Would a Michigan national championship be illegitimate? If so, it's not because of cheating

blake toppmeyer and john adams, usa today network

Fri, Jan 5, 2024, 11:28 PM·3 min read

Michigan is one victory away from winning a national championship while under separate NCAA investigations into allegations of recruiting violations and impermissible sign-stealing.

Hardly the scandals of the century, but enough to cast the Wolverines into the black-hat role. They remain unfazed.

“We use it as fuel,” offensive lineman LaDarius Henderson said after No. 1 Michigan beat No. 4 Alabama 27-20 in the Rose Bowl.

The twin investigations, though, have some wondering whether a Michigan national championship would be deemed illegitimate.

C’mon, really?

The way we see it, if Michigan beats No. 2 Washington on Monday, then the Wolverines are the champs. End of story. No need for an asterisk.

Let’s not forget, the College Football Playoff and the AP determine college football’s national champion, not the NCAA.

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On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams reject the idea of Michigan being an illegitimate champion.

They also unpack Alabama’s failed final play in Pasadena and examine the Crimson Tide’s path forward.

Later in the episode, a look at the fork in the road facing LSU’s Brian Kelly, who must hire new coordinators and reload on offense.

TOPPMEYER: Why Michigan football expected Alabama's play-call on last snap of Rose Bowl

ADAMS: Nico Show opens to rave reviews for Tennessee football. He was as good as billed vs Iowa

Finally, why didn’t Tennessee play Nico Iamaleava more? The freshman sizzled in his first career start during a 35-0 rout of Iowa in the Citrus Bowl. Adams can think of no good excuse for why Josh Heupel decided to redshirt Iamaleava.

Back to the topic of Michigan, beating Ohio State, Alabama and Washington would make the Wolverines legitimate champions, but they received a favor from the CFP selection committee when it rejected Georgia from the playoff.

Committee chair Boo Corrigan claimed the playoff represents the four-best teams.

We’re supposed to believe that Georgia, winners of 30 of its last 31 games, isn’t one of the nation’s four-best teams?

Nonsense.

So, if there’s any asterisk necessary on a potential Michigan national championship, it’s that the Wolverines didn’t have to face Georgia.

Come to think of it, wouldn’t it be nice to see Michigan and Georgia play about a week after Monday’s game between the Wolverines and Huskies in Houston?

Winner of the CFP versus the two-time defending national champion to determine the true national champion? More than a decade ago, when college football's powerbrokers considered a playoff system, they called it a “plus-one system.”

How's this for a modern-day plus-one?: Michigan vs. Georgia on Jan. 15.

Of course, who says Michigan beating Washington?

We like the Huskies' chance of an upset.

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