College Football National Championship: Washington’s path to victory

• What Washington’s gameplan should be for the national championship

• Penix needs to be special once again: Just as he was in the Sugar Bowl, Washington needs Michael Penix Jr. to be sensational. This time, against the best defense in the country.

• Slow down Michigan’s ground game: On defense, the Huskies need to neutralize Michigan’s rushing attack and make quarterback J.J. McCarthy beat them. 

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

After barely surviving Texas’ furious comeback in the Sugar Bowl, No. 2 Washington advanced to its first national championship game in program history to take on top-ranked Michigan.

In order for the Huskies to claim their first national title since 1991, here’s what they need to do on offense and defense against the Wolverines. 

Offensive Blueprint: Michael Penix Jr. to be special against his toughest test

Simply put, Michael Penix Jr. was sensational in the Sugar Bowl. He threw for 430 yards against the Longhorns and earned a 93.8 PFF passing grade, his highest of the season. At his disposal is the highest-graded receiving corps in the country with three projected Day 1 or Day 2 picks in the NFL draft in Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan. Protecting Penix is Washington’s Joe Moore-award-winning offensive line, given to the best line in the nation. The Huskies have an 83.6 PFF pass-blocking grade this year, fifth among all teams in the country.

However, Michigan’s defense is a different animal than any Washington has faced this year. 

Michigan’s defense vs. the best Washington’s faced this year

There’s an immense amount of pressure on Penix to have the game of his life (for the second week in a row).

Defensive Blueprint: Make J.J. McCarthy beat you

While Michigan’s main defensive focus is to neutralize Washington’s passing game, the Huskies will try to shine a spotlight on the Wolverines. That’s because Michigan’s offensive strength, its run game, matches up with Washington’s biggest weakness, its run defense. 

The Huskies should commit heavy boxes in this game to try and neutralize Blake Corum and the Wolverines’ ground game as much as possible. If they do that, then the pressure will be on quarterback J.J. McCarthy to beat them. He’s earned just a 65.2 PFF passing grade in his last five games with three big-time throws and six turnover-worthy plays. Those last five contests were against the only defenses in the top 25 of the FBS in coverage grade that he’s faced all season, a club that Washington is also a part of.

J.J. McCarthy against FBS defenses with a top-25 coverage grade

If this game turns into a duel between quarterbacks, the Huskies hold a massive advantage.