10 most important players in the CFP championship game

The top-ranked Michigan Wolverines (14-0) take on the No. 2 Washington Huskies (14-0) in the College Football Playoff championship game at NRG Stadium on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN). 

With plenty of talent set to be on display, here are 10 players who could sway the outcome.

Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.: After a dazzling 430-yard, two-touchdown outing in Washington's semifinal win over Texas, all eyes are on Penix to see if he builds on that effort. The Heisman Trophy runner-up leads the nation in passing yards (4,648) while ranking second in touchdowns (35), and his performance will undoubtedly be the decisive factor in Monday's contest. 

However, the Wolverines defense could prove to be Penix's toughest challenge of his six-year collegiate career, given that the unit allows the second-fewest passing yards per game in the nation (150).

Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy: Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh and former Wolverines signal-caller Tom Brady have already proclaimed McCarthy — now 26-1 as a starter — as the best quarterback in program history. Winning the national championship would solidify that claim. 

The 20-year-old threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns against Alabama last week, coming through in the clutch by orchestrating a 75-yard game-tying touchdown drive with just 1:34 remaining in regulation before the Wolverines ultimately prevailed in overtime. 

Washington WR Rome Odunze: Odunze, Washington's leading receiver (1,553), is coming off his 10th 100-yard receiving game of the season and will have the formidable Michigan secondary's undivided attention. The Biletnikoff Award finalist averages 110.9 yards per game and has scored a touchdown in eight of 14 contests this season. 

If the Penix-Odunze connection reaches its peak on Monday, we could see the Pac-12 single-season receiving record shattered, as the junior wide receiver needs 178 yards to accomplish the feat. 

Michigan RB Blake Corum: The hero of the Wolverines' Rose Bowl victory, Corum tallied 118 total yards and two touchdowns against Alabama, including the eventual game-winning score in overtime. Corum has rushed for 1,111 yards and a nation-best 25 touchdowns this season and will continue to be the focal point of Michigan's offense on Monday. 

Alabama boasted a better run defense statistically than what the Huskies have, but the unit still allows a respectable 137.1 rushing yards per game, 41st among FBS teams. 

Michigan DB Will Johnson: With the Huskies having three NFL-caliber wideouts at their disposal, it'll be extremely difficult to completely shut them out, though if Johnson plays his usual game, Michigan may be able to contain the trio. Johnson, who ranks second on the team in interceptions (three) and pass breakups (four), has been one of the best coverage cornerbacks in college football this season. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson hasn't given up a touchdown and has limited opposing quarterbacks to a 35.4 passer rating when targeting him, the fifth-best mark for a cornerback with at least 250 coverage snaps played. 

Washington edge-rusher Bralen Trice: While Washington's pass rush could be an easier test than projected first-round pick LB Dallas Turner and the Alabama defense for Michigan's offensive line, Trice has the potential to be a game-wrecker. Trice has accounted for seven of the Huskies' 21 sacks this season, two of which came in the Sugar Bowl, where he earned defensive MVP honors. 

In ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.'s prospect rankings, Trice is the third-highest-rated outside linebacker in the 2024 class, and he could establish himself as a surefire first-rounder with another strong showing on Monday.

Michigan WR Roman Wilson: Wilson was the receiver McCarthy connected with on the game-tying touchdown pass to help send the Rose Bowl to overtime, and the senior should be heavily relied upon against the Huskies. On the season, Wilson has caught 45 passes for 735 yards and 12 touchdowns, the second-most in the Big Ten. 

The Huskies secondary is a weak point, ranking 140th in passing yards per game allowed (267.1), suggesting Wilson is well-positioned to exploit the vulnerable position group. 

Washington OT Troy Fautanu: Another projected first-round pick and Kiper's 15th-ranked prospect, Fautanu is the backbone of a Huskies offensive line that has surrendered the fourth-fewest sacks in the country this season (11). The 6-foot-4, 317-pounder is having his worst season statistically, but that's simply because he's set the bar so high, as he has allowed just two sacks and two quarterback hits. 

Even so, Fautanu and his fellow linemen will have their hands full against a Wolverines pass rush that has racked up 38 sacks this season, including six against Alabama in the Rose Bowl. 

Michigan LB Michael Barrett: No player in program history has won more games than Barrett, a team captain who arrived in Ann Arbor as a three-star quarterback recruit. As per PFF's grading system, Barrett ranks as the third-highest-rated linebacker in college football (90) and the second-best player at the position in terms of pass-rushing (93). 

The all-conference third-teamer will aim to repeat his stellar effort from Michigan's Rose Bowl win, during which he posted 10 total tackles, one for loss and one sack. 

Washington WR Ja'Lynn Polk: The former Texas Tech Red Raider entered 2023 regarded as the Huskies' third-best receiver, but a mid-season knee injury to Jalen McMillan paved the way for Polk to showcase his potential. Polk, the Huskies' second-leading receiver (1,122 yards), was integral in last week's thrilling win over the Longhorns, hauling in five passes for 122 yards and one touchdown. 

Obviously, the stakes are higher than ever, but a win on Monday would mean a bit more for Polk, seeing as though he grew up in Lufkin, Texas, roughly two hours away from NRG Stadium.