A few years ago on my own sports blog, I came up with the idea of projecting the College Football Playoff matchups in the preseason by writing up fake recaps. Later, I wrote previews of the college football postseason and also the Super Bowl in the days leading up to the games. But again, I would write as if I had been gifted the chance to travel ahead, watch the games and recap them. It allowed me to do more storytelling while also giving a breakdown to the keys of the game for each team. In this third and final part for The Transfer Portal CFB this season, there are two “preview recaps” detailing how the Washington Huskies or Michigan Wolverines can win the title.

If Washington wins…

Bow Down: Washington Wears Down the Wolverines Secondary to Win National Title

As the celebration began, Jabbar Muhammad froze. For the DeSoto, Texas native, winning the national championship in his home state meant he was able to win in front of family and friends. So he started to head their way. But soon he was sprinting to celebrate with his teammates after they shooed him away. 

“Go! Go be with your team! We’ll party later,” someone in the group said to Muhammad. So off he went after sealing the 34-30 win for No. 2 Washington over No. 1 Michigan in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship Game with a tipped pass on fourth down. Muhammad represented one side of the Huskies. He transferred in from Oklahoma State after three productive seasons with the Cowboys. Running back Dillon Johnson (15 carries, 67 yards, one touchdown) was another transfer from Mississippi State along with wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk (five receptions, 114 yards, one touchdown) from Texas Tech and Germie Bernard (36 total yards on offense, 62 punt return yards), who went from Washington to Michigan State back to Washington. Finally, there was quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (24 of 38, 310 yards, three touchdowns) who came to the Huskies from Indiana in 2022. 

Penix offers a look at the other side of how this team was built. His early December 2022 announcement that he was returning to school signaled the announcement of other key contributors returning. Defensive lineman Tuli Letuligasenoa, edge rushers Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui, left tackle Troy Fautanu, wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Rome Odunze, and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb all returned for one last ride. 

“We made it clear; we were running it back for a chance at this. To do this, to win this,” Penix said in the postgame press conference. 

Washington won the first quarter, scoring twice to Michigan’s lone field goal. Penix found Odunze on a 44-yard pass to get the Huskies into the red zone early, where a hobbled Johnson was able to muster enough strength to plow his way into the end zone from 4 yards out to make it 7-0 early in the first quarter. Michigan responded with a long drive, going 91 yards in 13 plays but had to settle for a 37-yard field goal after pressure from Edefuan Ulofoshio forced a throw-away from J.J. McCarthy. That was the story all night for Michigan’s passing attack as McCarthy only completed 14 of 27 attempts. 

“They were on J.J. all night. Nothing much you can do there,” Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore said.

Up 7-3, Washington went into the second quarter leading 14-3 after Penix executed another quick strike drive. He found Giles Jackson streaking down the numbers on the right side for a 27-yard gain. Two plays later, he narrowly slipped a sack attempt and stepped into a pass that almost seemed to be thrown in a straight line. The ball sped past two defenders and found Odunze in stride for a 37-yard touchdown. Odunze finished with seven catches for 124 yards and that touchdown.  

The Wolverines found something in the second quarter that forced some stops and punts from the Huskies. Unfortunately, Michigan could do nothing except manage another short field goal in the period. Meanwhile, Washington found its groove and scored on back-to-back drives right before halftime. First was a short drive that ended in a 38-yard field goal after Bernard had a nifty 18-yard punt return to set up the Huskies at their 45-yard line. Leading 17-6, they tacked on one last field goal from 44 yards as the first half expired to make the score 20-6. It was nearly 24-6 as Penix was inches from connecting with a diving Polk for a 55-yard touchdown. 

Michigan received the second half kickoff and once again leaned on its ground game. Nine plays later, Blake Corum punched in the first Wolverines touchdown from a yard out to cut the deficit to 20-13. They then made it 20-16 after forcing a fumble from backup running back Tybo Rogers around midfield. However, McCarthy was flushed on third-and-7 and missed an open Roman Wilson on what could have been a big gain before having to settle for a 40-yard field goal. That would be the closest Michigan would realistically get. 

Washington responded with a long drive of its own, but through the air. Penix was surgical, going 9 of 9 on the 11-play drive. It culminated in Penix finding Jack Westover on a wheel route for a 14-yard touchdown. 27-16 would be the score entering the final frame, but it would not be that for long as Penix threw another haymaker. On second-and-1, he faked a handoff and dropped back. He stepped into a free rusher and was smoked as he threw. But the pass was perfect, carrying 50 yards in the air before landing into the hands of Polk, who coasted the final 3 yards for the 53-yard touchdown. 

Trailing 34-16, Michigan tried passing but realized it was hopeless as the Huskies’ pass rush had McCarthy in fits. While he was able to evade and avoid being sacked all game, the eight pressures had him off his game. So Michigan did the only thing it could do and run. It managed two touchdown drives, one ending in a McCarthy 10-yard touchdown pass to Colston Loveland and the other a 7-yard scamper from Donovan Edwards. However, the drives took plenty of time off the clock, so after a late Washington punt placed Michigan at its own 10-yard line with 44 seconds left, it was basically a done deal. Three straight incompletions led to a fourth-and-10, where McCarthy rolled right and heaved a prayer. But 60 yards downfield, Muhammad did not panic and tipped the pass away for a harmless incompletion. 

“It came down to the basics. Just knock it down, no need for an interception. I mean, thinking about it now, that could’ve been a crazy momentum-shifter like the deep one Texas hit against us late. Thankfully this time it was incomplete,” Muhammad said. Penix knelt out the clock on the 34-30 victory, and the Huskies rushed the field to celebrate. 

