Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards each rushed for two touchdowns and No. 1 Michigan completed an undefeated season with a punishing 34-13 victory over No. 2 Washington in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night at Houston.
Corum had 134 yards on 21 rushes and Edwards added 104 on just six carries as Michigan (15-0) won its first national title since winning in split fashion in 1997. The Wolverines racked up 303 yards on the ground while limiting Washington to 46.
Mike Sainristil returned a key interception 81 yards to set up Michigan’s final touchdown and Will Johnson also had a pick.
Michael Penix Jr. completed 27 of 51 passes for 255 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for Washington (14-1). Jalen McMillan had a touchdown catch and Rome Odunze had five receptions for 87 yards for the Huskies.
Washington’s Dillon Johnson played despite injuries to his left knee and right foot. He had 33 yards on 11 carries and caught two passes for 24 yards.
J.J. McCarthy completed 10 of 18 passes for 140 yards for the Wolverines, who outgained the Huskies 443-301.
Michigan led by seven when it took over with 9:44 left in the game.
On the first play of the drive, McCarthy connected with Colston Loveland for a gain of 41 to the Huskies 30-yard line. Four plays later, Corum scored on a 12-yard run to give Michigan a 27-13 lead with 7:09 remaining.
Penix lofted a 44-yard pass to Odunze with 6:18 left to get Washington in scoring range. But the Huskies soon faced fourth-and-13 from the Wolverines 30, and Sainristil picked off the ball and raced the other way, setting up Corum’s 1-yard TD run with 3:37 remaining.
Michigan rushed for 174 yards in the opening quarter en route to taking a 17-10 lead into the break.
Edwards capped the game-opening drive with a 41-yard touchdown run on a play in which he faced inside congestion before bouncing to the left and easily sailing down the sideline for the score.
Grady Gross kicked a 25-yard field goal with 3:56 left for Washington. But Edwards was at it again 93 seconds later, scoring on a 46-yard burst through a huge hole to give the Wolverines a 14-3 advantage.
Corum delivered Michigan’s third long run on the final play of the first quarter when he exploded for 59 yards. That set up a 31-yard field goal by James Turner that gave the Wolverines a 14-point lead with 13:28 remaining in the first half.
The Huskies moved within seven with 42 seconds left in the half when Penix tossed a 3-yard scoring pass to McMillan.
Johnson intercepted Penix at the Huskies 32 on the first offensive play of the third quarter. That set up Turner’s 38-yard field goal to make it 20-10.
Washington trimmed its deficit back to seven when Gross booted a 45-yard field goal with 8:58 left in the third quarter.
–Field Level Media