HOUSTON — There isn’t any drawback right here, not for the Wolverines.
Michigan soccer’s season filled with tumult and chaos, scandal and smears, ended with confetti falling, tears streaming and one resounding message: We instructed you so. Michigan ran over Washington early, then late, 34-13, in Monday evening’s Faculty Soccer Playoff title recreation at NRG Stadium in Houston to win the 2023 nationwide championship in Jim Harbaugh’s ninth season in Ann Arbor.
It is this system’s first nationwide title because it went 12-0 in 1997 and marks simply the fourth time in NCAA historical past an FBS champion has gone 15-0 (Clemson, 2018; LSU, 2019; Georgia, 2022).
“It could not have gone higher,” Harbaugh mentioned afterwards. “It went precisely how we needed it to go to win each recreation. The off-the-field points, we’re harmless and we stood sturdy and tall as a result of we knew we have been harmless. And I would wish to level that out.”
The Wolverines, whose floor recreation this 12 months did not fairly match its outcomes the previous two seasons, put all of it collectively when it mattered most. They ran 38 instances for 303 yards and 4 scores, which included three rushes of greater than 40 yards within the first quarter.
Donovan Edwards, most regarded for his two-touchdown efficiency in opposition to Ohio State in 2022, will now be recognized for his title-delivering night in Houston. The West Bloomfield alumnus took his first contact of the evening 41 yards to the home, which was introduced because the second longest landing run in CFP title recreation historical past.
That report stood for lower than 8 minutes, as he ripped off a 46-yard burst to the fitting facet to place U-M up by two scores with 2:23 remaining within the first quarter.
“I used to be so excited for Donovan as a result of I simply felt like he wanted that,” fellow operating again Blake Corum mentioned. “Trusted agent, recognized good friend for all times. That is my man. I am glad I bought to share the backfield with Donovan. I want Donovan nothing however the perfect, if he ever wanted something, finest imagine I would be there for him.
The Huskies had whittled U-M’s result in seven factors when James Turner related on a 38-yard area purpose with 11:55 to play within the third, just for Washington to counter with a 45-yard area purpose of its personal 3 minutes later to make it 20-13.
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The Huskies bought the ball with an opportunity to take the lead with 11:52 remaining, and on the second play of the drive Michael Penix Jr. appeared to search out extensive receiver Rome Odunze on a 40-yard go, however it was negated by a holding penalty.
Three performs later, the Huskies needed to punt. On the primary play of the following drive, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy discovered Colston Loveland up the left seam, as he corralled the go with two fingers over his head, tucked the ball tight and rumbled for a achieve of 41, U-M’s longest go play of the day.
Three performs later, Corum, U-M’s most embellished operating again in historical past and fashionable landing record-holder, broke a sort out and trucked his means in from 12 yards out to go up 27-13 with 7:09 to play.
“Speechless,” he instructed the Free Press. “Blessed. God blessed this workforce.”
Corum completed with 21 rushes for 134 yards and two touchdowns whereas Edwards ran six instances for 104 yards and two scores; they turned the primary teammates to run for greater than 100 yards in a CFP title recreation.
Defensively, the Wolverines held one of many nation’s most potent assaults to simply 20 rushes for 46 yards (2.3 yards per try) and two of 14 third-down conversions, and compelled a momentum-changing turnover on the primary play of the second half.
Penix, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, accomplished simply 27 of 51 passes for 255 yards, one landing and two interceptions.
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Protection steps up
Washington entered play with the No. 1 passing assault (350 yards per recreation) and a top-10 scoring offense (37.6 factors per recreation), however the Huskies hadn’t seen a protection reminiscent of U-M’s, which ranked No. 1 in scoring and No. 2 in opposition to the go.
The Huskies wanted 14 performs to go 67 yards on their opening drive — a drive that might have stalled at midfield if Keon Sabb hadn’t missed a third-and-5 sort out — and ultimately needed to accept a 25-yard area purpose when a third-and-goal shot to the top zone got here up incomplete.
Even when issues went unsuitable for Jesse Minter’s unit early, they went proper.
The Huskies confronted fourth-and-7 on the Michigan 47 halfway via the second quarter, when there was a miscommunication in U-M’s secondary. It left a wide-open Odunze streaking downfield. However Penix’s throw was a beat behind the Biletnikoff Award runner-up and the 2 could not join on the would-be walk-in landing.
On the following possession, Kenneth Grant recorded a sack on a bull rush up the center, which rapidly pressured one other three-and-out.
“He’s the perfect defensive coordinator within the nation,” Grant mentioned of Minter postgame. “We proved we’re the perfect protection within the nation. Not solely the gamers, the coaches, the coaches performed a giant half in it.”
U-M virtually perceived to maintain Washington with no landing within the opening half, however the Huskies put collectively an 11-play, 61-yard drive to attain with 42 seconds left.
Mike Sainristil was flagged for go interference to set UW up contained in the Michigan 10, then on fourth-and-goal, Penix discovered Jalen McMillan to chop the deficit to 17-10.
Will Johnson got here up with an interception to start out the second half and from there the Huskies by no means bought a lot going. After their second-half area purpose, the Huskies punted on three consecutive possessions, earlier than one final gasp with 7 minutes to play.
Penix discovered Odunze on a 44-yard bomb down the fitting facet to get into U-M territory, however a false begin on the following play put Washington behind the sticks. U-M referred to as a timeout forward of fourth-and-13 with 4:53 to play when off-setting penalties led to a different play.
On that play, Sainristil got here away with an 81-yard interception, his sixth of the 12 months, to seal the victory.
“When a play must be made, Mike Sainristil has made it,” Harbaugh mentioned. “When a play must be made, Blake Corum makes it. When a play must be made, Will Johnson makes it. When a play must be made, J.J. McCarthy makes it.
“We have simply bought nice gamers. We have got nice gamers that unanimously assist one another.”
Offense does sufficient
McCarthy wasn’t as crisp as he was in opposition to Alabama within the CFP semifinal on the Rose Bowl, however he made simply sufficient performs.
He accomplished each off his passes on the opening eight-play, 84-yard landing drive, then related with Roman Wilson on a 37-yard publish route out of the left slot within the first quarter which arrange Edwards’ second rating.
After a tricky stretch in the midst of the competition that noticed him full simply two of 10 passes, McCarthy hit three in a row within the second half, then later when backed up had scrambles of twenty-two yards and 12 yards. These did not result in factors, however they did flip the sector and eat up clock.
Then, within the fourth, he discovered Loveland for the sport’s deepest go play.
McCarthy accomplished 10 of 18 passes for 140 yards.
“I am going to depart y’all with this,” Corum mentioned whereas standing on a stage as maize-and-blue confetti fluttered within the air round him. “Enterprise is completed.”
Contact Tony Garcia: apgarcia@freepress.com. Comply with him at @realtonygarcia.