In the history of the College Football Playoff, there perhaps hasn't been a team that has faced more contrasting styles of offenses in their two CFP games than this year's Michigan team.

The top-ranked Wolverines battled the Alabama Crimson Tide on Monday in what was a low-scoring, ground-and-pound type of game between college football's two winningest programs.

Michigan ultimately won the game, and it went just about exactly how people thought it would go. There were no plays of more than 40 yards in Monday's Rose Bowl, and there were only two combined plays of more than 30 yards.

This Monday, though, Michigan will face off against a team whose offensive style of play is almost exactly the polar opposite of Alabama's.

Washington features arguably the most explosive offense in the country, which has played a significant role in getting the Huskies to the National Championship.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who finished second in this year's Heisman Trophy voting, headlines the Huskies' offense, and he's helped by a trio of excellent wide receivers: Rome Odunze, Ja'Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan.

Michigan has had plenty of recent success defending teams with dynamic quarterbacks and wide receivers. The Wolverines defeated C.J. Stroud, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2021 to claim the Big Ten East title, and although neither Jesse Minter nor Will Johnson were with the Michigan program for that game, they weighed in on how to stop such a high-powered offense.

"I wouldn't say that that specific game impacts what we do in this game, because they're kind of different styles of offenses, but definitely with having those three talented receivers [Olave, Wilson and Smith-Njigba] there's some similarities, for sure, how to stop that elite passing game," Johnson said on Saturday.

"I think structurally and schematically, they do some different things," Minter said. "I think when you look at the personnel... I think you have an elite quarterback in Washington that can process that can make all the throws. I think Stroud was similar to that — the guy we defended the last two years before this year. And their skill at receiver is certainly comparable talent-wise."

Minter noted that Odunze and Marvin Harrison Jr. will likely be the first two wide receivers selected in this year's NFL Draft.

Having already faced the near-consensus best receiver in college football, Johnson is ready for another challenge that Odunze will present in the National Championship.

"They have a great scheme," Johnson said. "They know how to get [Odunze] open a lot, put him in the right position a lot of the time. Penix is a great quarterback. Puts the ball in good spots for him, too. He has pretty good ball skills, tracks the ball well, has good hands. There's a reason why he has so many receiving yards this year — he's an elite receiver."

"I'm confident in myself in most matchups, so it's really just about the preparation. That's the biggest way I think about it. Preparing myself the best I can before the game and go out there and finish it and execute it."

Minter argued that one of Odunze's best traits is his ability to haul in the balls, even when coverage is extremely tight.

"I think it's his ability to make those contested catches that really separates him," Minter said. "He's obviously got a great skill set — he's big, he's fast, he runs really good routes, but he very rarely doesn't come down with the ball in the contested catch opportunities... His ability to make those key plays when he has tight coverage, I would say, is what makes him such a great player."

Of course, 50/50 balls present the defensive player with a chance to make a play as well, and that's exactly what Johnson is looking for in this matchup.

"Those 50/50 balls — there's a reason it's 50/50. Hopefully, that 50 goes my way. Definitely trying to make a play, and I'm sure I'll have opportunities to when the game comes."

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