No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington will meet in Houston Monday night, perfect records intact, to compete for a national championship crown under historic circumstances: the SEC is absent for the first time in a decade and the two teams will join together as conference mates next season.
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Here's what to expect from a fitting matchup full of "firsts" to crown a champion for the 2023 season and usher in a new era of college football:
While Michigan's first-team All-Big Ten running back Blake Corum is rather accustomed to the spotlight, his prominence figures to reach new heights Monday evening against a dodgy Washington run defense. Corum has been a model of consistency in Michigan's smashmouth approach, most memorably taking a majority of UM's 32-straight rushes to ice a victory at No. 10 Penn State and has totaled more than 1,110 yards along with an FBS-best 25 rushing touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Washington's front has faced historic struggles against the run, currently allowing a success rate of 48.7 percent on the ground that ranks just 125th nationally. The Husky defense has also struggled to contain teams in the red zone, allowing nearly four points per quality drive, furthering concerns against a Michigan team proven to be content with a heavy dose of Blake Corum.
Washington, particularly its secondary, has done a good job limiting big plays with the 16th fewest expected points allowed (EPA) on passing plays and has the opportunity to force Michigan into throwing situations with a transcendent offense. Michael Penix Jr. has been one of America's best quarterbacks all season, earning his way to New York as a Heisman finalist, and offered up likely his best performance of the season last weekend against Texas.
At a 76 percent clip, Penix tossed for 430 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Texas, executing several remarkably difficult throws and also flashing his legs with 31 rushing yards on just three attempts. The southpaw will likely face his most difficult test of the season against Michigan's secondary, however, a unit that anchors FBS' very best scoring defense (10.2 PPG allowed) and yields the third-fewest EPA on attempted passes.
With Washington creating the third most quality drives in the country and Michigan allowing the fewest, the biggest question Monday will be if the Huskies can sustain enough drives to hang with UM's dominant rushing game.
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