Houston (AFP) – The Michigan Wolverines rumbled past the Washington Huskies to end their 27-year football title drought with a 34-13 victory in the US College National Championship game on Monday.
The University of Michigan’s Wolverines, who last won the national college crown in 1997, scored four rushing touchdowns to cap an unbeaten season at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
Michigan’s ground game proved too much for Washington, who themselves had been chasing a first national title since 1991.
Michigan took control in the first quarter, with running back Donovan Edwards motoring into the end zone for a 41-yard rushing touchdown.
Edwards then grabbed a second touchdown late in the first quarter, accelerating through a huge gap in the Washington defense before galloping 46 yards to score.
Washington finally got a touchdown of their own just before half-time when quarterback Michael Penix Jr found Jalen McMillan with a three-yard pass to make it 17-10 at the break.
A tense third quarter saw both sides trade field goals heading into the fourth.
But Michigan running back Blake Corum settled the Wolverines nerves with a 12-yard run for a touchdown that made it 27-13.
Victory for Michigan was all but assured on the next Washington possession, when Penix was picked off by the Wolverines’ Mike Sainristil who raced 81 yards to the brink of the Huskies endzone.
Two plays later, Corum grabbed his second touchdown of the night, crashing over from one yard to make the game safe.
