Jim Harbaugh did everything Michigan fans could’ve hoped the former Wolverines star quarterback would do when he returned to Ann Arbor to take over his alma mater’s football program. He ended hated arch-rival Ohio State’s dominance in their series and flipped it around; he turned Michigan into the bully of the Big Ten; and then … Read more
By Christopher Kamrani, Bruce Feldman, Kennington Smith III and Chris Vannini The man chosen to succeed the greatest college football coach in the history of the sport is from rural South Dakota, who certainly some Crimson Tide fanatics have never heard of. At least until the last 72 hours. Kalen DeBoer, known within the industry … Read more
Oregon’s Dan Lanning seems to be a fan of Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Ducks were the Huskies’ biggest bump on their road to the national title game. The Pac-12 teams twice battled in high-scoring affairs, first during the regular season and then in the conference’s championship game. The result of both games … Read more
By Lauren Merola, Max Olson, Austin Meek, Jim Trotter and Nicole Auerbach It’s been 26 years, but finally, no one has it better than Michigan. The Wolverines, who ranked second in passing yards allowed per game with 150.0 heading into title town, faced their toughest task yet in taming the flamethrower that is Washington quarterback … Read more
Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Georgia’s run of dominance in college football’s signature event might not be over, but it is on hiatus this year. Instead, there’s new blood after Michigan and Washington advanced to the national title game. Since the BCS began in 1998, neither team has played for a national title. “This is … Read more
NEW ORLEANS — The Sugar Bowl was a little more than 24 hours away, and sixth-year Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. called a players-only meeting as their moment drew near. He walked to the front of the room on two surgically repaired knees along with edge rusher Edefuan Ulofoshio and delivered a message. The new year … Read more
The Athletic has live coverage of Texas vs. Washington in the College Football Playoff at the Sugar Bowl. He has come further than any star player in college football the last two years — 3,064 miles and from two wins to the College Football Playoff — but on a dreary Monday in Seattle in April, … Read more
This sport’s identity crisis has existed since the inception of the College Football Playoff a decade ago, but never before have we had to come to terms with it the way we did on Sunday. That identity crisis? Whether the teams that play for the national championship should be the best or the most deserving. … Read more
Next year, all this College Football Playoff arguing will be moot with the CFP expanding to 12 teams. Arguing over Nos. 3, 4 and 5 is very different than 10, 11, 12 and 13. You lose your benefit of the doubt when you lose games. Even in the SEC. But this year is still a … Read more
