By Beck Silver
As the final seconds counted down on the 2024 National Championship, the Michigan Wolverines enjoyed their first championship win since the 1997 season. However, looming in the programs near future was a rematch with the Washington Huskies, who they’d just defeated in a well-controlled 34-13 win.
October 5th, 2024 will see Michigan travel to Washington to face the Huskies for the first time since 2001, which resulted in a narrow 23-18 win for the Huskies. When at home, the Huskies have dominated the series winning four of six home games against the Wolverines. All eyes are on the mid-season matchup between the two previous-season powerhouses, but will this game live up to the anticipation or be a letdown for Wolverines and Huskies alike?
Although both teams saw great success in the 23-24 season, it’s become widely accepted that they may face a step back this year. With each team struggling in returning production, a new head coach and the loss of key offensive players to the first round of the NFL draft, JJ McCarthy for the Wolverines and Michael Penix Jr. for the Huskies, expectations are low among the college football community. Both teams can, however, see a light at the end of the tunnel.
The Michigan Wolverines, although hurting after their head coach Jim Harbaugh took a job with the Los Angeles Chargers, have welcomed former OC Sherrone Moore into the head coaching position. This won’t be the first time Moore has steered the ship, however, as he was the interim head coach for the wins against both Penn State and Ohio State last season, among others. Additionally, Michigan will likely be in a better position when it comes to roster strength. Although they lost a great amount of talent this year, Washington is one of only a few teams ranking below them in returning production.
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The Huskies, on the other hand, are welcoming a completely new addition in the head coaching position. Jedd Fisch, former head coach of the Arizona Wildcats, will be taking over the program in Seattle. Fisch saw a strong final season with the Wildcats, finishing 10-3 and beating the Oklahoma Sooners in the Alamo Bowl. A big factor in the Huskies favor for this rematch is the location. This game will take place at home for the Huskies, something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The final twist in this rematch is that, although it may not sound quite right, this year the Washington Huskies will be a member of the Big 10, making this a conference matchup. In the 2023 regular season they were 1-0 against Big 10 teams, however this game was against a Michigan State program experiencing a major down year with sudden staffing changes. Will the Huskies be ready to face the Big 10 elite?
This matchup may look a little different than the game in January, however by no means will this be a throwaway game. Although plagued with change, these teams are young, hungry, and ready to show the world that the 2023-24 season was not a fluke but instead a testament to their respective programs. This week six game will be a great temperature check for both programs, and an exciting fight for the Huskies and Wolverines who make their way to Husky Stadium.
