Michigan tops Washington to win CFP national championship - ESPN

HOUSTON, Texas — In the end, the "Michigan vs. Everybody" mantra that inspired the Wolverines all season long was quite fitting.

The Wolverines did indeed square off against everybody — from the NCAA to their own Big Ten conference to the No. 2 team in the nation Monday night on college football's greatest stage. On and off the field, Michigan refused to let any opponent, any NCAA investigation or any of the six games its head coach was suspended for get in its way of winning a national title.

And Monday night, when it mattered the most, No. 1 Michigan did it again, beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 before an announced crowd of 72,808 at NRG Stadium to earn the school's first national championship since 1997, when it shared the honor with Nebraska. The Wolverines asserted themselves from the opening kickoff and never trailed against the Huskies (14-1).

«I feel like this has been the perfect happy ending,» said running back Donovan Edwards, who averaged an astounding 17.3 yards per carry, and finished with 103 yards and two touchdowns. «A lot of personal success, a lot of personal failures, but our ultimate goal was to win a national championship.… There's no other feeling than to go through what we have and still come out on top. So perfect story, a lot of adversity — coach Harbaugh's not there for six games — perfect story.»

Michigan's national title will always be entangled with what was the biggest story in college football this year, allegations of a wide-spread sign-stealing scheme allegedly led by former staff member Connor Stalions, who resigned Nov. 4. As polarizing as the program has been nationally, though, those within it have only been galvanized by the controversy and accusations.

«It fueled us,» Michigan