When unbeaten UW and Michigan meet in national championship game, who’s predator and prey?

HOUSTON – Sitting beside a trophy that has eluded him his entire life, Jim Harbaugh spoke Sunday about sleep cycles and tacos and why a pack of wolves is the “perfect fighting unit.” The ninth-year Michigan coach, former quarterback and perpetual NCAA combatant used 1,942 words to avoid answering anything.

Specifically, the 60-year-old controversy rod stiff-armed questions surrounding his future at Michigan, while NFL rumors incessantly swirl and NCAA investigators circle. A day before the national championship game between No. 1 Michigan (14-0) and No. 2 Washington (14-0), Harbaugh only accidentally referenced football at all.

Which, perhaps, highlights a tidier truth:

There’s not much left to say.

And when it comes to Michigan’s offensive game plan, the Huskies know it anyway.

“It’s a 12-round fight,” said UW senior linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, referencing the relentless Michigan running game. “It’s always exciting to play those games, line up and play ball and just see which one’s really better. At the end of the day that’s kind of what you play football for. It’s what we did as little kids; which one’s better? None of the tricky, rinky dink stuff.

“Give a lot of credit to that team; they fight hard. They’re aggressive. They’re tough. They’re going to show you what they’re going to do. They’re going to try to punch you in the (indiscernible). They’re going to come out in the game, they’re going to have a sledgehammer, and they’re going to go for the head. So we definitely know what they’re all about.”

Michigan intends to swing a sledgehammer.

Can the Huskies hold their ground?

This is a UW defense, after all, that sits 43rd nationally in rushing defense (137.07 yards allowed per game), 73rd in opponent rushes of 10 yards or more (62), 78th in rushing touchdowns allowed (21) and 86th in opponent yards per carry (4.4). That unit offered only occasional resistance in the Sugar Bowl, as Texas amassed 180 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per carry and a trio of touchdowns on the ground.

The objective is obvious for standout Michigan running back Blake Corum – who has contributed 1,111 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry and a whopping 25 rushing touchdowns in 14 games this fall.

This is a Wolverine offense that ran 32 consecutive times in a 24-15 win over Penn State in November.

With a big enough sledgehammer, the element of surprise may be irrelevant.

“It’s pretty clear-cut,” agreed UW co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell. “The level of physicality … we have been addressing that throughout the course of the week. There have been some teams in the league that have helped prepare us for this moment. Obviously Oregon State comes to mind – a really physical, run-oriented style. So our guys at least have some recall of that type of game plan – where they are going to play ball control, they are going to be ultimately very physical.

“I think the key point comes later in the game. It’s the 30th time of (Michigan) running downhill into the A gap, and can you do it the 30th time as well as you did it the first time?”

To state the obvious: Undefeated Michigan is not Oregon State.

But Michael Penix Jr. is also incomparable.

UW’s sixth-year senior has led the nation in passing in back-to-back seasons, and finished as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy (behind LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels) this fall. The seasoned lefty bombarded Texas’ overmatched secondary in the Sugar Bowl, completing 76.3% of his passes while throwing for 430 yards and two touchdowns.

Michigan, meanwhile, leads the nation in opponent passing touchdowns (7) and sits second in passing defense (150 yards allowed per game), third in opponent pass efficiency rating (101.52), fifth in opponent yards per pass attempt (5.8) and ninth in both interceptions (16) and opponent completion percentage (55.5%).

But consider the competition.

Purdue quarterback Hudson Card is not Michael Penix Jr.

Michigan State quarterback Katin Houser is not Michael Penix Jr.

Indiana quarterback Tayven Jackson is not Michael Penix Jr.

Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is not Michael Penix Jr.

Nebraska quarterback Heinrich Haarberg is not Michael Penix Jr.

Penix and his opportunistic set of receivers – Rome Odunze (87 catches, 1,553 receiving yards, 13 receiving TD), Ja’Lynn Polk (65, 1,122, 9), Jalen McMillan (39, 526, 4), Jack Westover (41, 391, 4), Germie Bernard (34, 419, 2), etc. – will present unprecedented problems Monday night.

“He is elite,” Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said of Penix. “It’s his ability to process the information that he has given. I think they do a really good job structurally of trying to undress your defense a little bit and give him an idea of what coverages you’re playing, things like that. Now he has that information pre-snap, and he is able to process it really quickly. He has a quick release that goes along with his ability to think fast, make quick decisions. He is really accurate.

“Then he trusts himself and he trusts his receivers. There’s very little hesitation in his game, so I think that’s what makes him really good. That translates to the NFL – your ability to think fast, read defenses, process information, get rid of the ball quickly, get the ball where it needs to go in space. So elite player. Elite challenge for us. One we’re really excited about.”

That excitement was not evident inside the grand ballroom at the JW Marriott in Houston Sunday, as Harbaugh droned on about nature documentaries he shows his team on the day of a game. He said “we found one this year on predators – tigers, cheetahs, lions, great stuff. Really seemed to resonate with the guys. I love them. Who doesn’t?”

Meanwhile, UW coach Kalen DeBoer just grinned, content to keep quiet, seated on the opposite side of the College Football Playoff national championship trophy.

Come Monday night, that trophy will board a team plane to a permanent home.

But who’s the predator, and who’s prey?