Once, Michael Penix defeated Michigan. made the Wolverines look foolish. destroyed the secondary of Jim Harbaugh. stunned college football’s whole football scene. Reset the past.
The issue was, nobody noticed it.
However, it was more than three years ago. It is documented in the books. Presumably still vivid in Penix’s subconscious as well.
In2020, behind closed doors due to the COVID pandemic, Penix displayed his strong left arm as he and his suddenly astute Indiana football team defeated the formidable Wolverines 38-21 in Bloomington. At the same time, Kalen DeBoer was assuming the same role at Fresno State and Jimmy Lake was settling in as the football coach at the University of Washington.
It was the main story on ESPN SportsCenter. a significant headline for all news outlets worldwide.
It was the real-life football version of Hoosiers, adapted for the big screen with Gene Hackman stomping all over the place and swearing at everyone from the sidelines and Penix changing into the suave world-beater Jimmy from the top of the key.
Penix will attempt to repeat the feat against Michigan in the CFP championship game on Monday night at Houston’s NRG Stadium, this time with a new squad in the University of Washington and a much stronger supporting cast that includes elite teammates like wide receiver Rome Odunze, linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, and edge rusher Bralen Trice.
The fact that Washington has defeated these Wolverines five times already—twice in the Rose Bowl on grand stages and three times in a row—tells everyone that they are capable of defeating them. This isn’t football in Indiana, where the Hoosiers have a 62-10 record versus Michigan going back a century.
Penix has a 1-and-0 mindset, which is another way of stating to accept each game as it comes, as he says before every football game. His record versus Michigan is actually 1 and 0. They had no chance when he played against those Wolverines once. That day, he was David and the other guy was Goliath; he wasn’t Michael.
“I want to say I can’t really use anything from my past playing them because obviously I played them with a totally different team, so it was a totally different time — that was the year of COVID, as well,” Penix stated on Wednesday. “Nothing from the past will affect the preparations we need to make on Monday. However, I’m just incredibly thrilled about the chance, and I know my boys will be prepared.”
