B/R's College Football Weekly Awards: 2024 National Championship
HOUSTON — Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines are the kings of college football for the 2023 season.
Fueled by a sensational first quarter and dominant closing frame, the Maize and Blue took down the Washington Huskies 34-13 in the national championship game Monday night at NRG Stadium in Houston.
And so, for the final time: B/R's Weekly Awards.
Starting with a personal Player of the Game, we'll be handing out five awards in our unique review of Michigan's championship win.
If you're new here, hi! B/R's Weekly Awards is an often lighthearted review of what happened in college football over the weekend.
Player of the Game: Donovan Edwards
1 of 5All-American running back Blake Corum commanded the spotlight all season, and he received offensive MVP honors on Monday after rushing for 134 yards and two scores.
Fair. No problem.
Donovan Edwards, however, set a lovely tone for the Wolverines with first-quarter touchdown runs of 41 and 46 yards. He notched only six carries yet doubled his season-best output with 104 yards.
Corum is presumably headed to the NFL, so Edwards now faces a tough decision as a draft-eligible player. While chasing the pros would be understandable, he also could return to Ann Arbor as the headliner of the backfield when Michigan defends its title in 2024.
Either way, Edwards left an unforgettable mark on the Wolverines' championship win.
Unit of the Game: Michigan's Defense
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The explosive first quarter from Edwards and Michigan's running game are the proper places to start. From there, though, the defense absolutely deserves its time in the spotlight.
Washington entered the game averaging 473.6 yards at a scorching 7.3 per snap and scoring 37.6 points per game.
But the Wolverines held the Dawgs to 301 yards and 13 points.
Most notably, they contained Michael Penix Jr., the nation's leading passer on a supremely talented offense. Rome Odunze was a first-team AP All-America pick at wideout, and Ja'Lynn Polk surpassed 1,000 yards. Jalen McMillan dealt with injuries in 2023 but had 1,000 yards last season and was healthy for the championship.
Penix averaged just 5.0 yards per throw. Odunze put up a solid-looking 87 yards but made a 44-yard reception while trailing by 14 late in the fourth quarter. Polk and McMillan combined for 70 yards and a score.
All things considered, that's a tremendous showing from Michigan's defense—which yielded only 46 rushing yards, too.
Iconic Moment of the Game: Mike Sainristil's INT
3 of 5Set the scene: Michigan held a 27-13 advantage as the clock ticked below five minutes to play. Washington faced a 4th-and-13.
Yes, fans of the Maize and Blue had started to feel confident. But, no, they could not be certain.
Not until nickelback Mike Sainristil's moment, at least.
The converted wide receiver—seriously, what a story he is—provided the unofficial start to the Wolverines' celebrations. Penix attempted to thread the needle to McMillan but wound up hitting Sainristil, who returned the interception 81 yards and set up Michigan's last score.
Similar to Edwards, Sainristil didn't receive the defensive MVP. That honor went to corner Will Johnson, whose third-quarter interception played a key role in Michigan's win.
But there is no question that Sainristil has become an iconic part of program history.
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Golf Clap of the Game: Washington's Middle Quarters
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Overall, little went right for Washington. That's the simple version.
Still, the Dawgs responded well in the second and third quarters after falling behind 17-3. The defense adjusted, slowed Michigan's ground game and allowed Washington to stick around.
Following the opening frame, the defense forced a three-and-out, a turnover on downs and another punt before halftime.
Penix threw an interception at the 32-yard line to begin the third quarter, but Washington held U-M to a field goal—which, in that situation, is a win for the defense. The unit then forced punts on three possessions in a row. Washington only trailed 20-13 in the fourth quarter.
Sure, that's where the Dawgs unraveled. But the defense recovered from a ghastly start and truly gave them a chance.
Sendoff (?) of the Week: Jim Harbaugh
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Maybe he's back at Michigan in 2024. Maybe he returns to the NFL, considering the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders are likely to request an interview with Jim Harbaugh.
No matter what happens next: Mission accomplished.
Run out of a successful tenure with the San Francisco 49ers at the end of the 2014 season, Harbaugh headed to his alma mater—a storied program in desperate need of a spark.
Although the Wolverines quickly became a competitive team again, he couldn't find the marquee wins. Ohio State and Michigan State kept on winning those bitter rivalry games.
Following a 2-4 dud in 2020, Harbaugh's future in Ann Arbor looked bleak. He even took a pay cut.
That was rock bottom. It's basically only been up since then.
Michigan went 12-2 and finally won a Big Ten crown in 2021, falling to Georgia in the CFP. Though a loss to TCU in last season's CFP stung, the Wolverines took the Big Ten again and finished 13-1. They entered the 2023 season as a hefty favorite and backed up the billing.
Harbaugh has restored the glory of his beloved school. He can, if he so chooses, leave for the NFL on the highest note possible.
Michigan, at a perfect 15-0, is the national champion.
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