In general, picking a team to root for in the College Football Championship has been simple. Except for the first game in 2015, the final has always included an SEC club.
To be honest, if Alabama had advanced instead of Michigan, the superior team, it could have been difficult to root for the Crimson Tide. It doesn’t always mean more for the SEC, as it does for the rest of the country. There are occasions when there is an excess.
Because our pastor, Chuck “Pigskin Preacher” Mohan, is a huge Michigan supporter, it will be the natural pick in our household.
Yes, some football fans believe Michigan’s alleged signal-stealing is a cause to root against the Wolverines, but signal-stealing teams have existed since the game’s inception.
There is even discussion that Michigan may have to forfeit part of its 14 victories this season, which is absurd.
Coach Jim Harbaugh has already served his sentence for the alleged offense, missing six games this season, including the Big Ten Championship Game.
Both Michigan and Washington have spent significant time in the film room trying to figure out what the other team is going to do, and if they haven’t, they should have. It’s all a part of the game.
Michigan vs. Washington is a little refreshing, and while the game on Monday night is being touted as the Wolverines’ defense vs the Huskies’ offense, it is never that straightforward.
The Wolverines, on the other hand, ranked first in the NCAA in overall defense, allowing only 243 yards per game and 16 touchdowns.
Washington’s defense ranked 94th, giving 404 yards per game and 44 touchdowns.
On offense, the Huskies placed 10th with an average of 473 yards per game and 65 touchdowns, while the Wolverines were 70th with 378 yards per game and 60 touchdowns.
As Washington joins the Big Ten next season, these two schools will be conference opponents, but no one has yet to sell this as a Big Ten Championship, as they did with Texas and Alabama before they both lost.
During conference growth, the SEC at least attempted to maintain a consistent footprint. Can you imaging how the West Coast teams will feel when their chartered flights get home before daybreak on a Sunday morning?
The Wolverines must find a way to maintain pressure on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who is a pure thrower. However, it is how they defeated Alabama, so it is part of the defensive strategy.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is an excellent game manager, but he may have to be more so on Monday.