Huskies to battle Wolverines for national CFP title … The final national championship game of the 4-team playoff era goes Monday evening in Houston with a little bit of a different flavor as for the first time in 8 years there won’t be a team from the SEC. Instead it’ll be the Big Ten versus the soon-to-be Big Ten with #1 Michigan playing #2 Washington in a battle of the only remaining unbeaten teams in the country. Kick-off is at 7:30 PM ET with coverage on ESPN.
It will also be a great chance for NFL scouts to get one final look at two of the more polarizing QBs in the prospective 2024 field in the Wolverines’ JJ McCarthy (#9, 6-2, 205) and the Huskies’ Michael Penix (#9, 6-3, 215). For McCarthy, a 3rd year player who still hasn’t revealed his intentions and may very well return to school, it will be another opportunity to show pro scouts that he is more than just a very efficient game manager who lacks elite physical tools. Meanwhile, Penix has had a Top 10 season throwing for almost 4,700 yards and 35 scores; he’s also got big-time arm talent, but he’s a somewhat older player who is already in his 6th season in college and has had more than his share of serious injuries in that time.
In fact, Michigan doesn’t appear to have anyone who is necessarily a lock to be picked in this year’s first round other than McCarthy should he declare, although DT Kris Jenkins (#94, 6-2, 305) is close. Michigan, though, does feature one of the best RB tandems in the country in Blake Corum (#2, 5-8, 215), who has made a nice comeback from a knee injury last season, and Donovan Edwards (#7, 6-0, 210) who is arguably the better athlete, but whose carries are way down this fall with Corum back in uniform. The Wolverines also have one of the better interior line groups around including veteran OG Trevor Keegan (#77, 6-5, 320) and C Drake Nugent (#60, 6-2, 305), but the loss of OG Zak Zinter (#65, 6-5, 325), the unit’s best player, to a gruesome leg injury in last month’s win over arch-rival Ohio State thins out the unit. The Wolverines also have a solid pair of ILB’s in Junior Colson (#25, 6-2, 245) and Mike Barrett (#23, 6-0, 240) who are 1-2 on the team in tackles, although neither makes a lot of impact plays. Meanwhile, other Michigan players to watch include WRs Roman Wilson (#1, 6-0, 195) and Cornelius Johnson (#6, 6-2, 210), OT LaDarius Henderson (#73, 6-4, 315), G/T Karsen Barnhart (#52, 6-5, 315), DE Josaiah Stewart (#5, 6-1, 245), and DB Mike Sainistril (#0, 5-10, 180)
Interestingly, while Michigan will be favored on Monday, Washington probably actually has the better prospects. Indeed, WR Rome Odunze (#1, 6-3, 215), has emerged as the #2 wideout in the 2024 draft class behind Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison with legit top 5-10 potential. And Odunze is supported by rising junior Ja’Lynn Polk (#2, 6-2, 205) and veteran possession receiver Jalen McMillan (#11, 6-0, 195) to give the Huskies one of the most dynamic receiver corps in college football. Meanwhile, LT Troy Fantanu (#55, 6-4, 320) is another potential first-rounder, although he may have to ultimately kick inside as he lacks prototype length for an OT, while DEs Bralen Trice (#8, 6-4, 275) and Zion Tupuola-Fetui (#4, 6-4, 255) are both solid second-day types and LB Edefan Ulofoshio (#5, 6-1, 240) is a decent third-day candidate. The Huskies also feature a really good RB in Dillon Johnson (#7, 6-0, 220), but he’s been banged up of late and likely will be a game time decision.
