2024 College Football Playoff National Championship

2024 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T
10th College Football Playoff National Championship
1234 Total
Washington 3730 13
Michigan 143314 34
DateJanuary 8, 2024
Season2023
StadiumNRG Stadium
LocationHouston, Texas
MVPBlake Corum (Michigan, RB)
Will Johnson (Michigan, CB)
FavoriteMichigan by 4.5[1]
National anthemFantasia[2]
RefereeMarcus Woods (ACC)[3]
Attendance72,808
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersChris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath (sidelines)
Nielsen ratings12.3 (25.1 million viewers)
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Deportes
Brazil: ESPN Brazil/Star+
Canada: TSN1/3/4/5
Latin America: ESPN/Star+
Oceania: ESPN
AnnouncersESPN Deportes: Eduardo Varela (play-by-play), Pablo Viruega (analyst), Katia Castorena (sidelines) and Sebastian M. Christensen (analyst)
ESPN Brazil: Matheus Pinheiro, Weinny Eirado, Deivis Chiodini and Giane Pessoa
College Football Playoff National Championship
 < 2023  2025

The 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship (officially known as the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T for sponsorship reasons) was a college football bowl game that was played on January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. The tenth College Football Playoff National Championship, the game determined the national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for the 2023 season. It was the final game of the 2023–24 College Football Playoff (CFP) and, aside from any all-star games afterward, the culminating game of the 2023–24 bowl season. The game began at approximately 6:45 p.m. CST and was televised nationally by ESPN.

The game featured the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference (winners of the Rose Bowl) and the No. 2 Washington Huskies of the Pac-12 Conference (winners of the Sugar Bowl). Michigan and Washington had met in four previous Rose Bowls (1978, 1981, 1992, 1993) in the traditional matchup between Big Ten and Pac-8/10 champions. The game was the first CFP National Championship Game without a participant from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) since the inaugural edition in 2015, which featured Ohio State and Oregon (also a Big Ten vs. Pac-12 matchup). Due to the planned expansion of the College Football Playoff to twelve teams beginning in 2024–25, it was the final CFP National Championship Game under the four-team format; it was also Washington's last game as a member of the Pac-12 before their move to the Big Ten in time for the 2024 season.

Michigan led at the conclusion of the first quarter after two touchdown rushes, each of more than 40 yards, by Donovan Edwards; a 25-yard field goal was Washington's only score until a touchdown pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Jalen McMillan late in the first half. This narrowed the Huskies' halftime deficit to seven points. Penix was intercepted on the first play of the second half, giving Michigan possession near the red zone and ultimately leading to a 38-yard field goal. Washington scored another field goal but a second Penix interception and a turnover on downs by the Huskies in the fourth quarter led to two more Michigan touchdowns, both rushes by Blake Corum, the eventual offensive most valuable player (MVP). Michigan won the game 34–13, securing their first national championship since 1997 and first outright national championship since 1948. The victory made them only the fourth NCAA FBS national champion to finish 15–0.

  1. ^ Hoefling, Jon (January 1, 2024). "Washington vs. Michigan: Odds and how to watch 2024 CFP National Championship". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "Fantasia to Perform National Anthem at 2024 CFP National Championship; Walker Hayes to Headline Allstate Championship Tailgate". College Football Playoff. December 21, 2023. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  3. ^ Austro, Ben (December 3, 2023). "2023–24 bowl officiating assignments". Football Zebras. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.