Sunday Scroll
From The GIST Team

Happy Sunday!

Welcome to The GIST’s Sunday Scroll, where we dive deep into one timely sports topic.

The NFL’s postseason contenders will be solidified today, but tomorrow’s field belongs to the college kids: After a wild NCAA football season, the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines and No. 2 Washington Huskies will face off in the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship (aka the college Super Bowl) at 7:30 p.m. ET. It all comes down to this.

Quote of The Day
Quote Nah, we got one more to go!
No. 2 Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. eyes the field.

— No. 2 Washington’s sixth-year senior quarterback (QB) Michael Penix Jr. when asked if his stellar New Year’s Day Sugar Bowl performance that helped send the Huskies to their first-ever CFP final was the best game of his UW career. Time will tell.

The Scroll

🏈 The setup

The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy in front of the Houston, Texas, skyline.
Source: houstonsports.org

The NCAA Division I (DI) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) — the cream of the college football crop — includes 133 teams across 10 DI conferences. For the last decade (including this season), only four squads have advanced to the CFP.

After battling through 12 regular-season games, as well as conference championships, the 13-member CFP committee (which notably includes just one woman) selected the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines, No. 2 Washington Huskies, No. 3 Texas Longhorns, and No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide based on factors like team records, strength of schedule, and, controversially, player injuries.

  • After what was arguably the best CFP semis ever (more on those New Year’s Day tilts in a minute), Michigan and Washington are the last squads standing, both hoping to finish their seasons undefeated.

🐺 No. 1 Michigan Wolverines

No. 1 Michigan running back Blake Corum weaves around No. 4 Alabama defenders in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2024.
Source: BlueBarronPhoto/X

Michigan's been on the rise since 2015, and this season, the No. 1 Wolverines are favored to cap that ascent with their first national title since 1997.

The season: Try to find “dominance” on a map, and you’ll likely land in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The three-peat Big Ten champs never trailed in the second half of a regular season game all year.

  • The Wolverines’ biggest flex? Besting archnemesis No. 7 Ohio State for the third year in a row.

The semifinal: Chaos was the name of the Rose Bowl game. Yes, Michigan muffed a punt, snap and field goal, but those mistakes didn’t cost them the game thanks to QB J.J. McCarthy’s calm precision and their defense’s dominance: The Wolverine’s sacked No. 4 Alabama’s QB six times en route to the 27–20 overtime dub, their first CFP win ever.

The headliner: Head coach (HC) Jim Harbaugh infamously dominated this season’s headlines. Harbaugh (and his staff) faced multiple NCAA violation investigations which kept the HC suspended for half of Michigan’s 12 regular-season games.

Keys to success: Defense, defense, and more defense. Washington’s offense is no joke, but if the Wolverines continue shaking up the backfield, expect a maize and blue title — especially if their history-making, lucky-charm running back Blake Corum scores, too.

🐾 No. 2 Washington Huskies

Dubs, the University of Washington’s mascot, celebrates his team’s Rose Bowl win.
Source: UWAthletics/X

Where Michigan’s all about physicality and grinding out downs, No. 2 Washington dazzles with astonishing precision and breathtaking passing plays. The last-ever Pac-12 champs have one of the most entertaining (and dangerous) offenses in the game — and not just because of their Katniss Everdeen cosplay.

The season: The Huskies’ undefeated season wasn’t always pretty. They had their fair share of close calls, like a near-disaster against Arizona State in October and a dogfight at Oregon State in November. But they proved they can show up when it counts, beating rival No. 8 Oregon twice on the biggest stages.

The semifinal: Washington’s 37–31 Sugar Bowl win over No. 3 Texas was somehow even wilder than the Rose Bowl. The Huskies looked to be en route to a comfortable win up until the game’s last minute, where the Longhorns comeback came up just short on the final play due to some stellar Washington coverage. Too close for comfort.

The headliner: The aforementioned Michael Penix Jr. was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, and the QB is out to prove he should’ve won it. He’s one of the game’s most explosive signal-callers and is supported by a cast of all-star wide receivers.

Keys to success: Grit’s the name of the game. The Huskies will have to match Michigan’s muscle on the line of scrimmage to neutralize the Wolverines’ formidable pass rush and to let Penix cook. Time to prove they have that Dawg in ’em.

📺 How to tune in

The College Football Playoff national championship trophy in the foreground, with Houston’s NRG Stadium in the background.
Source: College Football Playoff

It all goes down tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game will air live on ESPN in the U.S. and TSN in Canada.

  • Will Michigan finally steal seal the deal, or will Washington give the Pac-12 a bittersweet finale? Only one way to find out.
  • No matter who takes the title, the Big Ten will come out on top — both Michigan and Washington will compete in the expanded conference next year, with a rematch already scheduled for October.
The GIST's Picks

Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):

🎉 What to celebrate

More college football playoffs. Beginning with the 2024–25 season, the CFP is expanding from the current four-team format to 12 squads and will feature the six highest-ranked conference champs, plus the next six highest-ranked FBS teams. Can’t come soon enough.

📝 What to subscribe to

Our college sports newsletter, which delivers all the NCAA buzz to your inbox three times a week. Like going back to school, but way more fun.

🐕 Who to let out

The dogs of the CFP final. The goodest boys will be chilling on the sidelines: Washington’s mascot, Dubs, and ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit’s co-host, Ben, will both be in attendance. So cute.

Fun and Games

Take Your Pick

No. 1 Michigan

At

No. 2 Washington

-200 To Win +164

Tomorrow's CFP National Championship can't come soon enough. Who do you think will win it all?

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