Most Recent CFB National Champion
The most recent College Football Playoff national champion is the Michigan Wolverines, who defeated the Washington Huskies 34-13 in the 2024 CFP National Championship game played on January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Michigan finished the season with a 15-0 record, marking the program's first unanimous national title since 1948 and its first CFP championship. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was named offensive MVP after throwing for 252 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 52 yards and another score. Michigan's defense held Washington to 217 total yards and forced three turnovers, including two interceptions by cornerback Will Johnson. The victory extended Michigan's all-time record to 1,013-460-35 and moved the program to No. 1 in the AP Poll for the first time since 1947. More details are available on the official CFP page at collegefootballplayoff.com.
Michigan's title run included wins over No. 2 Washington, No. 1 Ohio State, and No. 3 Alabama, with each victory coming by double digits in the final four. The Wolverines scored 163 points in the final three games while allowing only 31 points, finishing the season with a +291 point differential. Michigan's 2024 recruiting class, ranked No. 5 nationally by 247Sports, included five-star prospects such as defensive end Mason Graham and edge rusher Tommy Doman. The team's offensive line allowed only eight sacks in the final four games, and running back Blake Corum rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the championship. The program's revenue for the fiscal year ending in 2023 was reported at $128 million by the university, with ticket sales and media rights as primary drivers, according to financial disclosures available at Mgoia.org.
2024 CFP Championship Game Details
The 2024 CFP National Championship featured the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines against the No. 2 Washington Huskies in a rematch of their regular-season meeting, which Michigan won 39-18 in Ann Arbor. The championship game attendance was 72,808, and the broadcast on ESPN drew an average of 27.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched CFP title game since the 2021 edition. Michigan took a 21-10 halftime lead behind a 67-yard touchdown run by Corum and a 43-yard field goal by placekicker James Turner. Washington responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive in the third quarter, capped by quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s 2-yard touchdown pass to Dante Boccia, but Michigan answered with a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to extend the lead to 31-13. The final score of 34-13 marked Michigan's sixth national championship in program history and its first since the 2023 season, when the Wolverines completed a 13-0 regular season before falling in the CFP semifinals. Game stats and play-by-play are archived at ESPN.com.
Key statistical leaders for Michigan in the championship included McCarthy, who completed 13 of 19 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Corum, who finished with 10 carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Washington's Penix Jr. completed 21 of 34 passes for 206 yards and one touchdown but threw two interceptions, while running back Wayne Taulapapa rushed for