National Champions!!! Wolverines take down Washington 34-13 to claim CFP Title – Cosy Sports Update

NCAAFB – College Football Bowls
Last Night
CFP National Championship presented by AT&T – NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
(1) Michigan 34, (2) Washington 13

(1) Michigan 34, (2) Washington 13 – Harbaugh delivers a national title. Michigan overpowers Washington 34-13
Jim Harbaugh and No. 1 Michigan completed a three-year climb to a national championship by beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 Monday night in the College Football Playoff title game. Blake Corum ran for 134 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Wolverines. Michigan was undeterred by suspensions and a sign-stealing case that shadowed the program much of the season. The Wolverines sealed their first national title since 1997 when Corum blasted in from the 1-yard line with 3:37 left. The Wolverines (15-0) sealed their first national title since 1997 when Corum, who scored the winning touchdown in overtime against Alabama in the Rose Bowl semifinal, blasted in from the 1-yard line with 3:37 left to put Michigan up by 21 and set off another rousing rendition of “The Victors.”  After nine seasons coaching his alma mater and in his third consecutive playoff appearance, Harbaugh delivered the title so many expected when he took over a struggling powerhouse in 2015 — despite missing six regular-season games this season while serving separate suspensions.  And he did it with a team his old coach, Bo Schembechler, would have adored. The Wolverines ran for 303 yards against Washington (14-1), and their defense held Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies’ prolific passing game to just one touchdown while intercepting the Heisman Trophy runner-up twice.  Penix finished 27 for 51 for 255 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies had their 21-game winning streak snapped.   Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy had a modest game, throwing for 140 yards and running for 31. But it was enough for him to improve to 27-1 as a starter for the Wolverines.  Michigan gave Washington a taste of life in the Big Ten, where the Pac-12 champions are heading next season, and the Huskies were up for the grind for a while.  Two long touchdown runs by Donovan Edwards and 229 yards rushing in the first quarter put the Wolverines up 17-3 early in the second and conjured up memories of last year’s historic Georgia blowout of TCU.  Harbaugh returned for the postseason, completed the mission and got to celebrate with his father, Jack —as he accepted the trophy.  “Who has it better than us?” Jack Harbaugh asked the fans during the trophy ceremony. They replied with a boisterous: “Nobody!”

NCAAFB – Michigan is a unanimous No. 1 in final AP Top 25 football poll
Michigan was voted a unanimous No. 1 in the final Associated Press college football poll of the season after the Wolverines beat Washington to win their first national title in 26 years. The Wolverines received all 61 first-place votes. Washington was second, the Huskies’ best final ranking since finishing No. 2 in 1991. That year, Washington was No. 1 in the final coaches’ poll to claim its only national title. Texas, Georgia and Alabama rounded out the top five. Florida State, left out of the playoff after a perfect regular season, finished tied with Oregon for sixth.

NCAAFB – What’s next for Jim Harbaugh? Stay or go back to NFL
Michigan’s three-year climb to the summit of college football ended with its 34-13 over Washington in the College Football Playoff championship game. Now the Wolverines and their fans wait and see if Jim Harbaugh stays or goes. Harbaugh deflected all questions about his future during the lead-up to the title game, but decision time is drawing near as at least a half-dozen NFL franchises begin or consider searching for new coaches. Harbaugh looked into NFL jobs the last two years before deciding to stay at Michigan. It’s possible he won’t this time.

NCAAFB –Michigan, Washington a tantalizing preview of new Big Ten
The College Football Playoff championship was quite the stage for Washington and Michigan to get reacquainted with each other. The top-ranked Wolverines won the national championship with a 34-13 win Monday night. Starting next season, they will compete against each other for Big Ten titles every year. The Big Ten’s coast-to-coast expansion began in the summer of 2022 when it voted in Southern California and UCLA beginning in 2024. The Pac-12’s demolition was assured just over a year later when it failed to land a lucrative media rights contract. Oregon and Washington in August accepted invitations from the Big Ten.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Indiana Pacers 133, Boston Celtics 131
Chicago Bulls 119, Charlotte Hornets 112 – OT

Pacers 133, Celtics 131 – Pacers rally past Celtics 133-131 after Tyrese Haliburton injures hamstring
Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 points, including the deciding free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining, and the Indiana Pacers rallied after losing All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a hamstring injury to beat the Boston Celtics 133-131. Haliburton suffered a left hamstring strain after he slipped and did the splits on a drive in the second quarter. He was carried to the locker room by two teammates. Mathurin was fouled by Kristaps Porzingis on a 3-pointer just before time expired. The call was reviewed and upheld. Mathurin sank the first two free throws and missed the third on purpose. Jaylen Brown scored 40 points for the Celtics with Jayson Tatum sitting out.

Bulls 119, Hornets 112 – OT – Coby White scores 27 as Bulls hold on to beat Hornets 119-112 in OT
Coby White scored 27 points, Andre Drummond added 21 points and 15 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls overcame a 39-point performance from Terry Rozier to beat the Charlotte Hornets 119-112 in overtime. Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and nine rebounds in his second game back from an injury for the Bulls, who defeated the Hornets. Rozier had seven 3-pointers was 12-for-12 from the foul line for Charlotte. Miles Bridges added 24 points for the Hornets, who remain without starters LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams and Gordon Hayward and key reserves P.J. Washington and Cody Martin due to injuries. Charlotte has lost 13 of its last 14 games.

