A Vikings Fan’s Guide to the College Football National Championship
Josh Frey
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On Monday night, a national champion will be determined in college football.
The Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies each have made it through the semifinal round unscathed, and the two programs will face off at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. With the game approaching, here is a quick Vikings fan’s guide to this year’s national title game.
A Battle Between Potential First-Round QB Prospects
First and foremost, Vikings fans should be intrigued by this game because of the QB talent on both sides. Each of J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix have been connected to the Vikings at various points in the season and that likely will continue heading into the offseason.
The Vikings have major questions at the QB position considering Kirk Cousins is set to enter free agency and hasn’t played since Week 8 because of a torn Achilles. Meanwhile, none of his replacements have been able to prove that they consistently are capable of playing winning football. Minnesota should consider taking a quarterback early in this spring’s draft, and one of these two players could be future Vikings in a couple short months. For more on either of them, checkout the list of pieces down below:
- 2024 Vikings Mock Draft: Minnesota Takes Their Shot at a QB
- Three QBs Remain Popular 2024 NFL Draft Targets for the Minnesota Vikings
Big Ten Pride
If the assumption is that many Minnesota Vikings fans also pull for the Minnesota Gophers in college sports, there should be a sense of Big Ten pride in the air going into this game. Michigan’s appearance marks the first time that a Big Ten school has been featured in the national championship game since 2020, and no Big Ten school other than Ohio State has made it since the CFP format began in 2014.
On top of that, there can be a little extra pride in the fact that the Washington Huskies, who currently reside in the PAC-12, will also be a Big Ten team when the 2024 college football season rolls around. They could look very different when the fall rolls around, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Key to a Michigan Win
McCarthy certainly is a talent at the QB position, but Michigan’s success throughout the season has largely come by running the ball at an elite clip. RB Blake Corum has rushed for over 1000 yards once again and has totaled a ridiculous 25 rushing TDs.
Alabama did a solid job of limiting Corum in the Rose Bowl, which kept the game close and forced overtime. If Michigan can get back to their usual rushing efficiency in the national championship, they will be able to control the clock and could win this game easily.
Key to a Washington Win
Buoying Michigan’s rushing offense has been a truly dominant defensive unit. The Wolverines have allowed just 10.2 points per game this season, and they seemingly always come up with a big play when it’s needed most.
Washington’s offense will have their hands full and will need Penix to put on the Superman cape one more time. They arguably have the best passing offense in the country, complementing Penix’s arm talent with speedy wide receivers like Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan.
If these three players can come up with a few home run plays down the field, and Penix delivers sharp passes, Washington can turn the pace of play in their favor and win the game.
Other 2024 Draft Prospects to Watch
On top of the QB position, there are plenty of players in this game that Vikings fans should be paying attention to for draft purposes. Here is a look at a few of them.
RB Blake Corum (Michigan)
The Vikings may need to add a dynamic talent at the running back position for 2024 if they want to be more balanced on the offensive side. Corum is a bit of a smaller player at the position, but his ability to burst through holes in the offensive line and play a role in the passing game make him an intriguing NFL prospect.
WR Jalen McMillan (Washington)
The Vikings will need to make some sort of move at wide receiver this offseason with all three of Trishton Jackson, K.J. Osborn, and Brandon Powell set to enter free agency. McMillan is an outstanding route runner and is always a threat to pick up yards after the catch with his insane ability to accelerate in the open field. The Vikings need that type of game-breaking, sub-4.4 speed in their offense, so the Husky should be in consideration when April rolls around.
DL Kris Jenkins (Michigan)
The Vikings need another mauler in the middle of their defensive line next season. Look no further than Kris Jenkins, who has been a ferocious presence for Michigan throughout the past two seasons. Jenkins can be a run-stuffer and has an array of pass-rushing moves at the defensive tackle spot. He should be in consideration for the Vikings during the second round.
EDGE Bralen Trice (Washington)
If the Vikings don’t go QB in the first round, they have another clear need at EDGE. Minnesota hasn’t selected an edge rusher or defensive lineman in the first round since 2013 (Sharrif Floyd), but that could change this year with the talented pass-rushers in this year’s draft. Bralen Trice has recorded 23.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks over the past two seasons at Washington, and his combination of size and athleticism should land him first-round draft status.
LB Junior Colson (Michigan)
The Vikings landed arguably the top undrafted free agent of the 2023 season when they signed Ivan Pace this past spring. However, linebacker could be another position of need this spring with Jordan Hicks set to hit free agency. Junior Colson brings ideal NFL size to play off-ball linebacker, and he flies all over Michigan’s elite defense.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.