HOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 08: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after defeating the Washington Huskies during the 2024 CFP National Championship game at NRG Stadium on January 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Michigan defeated Washington 34-13. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Michigan Wolverines travel to face the Washington Huskies in a college football National Championship rematch this weekend. However, there will be numerous differences this time around. First of all, the head coaches are gone. Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh famously left to take the Los Angeles Chargers job to the tune of $80 million dollars after winning the Natty. And former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer parlayed his successful season into a $10 million dollar a year gig at Alabama, where he just enjoyed the biggest win of his career over Georgia last week.
Almost all of the starting players who played in January are gone and most are now in the NFL. Michigan's starting quarterback JJ McCarthy and Washington's Michael Penix Jr were top ten draft picks in the NFL.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH
While this will be a national championship rematch this weekend, it is really a national championship rematch of laundry. Yes laundry. The game will feature new players wearing Michigan football uniforms vs Washington football uniforms. This season Michigan is still ranked nationally, for now, while it tries to figure out its quarterback problem. And Washington is coming off a road loss at Rutgers in a game in which it missed 3 field goal attempts including a 55 yarder at the horn that would have tied the game.
But it still promises to be part of another exciting college football weekend with numerous big time games. It is a great weekend to sit on the couch for 12 hours with a remote control and a beverage or two... and enjoy a full day of football.
For the latest on college football talk and analysis tune in each weekday to Craig Shemon and Company from 2-6 on ESPN Southwest Florida.
