After 135 days of college football, another season was wrapped up Monday night when the Michigan Wolverines were crowned the undisputed national champions of 2023.
The champions of the Big Ten did it the old fashioned way, by running through and around the Washington Huskies for all four of its touchdowns -- two by Donovan Edwards in the first quarter and two by Blake Corum in the fourth quarter, which sandwiched a pair of field goals.
The 34-13 game was settled early, got a little tighter for a while at 20-13, but in the end the Huskies played like the run was something alien to them as they gave up 303 yards on the ground, with Corum and Donovan combining for 238.
There were many who believed the championship game had been played when the undefeated Wolverines beat Alabama in the semifinal 27-20 in overtime. That night the Tide had the same problem, stopping Michigan's balanced offensive attack.
In that game's overtime, Corum ran 17 yards for a touchdown on Michigan's first possession and then the No. 1 defense in America held the Crimson Tide to 2 yards in their overtime possession.
Up until the semifinals, there had been more controversy over the College Football Playoff selection committee's decision to leave ACC and undefeated Florida State out than most knew.
Outgoing CFP President Bill Hancock admitted to having had to hire extra security for himself and others after receiving threats from people identifying themselves as Florida State fans.
That takes fanaticism to a new and lower level.
Monday night's game was not really as close as the score ever indicated.
The Wolverines scored on their first three possessions when Edwards flashed through the Huskies for touchdown runs of 41 and 46 yards and a 17-3 lead before Washington mounted its only touchdown drive of the game, an 11-play, 61-yard event that ended on a 3-yard pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Jalen McMillan.
Penix, who had a six-year career, and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy had pedestrian games.
Penix, who doesn't have a classic overhand delivery, overthrew receivers and into double coverage, plus Michigan pressured him enough to rattle him. He threw two interceptions.
McCarthy, a game manager, completed 10 of 18 passes for 140 yards, which was just enough to keep the Michigan running attack in high gear.
Even when it was 20-13, it didn't seem likely Washington had enough offense against a greater defense. This had to serve as a wake-up call for the Huskies, who didn't have the speed or physicality of a Big Ten team, but that's the league they will be calling home next season.
The only down of this season for the Wolverines were a couple of incidents that saw Coach Jim Harbaugh suspended for the first three and last three regular season games.
In time, though, no one will remember that. In 2003 Southern Cal won a national championship that was later stripped, most football fans still call the Trojans national champs. Now that players are being paid to play, there is a movement to have their title restored.
Probably won't happen, but 19 years later no one cares that Tommy Tuberville and undefeated Auburn were robbed of national championship.
The talk today and in the weeks to come will be about Michigan, its dominant defense and running attack that combined speed with power.
The season-finale was two undefeated teams, but Michigan was clearly the best from start to finish and in years to come that is what will be remembered.