The CFP national championship is now set, as Michigan and Washington will meet next Monday after coming away victorious from their respective semifinal games yesterday. Michigan-Washington will be the third all-time meeting between 14-0 teams, and the Wolverines are "listed as a 4 1/2-point favorites," according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Washington "will give the disintegrating Pac-12 a chance to go out in a blaze of glory." The most recent Pac-12 national champion was USC in 2004 (AP, 1/1). One way or another, "a Big Ten school will be raising a national championship banner come September" as Washington gets set to join the league. The loser of this one also "gets a rematch this fall," as Michigan will visit Washington on Oct. 5 (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/1).
Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff "described Washington’s run, in light of his league’s collapse" as "surreal." Kliavkoff: "They don’t deserve all the nonsense going on around them. We were focused on rebuilding football. Took 2 1/2 years. I wish it would have happened quicker. If some of our schools would have been a little more patient, I think it would have paid off." If things "weren’t already awkward enough," along with Kliavkoff, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark attended the game as well -- "each commissioner supporting a participant that in seven months will be exiting their conference" (YAHOO SPORTS, 1/1).
The national championship will be played next Monday at Houston's NRG Stadium, and as of last night, "the cheapest ticket" into the game was listed at $1,458 (MLIVE, 1/1).
