HOUSTON — It had always been about the seniors, the core of leaders who came back for one more season, one more shot at “natty-or-bust,” as running back Blake Corum pledged last season.

Top-ranked Michigan (15-0) won the national championship on Monday night, before 72,808 at NRG Stadium, defeating Washington, 34-13. Corum scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and defensive back Mike Sainristil made his sixth interception of the season to help seal the victory.

Corum finished with 133 yards and two touchdowns and running back Donovan Edwards had 104 yards and two first-quarter two touchdowns, becoming the first duo in CFP history to rush for more than 100 yards apiece.

From Michigan's side, the buildup for this game had been unparalleled for a fan base that hasn’t reached these heights in more than two and half decades, when Michigan won the AP national championship in 1997. The Wolverines came close the last two seasons, finally upending Ohio State and snapping an eight-game losing streak to their rivals in 2021. It was the first of three straight wins against the Buckeyes, and Michigan went on to win three straight Big Ten titles and three straight College Football Playoff berths.

This was the first time the Wolverines had made the championship game in the CFP format that began in 2014, defeating No. 4 Alabama, 27-20, in overtime in the Rose Bowl a week ago. Ironically, Michigan and Washington will meet this fall in Seattle, as Washington begins its first season in the expanded Big Ten, which has added four teams from the now-defunct Pac-12.

Michigan held a seven-point lead and began a drive with 9:44 left from its 29-yard line. On the first play, quarterback J.J. McCarthy found tight end Colston Loveland for 41 yards to the Washington 30-yard line. Four plays later, Corum scored on a 12-yard run, his 26th rushing touchdown of the season, for a 27-13 lead.

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Heisman Trophy runner-up, was unlike any quarterback the Wolverines had faced this season. He led the nation in passing but never quite found his groove against the Michigan defense. With 3:53 left in the game, on fourth-and-13 at the Michigan 30-yard line, Sainristil made the interception and returned it 81 yards to the Washington 8-yard line. Corum would score again, this time from 1 yard, for the final score.

Sainristil, who began his career at Michigan as a receiver and spent three seasons there before moving to the secondary, led the team with eight tackles.

The Wolverines opened the second half with a big defensive play from cornerback Will Johnson, who picked off Penix and gave Michigan the ball at the Washington 32-yard line.

Back-to-back runs from Corum moved Michigan to the 16-yard line, but on two of the next three plays, the Wolverines stopped themselves and were penalized for false starts. They entered the game leading the nation in fewest penalties, averaging 2.86 per game. Michigan was moved back to the 24-yard line and then added to its lead, 20-10, on a 38-yard field goal from James Turner, his second of the game.

It was the second time in the game Michigan failed to capitalize on big plays with touchdowns. In the second quarter, Corum had a 59-yard run, but the Wolverines ultimately settled for a field goal.

Another penalty, this time a 15-yard unnecessary roughness on Makari Paige, on the Huskies’ next drive, put them at the Michigan 34-yard line. Kenneth Grant, who had the lone sack for the Wolverines in the first half, tipped a first-down pass from Penix and three plays later, Grady Gross got his second field goal of the game, this time from 45 yards, to pull Washington within 20-13.

It was clear the Wolverines’ pass game wasn’t a threat. They mustered only six passing yards in the third quarter and 64 rushing, including 34 from McCarthy. At that point, McCarthy was 8-of-15 for 87 yards.

Michigan took a 17-10 lead into halftime on the strength of its explosive first quarter, in which the Wolverines gained 229 yards, including 174 rushing, boosted by big touchdown runs from Edwards. But the momentum shifted in the second quarter to the Huskies, who outscored Michigan, which mustered 61 total yards, 7-3. The Wolverines gained 34 yards on eight carries but McCarthy was 2-of-8 for 26 passing yards after completing 3 of 4 for 55 yards.

The first quarter was all about Michigan’s run game. The Huskies entered the game ranked 41st nationally in run defense allowing an average 137.1 yards per game, but the Wolverines gained 174 yards with three big gains, including two for touchdowns from Edwards, on runs of 41 and 46 yards. Corum closed out the first quarter with a 59-yard run.

Michigan started fast with a statement drive, racking up five first downs during an 84-yard, eight-play drive, with Edwards scoring on the 41-yard touchdown. That was the fourth touchdown of the season for the junior running back and gave the Wolverines a 7-0 lead.

Washington responded with a 14-play drive but stalled at the Michigan 8-yard line when Penix threw incomplete to Rome Odunze with Keon Sabb on coverage. Washington settled for a 25-yard field goal from Gross. Michigan entered the game ranked No. 2 nationally in red-zone defense, having allowed 16 scores, including 10 touchdowns.

The Wolverines worked quickly on their next possession, the second play a 37-yard pass from McCarthy to Wilson to the Washington 46-yard line. Two plays later, Edwards scored on a 46-yard run, the second-longest touchdown run in CFP history, to build a 14-3 lead.

After the Huskies went three-and-out, just before the end of the first quarter, Corum gained 59 yards to the Washington 20-yard line. The Wolverines scored for the third straight drive but settled for a field goal early in the second quarter. A pass breakup on a third-down throw from McCarthy to Cornelius Johnson forced a field goal. Michigan took a 17-3 lead when Turner made a 31-yarder.

Michigan’s defense forced a turnover on downs and got the ball with 10:27 left in the half from its 47-yard line but the Wolverines went three and out. The Wolverines' defense then forced a three-and-out and Kenneth Grant got the first sack of the game on Penix for a 12-yard loss. Penix faced pressure again and threw incomplete then came up seven yards short on third-and-22 and Washington was forced to punt.

The Wolverines also turned the ball over on downs in the first half after a questionable fourth-down play call that resulted in an incompletion from McCarthy to Wilson, and Edufuan Ulofoshio breaking up the pass. Failing on that fourth down proved costly for Michigan.

Washington, starting from its own 39-yard line and drove 61 yards on 11 plays and scored on a fourth-down, 3-yard touchdown pass from Penix to Jalen McMillan, to pull the Huskies within 17-10.

With 42 seconds left, Michigan started at its 25-yard line and immediately got moving on a 19-yard pass to Loveland. McCarthy completed a 7-yard pass to Johnson, but instead of running out of bounds, he tried to pick up yards, running crucial time off the clock and was tackled.

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