Michigan on CFP failures: ‘Change the narrative’
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Paolo Uggetti, ESPN
LOS ANGELES — For the third year in a row, Michigan finds itself in a familiar position. The Wolverines are in the College Football Playoff hoping to do the one thing they haven’t been able to do in two straight semifinal appearances — win.
Last season, Jim Harbaugh’s team was the favorite in a Fiesta Bowl matchup against TCU and played the part of the superior, more confident team well. That is, until the Horned Frogs shocked them with the upset.
As the No. 1 Wolverines hope to avoid another semifinal loss this year, quarterback J.J. McCarthy is convinced his and the team’s approach is much improved.
“I felt like last year I got caught up in the noise and all the emotions of it,” McCarthy said Friday. “I’m just trying to stay simple, trying to focus on dominating meetings, dominating practice.”
McCarthy, who said he is “100%” healthy heading into the team’s New Year’s Day matchup with Alabama in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (5 p.m. ET, ESPN), led the Wolverines to an undefeated season while throwing for 2,630 yards and 19 touchdowns. Though McCarthy posted similar numbers last season, when it came to having to face TCU, the junior threw two interceptions in the loss.
Asked if that had been his worst moment as a quarterback, McCarthy couldn’t help but agree.
“In terms of just the moment that it happened, yeah, I’d say it is,” he said. “I’ve just been focusing this entire offseason to make sure I’m locked in on all the little details and that doesn’t happen again.”
“Last year I think it was a lack of focus, execution, obviously,” tight end Colston Loveland said. “I think that’s just one thing that we’ve been focused on is just … we’ve got to be going in there, everything perfect. All the little details, really focusing on them. And I think that’s one thing that we learned from last year.”
Following back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, three wins over Ohio State and three Big Ten championships, the Wolverines are aware that the only thing left to accomplish is winning a national title.
“I think the guys are very unsatisfied with everything that’s gone on this past year,” offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore said. “They’re craving more. They want more. The goal has been set from the very beginning of what they want, and they’re not satisfied until they get it.”
The challenge at hand is not easy, and the Wolverines know it.
If there was any part of them that overlooked TCU last season, that is not the case with Alabama, whose history as a winning program precedes them.
“I don’t think you can hold anything in this game,” Moore said of how his offense will attack the Crimson Tide’s defense. “I think it’s all bets are off. You’ve got to play physical. You’ve got to play to win, and that’s what we’re going to go do.”
For some players, winning the next two games is less about erasing what happened the past two seasons against Georgia in 2021 and TCU last year, but more about etching their name in Michigan history.
“I think everyone wants to change the narrative of Michigan football or how we can’t win postseason games or we haven’t won a [national title] in forever or whatever it may be,” offensive lineman Drake Nugent said. “They are motivated not just for that reason but motivated to solidify their legacies in Michigan football.”
Nugent said that earlier this week the team spoke to offensive tackle Jon Jansen, who was part of the 1997 Michigan team that won the national title by finishing an undefeated season with a Rose Bowl victory. Jansen’s speech, Nugent said, was centered around the fact that he loves talking about the ’97 team, while hating it because it means nothing of equal significance has happened for the program since.
“We all know that if we win this whole thing that it really galvanizes Michigan football history forever,” Nugent said. “That’s what is in the back of everyone’s mind. I think that’s probably the biggest motivating factor for us.”
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Eli Lederman
Oklahoma defensive lineman R Mason Thomas will be suspended for the first half of the Sooners’ Week 4 visit from No. 24 Auburn following a targeting ejection Saturday.
Thomas, Oklahoma’s 2024 sack leader, was ejected in the third quarter of the program’s Week 3 visit to Temple on Saturday afternoon following a high hit on Owls quarterback Evan Simon.
Thomas was initially penalized for roughing the passer with the Sooners leading 28-3. The penalty was upgraded to targeting following an official review. Per NCAA rules, targeting penalties incurred in the second half of a game result in a first-half suspension in the subsequent game.
Thomas’ ejection will leave the 13th-ranked Sooners without one of their top defenders for the first half of next week’s SEC opener against Auburn. That game also marks the return of former Sooner and current Tigers starting quarterback Jackson Arnold to Norman, where the former five-star quarterback made nine starts for OU last season before entering the transfer portal and landing with Auburn last December.
Thomas’ ejection aside, Oklahoma faced very little adversity Saturday against Temple. Quarterback John Mateer threw for 282 yards and a touchdown and had a 51-yard rushing score, and running back Tory Blaylock rushed for 100 yards and a pair of TDs in the 42-3 victory.
The Sooners (3-0) took a 25-0 lead in the first half of the game, which was played at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, and never looked back.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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