Michigan and Washington meet within the Faculty Soccer Playoff championship sport on Monday night time. Per Motion Community, the Huskies are a 4.5-point underdog looking for their first nationwide title because the 1991 season.
Listed below are three explanation why Washington (14-0) can beat Michigan (14-0) in a battle of unbeatens.
1. Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line nullifies Michigan’s move rush
The Wolverines set the tone early of their 27-20 additional time win over Alabama. edge rushers Braiden McGregor and Josaiah Stewart sacked Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe on ‘Bama’s opening drive, and Michigan completed the sport with six sacks, together with 5 within the first half. Nevertheless, if any group is aware of the best way to keep away from sacks, it is Washington. Solely three groups allowed fewer sacks than the Huskies this season.
The offensive line received the Joe Moore Award for Division I soccer’s most excellent offensive line unit, and so they held the Longhorns to 10 whole pressures and no sacks within the Sugar Bowl. Per Professional Soccer Focus, 11 Michigan defenders had a minimum of one strain in Michigan’s additional time Rose Bowl win. The Wolverines did a wonderful job of complicated Bama’s move blockers by disguising their move rush and should use their cavalry of move rushers to overwhelm the Huskies up entrance.
2. Edge rusher Bralen Trice wreaks havoc
Washington is tied for 104th within the nation in sacks with solely 21 on the season. Nevertheless, that is not a mirrored image of Trice, who’s credited with 77 whole pressures, together with eight sacks, by PFF. He had seven of the Huskies’ 14 pressures in opposition to the Longhorns. Trice should get by way of in opposition to a Wolverines offensive line that did not permit a sack in opposition to the Tide. Search for Washington to aim to take advantage of Michigan’s potential weak spot at left sort out. LaDarius Henderson allowed 5 of ‘Bama’s 10 whole pressures within the Rose Bowl and in addition allowed a team-high eight pressures within the Huge Ten championship sport in opposition to Iowa.
3. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is one of the best participant on the sector
The Heisman runner-up made a number of excellent throws in opposition to Texas, together with a number of whereas below duress. Penix has glorious footwork and would not panic whereas below strain. Here is certainly one of his extra underrated throws in opposition to Texas, when Longhorns junior defensive lineman Byron Murphy II received his double-team in opposition to Huskies redshirt-freshman heart Parker Brailsford and junior proper guard Julius Buelow, however Penix Jr. evaded the move rush, set his ft and delivered a strike over the center of the sector to Odunze for a 24-yard achieve.