“This is what I came back for. Through all the long workouts, the injuries I’ve had, to win with my brothers. It’s beyond words how great this feels,” Tupuola-Fetui said. His lack of words echoed the sentiment of many for Washington. The players and coaches began to answer questions before fading off and just chuckling before apologizing for not having a response. Odunze summed it up best.

“It’s not just a dream come true. It’s dreams, all of our dreams, come true.”

If Michigan wins…

Hail to the Victors: Michigan Runs Over Washington to Clinch National Title

Blake Corum fell to the ground, hands in the sky as maize and blue confetti began to fall to the ground at NRG Stadium in Houston. No. 1 Michigan had just ridden its star running back (29 carries, 164 yards, two touchdowns) to a 27-21 win over No. 2 Washington to claim its first national title since 1997. 

“We bet on ourselves and it paid off tonight,” said quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who managed the game well (17 of 25, 158 yards, one touchdown) with zero turnover-worthy plays on his part. On the other side, the potent Washington offense was held to 307 total yards on offense (well under its 473.6 yards per game average) thanks to a defense that managed to pressure Michael Penix Jr. (19 of 31, 265 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions) 15 times and sack him three times. Meanwhile, a very hobbled Dillon Johnson had very little (eight carries, 27 yards) in the tank. 

“It’s a shock. All credit to Michigan, they dominated on defense. Still, after this season, what we were able to accomplish offensively, it’s a shock,” Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer said in a postgame press conference. 

“The defense came to play today. To do that against the wagon that Washington is, it’s incredible,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said. The defense announced itself on the opening drive as Washington went three-and-out. Two runs by Johnson for a total of 2 yards preceded Penix being flushed by Mason Graham, which led to an incompletion. After the punt was downed at the Michigan 27, the Wolverines marched 73 yards in 16 plays. Corum led the charge, carrying the ball 11 times on the drive before burrowing in for a 1-yard touchdown run. Only 1:45 was left on the first quarter clock when Michigan kicked off to Washington. 

The Huskies drive would end early in the second quarter as Penix was swarmed on third-and-4 at the Washington 45-yard line. Kenneth Grant and Kris Jenkins were credited a half a sack each.

However, Washington got some defensive plays of its own. On a second-and-7 at the Washington 27, Bralen Trice got a hand on McCarthy’s throwing arm to cause a wobbly pass that fell in no man’s land. The Wolverines later settled for a 33-yard field goal to go up 10-0. That little bit of momentum finally got Washington going. The Huskies drove 75 yards in five plays with Penix finding Ja’Lynn Polk for a 34-yard touchdown on a deep post with 5:16 left. Michigan stole some momentum back as it used the remaining clock on another long drive, this time covering 68 yards on 11 plays before another field goal from 41 yards away split the uprights to make it 13-7 Wolverines at halftime.   

After Michigan was forced to punt on the first possession of the second half, Washington quickly got out to midfield. But after Johnson was stopped short on a third-and-2 run, the Huskies went for it. With the ball squarely in the midfield logo, Penix’s pass was rushed as Josaiah Stewart got free and the ball landed in the turf at the feet of Rome Odunze. Penix showed frustration at himself, screaming to no one in particular as he jogged back to the sidelines. There would be more frustration for the purple and gold as three plays later, McCarthy tossed a pass to a wide open Colston Loveland for a 22-yard touchdown to give Michigan a 20-7 lead. 

With the running game ineffective and no time to set up deep passes, Washington found some success in quick hitches and screens. The Huskies went 75 yards in a quick nine plays that only took up 3:06 of the clock. Penix hit Jack Westover up the seam on a 16-yard pitch-and-catch to make it a 20-14 ballgame. The rest of the third quarter was uneventful as each team had semi-long drives that ended in punts. 

In the fourth quarter, Michigan got the ball and proceeded to squeeze the life out of the game. The Wolverines chewed up 73 yards and 6:47 of game clock, highlighted by a Corum 27-yard scamper up the middle on third-and-3 where he shed two tackle attempts. On the 13th play of the drive, they decided to be ultra-aggressive. On fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, they lined up in a Wing-T and Corum got the carry, waltzing in untouched behind a wall of blockers. Michigan did have to settle for an extra point to make it 27-14 after a false start on the two-point attempt. That gave Washington a slim sliver of hope, especially after it got to the Michigan 37-yard line. But in what felt like the Huskies last real hope, Stewart sacked Penix on fourth-and-3 with 4:06 left. 

Washington did force a Michigan punt and finally hit on another big play when Penix chucked a prayer to Odunze that was caught for a 55-yard gain. A play later, Penix found Odunze for a 13-yard touchdown to put the score at 27-21 with 1:06 left. But Roman Wilson fell on the onside kick attempt to almost seal the deal. The game was officially over after Corum ran for 3 yards, Washington called its last timeout, and McCarthy kept the ball on a quarterback sweep and sprinted for 15 yards before sliding down. 

“It feels so good, so good man. Especially after last year, with me being hurt and I couldn’t be on the field with my guys against TCU, it really felt like a missed opportunity,” said Corum as he was interviewed on the field. “To come back and be able to cap it all off with a championship, it’s beyond special.”

As Harbaugh lifted the trophy, rumors continued to swirl on social media that he would be accepting the Los Angeles Chargers head coaching job in the coming days. But that was something to worry about later for Michigan. For now, the Wolverines could celebrate as the ultimate victors and the top team in the land.