Michigan vs Washington One Big Call: College Football Playoff National Championship Experts Picks, Predictions

MICHIGAN VS WASHINGTON COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: ONE BIG CALL CFP National Championship Experts Picks Predictions | Against The Spread | MVP Big Red Max, All Huskers Washington turnovers will be the difference.Kevin Borba, All Utes & All CardinalMichigan’s defense has been as stout as they come all year, that combined with their elite run game equals the best chance to win.Jackson Caudell, All Yellow JacketsMichigan will run for at least 275 yards.Bryan Driskell, Irish BreakdownWashington’s potent air attack against the vaunted Michigan defense is a matchup of two elites, but at the end of the day it will be Penix and the pass catchers that make the most plays.E, CFNWill Johnson and the Michigan secondary will shut down the Washington receiving corps.Pete Fiutak, CFNAfter an early UW score, Michigan will be in total control in a methodically dominant win. Casey Lundquist, Cougs DailyPenix will throw for more yards against Michigan than any other quarterback that has faced the Wolverines this season.Southpaw CFNMichigan D bends, but doesn’t break; the O runs wild.Jeremy Mauss, MWwire.comThere will be a special teams touchdown. Snoopdug, CFNMcCarthy throws for at least 250 yds and 3 TDS, including one to Tyler Morris, his star WR from back in high school, for the second CFP game in a row.Andy Mitts, Blue Wings RisingThere will be both a defensive and special teams touchdown in the game.Johnny Rosenstein, SportsBookWire.comMichigan will never lead.Scott Steehn, WinnersandWhiners.comThe Wolverines haven’t faced a quarterback all year with anywhere near the talent of Penix. The Husky offense will be too big of a hill for Michigan to climb. Keith Stewart, WinnersandWhiners.comPenix will account for five touchdowns.Stephen Thompson, Inside The PanthersBralen Trice sacks JJ McCarthy multiple times, Washington gets at least four sacks.Mark Wogenrich, AllPennState.comMichael Penix Jr. will get one late throw for the win.Clucko the Chicken (a coin flip)Cluck … cluck … CFP National Championship Experts Picks Predictions | Against The Spread | MVP

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Jesse Minter recaps Michigan’s game-winning stop: ‘We wanted to be aggressive and try to go force the issue’

Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter discussed the defensive effort, including his perspective of the Wolverines’ fourth-down goal line stand in overtime to end the game.

PASADENA, Calif. — The Michigan football team’s defense made a strong statement Monday night, as the nation’s leading defense held firm against Alabama in the Wolverines’ 27-20 overtime win. Michigan held the Crimson Tide to their fewest yards (288) since Jan. 1, 2018.

After the game in the locker room, Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter discussed the defensive effort, including his perspective of the Wolverines’ fourth-down goal line stand in overtime to end the game.

On the final play of the game

The ball’s going to be in 4’s hands. He’s their best player, he’s super versatile. I thought it might be an RPO or something where he could get the ball on the perimeter. But we knew they were going to put the ball in his hands. So we wanted to be aggressive and try to go force the issue, and not sit back and wait.

On the forced fumble in the fourth quarter

We talked at halftime that our four pillars have carried us, and I thought the first half we really played elite football, other than the fact that we didn’t have ball disruption, and that we let two really bad plays lead to 10 points. So we needed to keep the bad play from (leading to points) and we really needed a takeaway and try to flip the momentum of the game a little bit. We didn’t end up getting anything off that, but just for us, it allowed us to settle in and catch our breath and get off the field right there. So huge credit to Quinten Johnson and Josh Wallace for getting in on that play.

On how it feels to close out a College Football Playoff win

It feels great. Our goal was to get back to this point. To prove that we learned from the past. Personally, our players, our defense, our team. Prove that we learned things we could do better, ways we could prepare better, and then go out and play. Play one play at a time, not get too high, not get too low, and put ourselves in a position to be one game away.

On his defense rising to the occasion and making the game-winning stop

There’s not a group I would rather have on the field when the game’s on the line than our defense. Huge credit to our offense for making plays at the end of the game. JJ just does what JJ does, and gets us into overtime. Even that last two-minute drive, we were going after them. They only needed a field goal possibly to try a game-winning kick, and we were just going to attack. That was our game plan going in. Forced the punt, and fortunately we got the ball there and were able to force overtime.

And then we get to overtime and, analytically, you would say you always wanna play defense first. But sometimes, when you play defense second, you know what the other team needs, so that can give you and advantage a well. So we didn’t mind being out there. We had a seven point lead, we knew it was a four-down situation, so thought it might dictate how they played second and third down. Once again, huge credit to our guys, they went out there and executed.