By Zach Braziller
HOUSTON — Slap an asterisk next to their name if you want.
Choose to remember Connor Stalions, the low-level staffer who led an alleged sign-stealing, in-game scouting scandal, when you recall how this 2023 college football season unfolded.
On the field, Michigan left no doubt.
Monday night, it completed a perfect, 15-0 season its way — with dominant defense, a punishing ground attack and a clutch quarterback who made big plays when they were needed.
It shut down Washington’s top-ranked passing attack and pummeled the Huskies on the ground, cruising to its first national championship in 26 years with a commanding 34-13 victory inside NRG Stadium.
“Off the field issues? We’re innocent,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said after leading his alma mater to its 12th national title, but just the second since 1948. “We stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent. These guys are innocent. [To] overcome that, it wasn’t that hard because we knew we were innocent.”
