have a good enough football team to go out there and win a national championship and just got to make a play here and there, get us over the hump and could have been a different outcome.”

Michigan had more rushing yards (303) than Washington had total yards of offense (301). DeBoer said that lack of execution hurt the Huskies, but they'd likely have a hard time beating the Wolverines even on their best night.

“We just couldn't make that one play here, and when we did, a penalty, maybe bringing the play back, a holding call, things like that,” DeBoer said. “We just couldn't get over the hump. We couldn't finish the drive the way that we're used to.”

Even after being dominated for much of the first half, Washington carried some momentum into the break despite trailing 17-10. All of that was wiped out after Michael Penix Jr. threw an interception on the first play of the second half.

Washington held Michigan to a field goal but never got anything going offensively, scoring just three points in the second half. The Huskies converted five first downs on seven second-half possessions.

It was a one-score game going into the fourth quarter, but the way Washington's offense was playing suggested they just weren’t up to par with Michigan. This not only ends the Huskies' title run one win short, but also ends their 21-game winning streak which was the longest active streak in the FBS.

It also spells the end of Michael Penix Jr's college career as he finishes runner-up for the Heisman Trophy and the national championship.