Tonight
Sacramento Kings at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NCAAMBB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
Northern Illinois at Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
Notre Dame at Georgia Tech, 9:00 p.m.

NCAAWBB – Women’s College Basketball
Tonight
Maryland at Michigan State, 6:00 p.m.
Minnesota at Michigan, 8:00 p.m.

NFL – More NFL teams could make coaching changes if they stumble early in the playoffs
It was a slow “Black Monday” across the NFL while everyone waits on Bill Belichick’s future with the New England Patriots. The Washington Commanders, as expected, fired coach Ron Rivera after his fourth straight losing season. The Carolina Panthers fired general manager Scott Fitterer after finishing an NFL-worst 2-15. The Atlanta Falcons didn’t even wait until Monday to fire Arthur Smith, releasing him late Sunday night, hours after a dismal 48-17 loss at New Orleans on a day that began with a division title still within grasp if Tampa Bay had lost. The Commanders and Falcons join the Panthers, Raiders and Chargers in a search for a new head coach. Whether the Patriots join that list is the big question.

NFL – With top pick and big questions about franchise’s future, Bears are on the clock
The Chicago Bears enter the offseason with the No. 1 pick in the draft for the second year in a row and huge questions about the future of the franchise. Caleb Williams or Drake Maye are there for the taking if the Bears decide to move on from quarterback Justin Fields. It’s also not clear whether coach Matt Eberflus will be back. But the Bears also insisted they laid a winning foundation this season and put themselves in position to contend in the NFC North next year. The Bears finished 7-10 in their second season under Poles and Eberflus after posting a league-worst 3-14 record last year.

Golf –Tiger Woods, Nike end partnership after more than 27 years
Tiger Woods is no longer a Nike athlete after 27 years, ending a partnership between the swoosh and golf’s biggest star and raising questions about the future of both in the sport. Woods in a social media post thanked Nike co-founder Phil Knight for his “passion and vision” that brought Nike and the Nike Golf partnership with Woods together. Mark Steinberg, his agent at Excel Sports, confirmed the end of the deal that began in 1996. Nike also posted to social media, saying in a photo, “It was a hell of a round, Tiger.”

MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Benton Harbor 71, St. Joseph 57

• Benton Harbor improved to 10-0 on the season after a 71-57 road win at St. Joe.  Mustapha Muhammad had a game high 26 points for the Tigers, while Antwan Callahan scored 24 and Josiah King had 10.   St. Joe also had 3 players in double figures with Kai Wyngarden scoring 20 to lead the Bears.   J.R. Scott and Jakob Diamond had 11 points each.

Girls Basketball
St. Joseph 46, Benton Harbor 26

• St. Joe got 10 points from Junior Ava Rommel as the Bears won at Benton Harbor 46-26.

Fennville at Eau Claire, PPD

Tonight
Boys Basketball
Lakeshore at Otsego, 7:15 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Countryside, 7:30 p.m.
Our Lady of the Lake at Howardsville Christian, 7:30 p.m.
River Valley at Eau Clarie, 8:00 p.m.
Buchanan at Berrien Springs, 7:00 p.m.
Dowagiac at Brandywine, 7:00 p.m.
Mattawan at Plainwell, 7:15 p.m.
Vicksburg at Portage Northern, 7:15 p.m.
Three Rivers at Gull Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Constantine at Allegan, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Bridgman, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Coloma, 7:00 p.m.
Holland Black River at Fennville, 7:00 p.m.
Martin at Grand Rapids Wellspring, 7;00 p.m.
Bronson at Parchment, 7:00 p.m.
Wyoming Potters House at Saugatuck, 7:00 p.m.
Lawton at South Haven, 7:00 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Watervliet, 7:00 p.m.
Lawrence at Centreville, 7:30 p.m.
Bangor at Comstock, 7:30 p.m.
Cassopolis at Marcellus, 7:30 p.m.
Hartford at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.
Bloomingdale at Decatur, Cancelled

Girls Basketball
Otsego at Lakeshore, 7:00 p.m.
Our Lady of the Lake at Howardsville Christian, 4:30 p.m.
River Valley at Eau Claire, 6:30 p.m.
New Buffalo at Watervliet Grace Christian, 6:00 p.m.
Buchanan at Berrien Springs, 5:45 p.m.
Dowagiac at Brandywine, 5:30 p.m.
Plainwell at Mattawan, 7:00 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Portage Central, 7:00 p.m.
Portage Northern at Vicksburg, 7:15 p.m.
Gull Lake at DeWitt, 7:00 p.m.
Colon at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 7:00 p.m.
Delton Kellogg at Battle Creek Academy, 5:30 p.m.
Bridgman at Constantine, 7:00 p.m.
Watervliet at Kalamazoo Christian, 7:00 p.m.
Coloma at Kalamazoo Hackett, 7:00 p.m.
South Haven at Lawton, 7:00 p.m.
Allegan at Schoolcraft, 7:00 p.m.
Saugatuck at Wyoming Potters House, 7:00 p.m.
Lawrence at Centreville, 6:00p.m.
Bangor at Comstock, 6:00p.m.
Cassopolis at Marcellus, 6:00 p.m.
White Pigeon at Hartford, 7:30 p.m.
Bloomingdale at Decatur, 7:30 p.m.