No. 1 vs. No. 2 in CFP title games: Michigan will look to reverse history vs. Washington
So far, the College Football Playoff bracket has unfolded how as it was designed to, with the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the four-team field winning their semifinal contests against lower-rated opponents.
Given those results, Monday night’s national championship game between Michigan and Washington is a matchup of the top two teams in the final playoff rankings of the 2023 season. It marks the fourth time in the playoff’s 10-year history that the No. 1 team has faced the No. 2 team in the title game.
What does recent history say about the potential outcome of Monday's game? If the Wolverines are to secure their first national championship since 1997, they will have to buck a disturbing trend involving No. 1 teams.
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No. 1 vs. No. 2 in CFP championship games
The history of such matchups isn’t encouraging for the top-ranked Wolverines as they aim to secure their first national championship since 1997. In each of those previous three games, the No. 2 team defeated the No. 1 team, with each matchup involving Alabama and Clemson.
2015: No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40
2016: No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31
2018: No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16
2023: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington
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List of College Football Playoff championship games
Below is a list of College Football Playoff championship games, with contests between the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in bold. The year listed is the college football season in question, not the calendar year in which the game took place.
2014: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20
2015: No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40
2016: No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31
2017: No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT)
2018: No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16
2019: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25
2020: No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24
2021: No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18
2022: No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7
2023: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Washington
CFP championship game record by rank
Unsurprisingly, teams ranked No. 1 in the final CFP top 25 have the most appearances in the championship game, with eight (including No. 1 Michigan in 2023). But the No. 1-ranked team has the second-worst win percentage in the game at 42.9%.
No. 3-ranked teams are tied for the second-most appearances, with five. They also have the worst overall record in the title game, going 1-4 (20.0%). The No. 2 seed (including Washington) is tied for the second-most appearances and is tied for the most CFP title game victories, whereas the No. 4 seed has the fewest championship game appearances and the only undefeated record.
No. 1: 3-4
No. 2: 3-1
No. 3: 1-4
No. 4: 2-0
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football aims to reverse history of 1-vs.-2 CFP title games
