Jim Harbaugh, the coach of the Michigan Wolverines, tried his best to keep his emotions in check as he celebrated his team’s historic victory on Monday night. Top-seeded Michigan won its first national championship in 26 years with a 34–13 victory over the No. 2 Washington Huskies. In the final seconds, Harbaugh celebrated the historic College Football Playoff triumph with a customary Gatorade dip.
In the first set-up, German Green, the defensive back, appeared to hug Harbaugh as he stepped into place. But rather than getting wet, Harbaugh skilfully avoided the approaching downpour, leaving the DB to bear the full force of the frigid wash.
Harbaugh’s deft movements could offer the divisive coach one of the CFP final’s lasting instances of having your head on a swivel on a night full of impact plays. But after a post-game interview, the Wolverines finally doused Harbaugh in Gatorade for the well-earned honour, so the coach big’s night wasn’t entirely empty.
Penix tried to lead the Huskies to a championship in his sixth season back, but his team’s defence got off to a horrible start and his performance was insufficient to turn things around.
The Huskies trailed 14-3 after Michigan (15-0) dominated Washington (14-0) for 229 total yards and 174 yards of rushing in the first quarter.
After that, they tightened things up, and Penix.
Penix played two seasons at Washington without any significant injuries after sustaining injury after injury during his four years at Indiana. This season, he led the country in passing yards and came in second to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels in the Heisman Trophy voting. In 2019 and 2021, he suffered shoulder ailments, and in 2018 and 2020, he tore his ACL.
Penix lost badly in his college farewell game. With his right arm shielding his apparent sore side and a towel covering his face, he hobbled back towards Washington’s locker room after the game.
This summer, the Huskies will join the new Big Ten conference, replacing the Pac-12, while Penix will move on to the NFL. With ten schools quitting the conference, including Washington, the Pac-12’s football dominance is most likely coming to an end, even though it won’t completely disappear.
