INDIA—Last season, Michigan easily defeated its opponents 15-0 to capture its first national championship since 1997.
The Wolverines accomplished this during a season in which they trained for an unfulfilled dream: a rematch with Georgia football.
The Bulldogs were aiming for a three-peat championship after defeating the Wolverines in the national semifinal of the Orange Bowl in 2021 and 2022, which also marked coach Kirby Smart’s first title win.
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Michigan practiced a “Beat Georgia” phase.
Similar to how the rival Ohio State Buckeyes experienced a “Beat Ohio” phase in 2021.
Defensive end Braiden McGregor stated, “That was a big thing,” on Wednesday at the Indiana Convention Center during the NFL Combine. “The run is downhill. Four plays would go to the ones. Four plays would be made to the twos. This is the red zone in, and you start at the 25. It’s basically a matter of pride vs offense. That was significant. We were able to move on after that.
Then followed what he referred to as “the Georgia beatdown,” a 34-11 Bulldog victory in the Orange Bowl.
“We brought that in, you get three downs, it was mixed downs,” he remarked. “One pass play and two run plays are yours. Thus, you never know when it will arrive. You’re not giving the run as much attention. That, I believe, also elevated us to a new level.
