Revisiting the J.J. McCarthy vs. Michael Penix Jr. CFP championship matchup between Michigan, Washington

JJ McCarthy is coming off a magnificent debut with the Minnesota Vikings – one where he led with three fourth-quarter touchdown drives in a 27-24 victory against the Chicago Bears. 

Michael Penix Jr. nearly led a comeback for the Atlanta Falcons against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 23-20 loss. Now, the two quarterbacks – both first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft – meet again on Sunday Night Football in Week 2. It's the first time since the 2024 College Football Playoff championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies. That is a link the two quarterbacks will share throughout their respective NFL careers. 

Penix led Washington to a 14-1 record that season and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting. The Huskies won the final Pac-12 championship under coach Kalen DeBoer. McCarthy led Michigan to a perfect 15-0 record under Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines beat the Huskies 34-13 on Jan. 8, 2024. 

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This wasn't quite the Baker Mayfield-Patrick Mahomes duel in college, but McCarthy and Penix, but those memories will resurface Sunday night. 

J.J. McCarthy's college career at Michigan 

McCarthy played three seasons at Michigan from 2021-23. He played in a package role as a true freshman behind backup quarterback Cade McNamara in 2021. McCarthy won the starting job the following season and led Michigan to back-to-back Big Ten championships and CFP appearances. 

McCarthy’s winning record as a starter has gained more attention this week. He compiled a 34-2 record in high school with Nazareth (La Grange Park, Ill.) and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), and he finished 27-1 with the Wolverines. In two victories against Ohio State, McCarthy finished with 411 yards, four TDs and no interceptions. 

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He led Michigan to a 27-20 overtime victory against Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2024, with 221 passing yards, three TDs and no interceptions. 

"This is the greatest quarterback in University of Michigan – college football history," Harbaugh said of McCarthy after the victory against the Crimson Tide. 

J.J. McCarthy's 2024 college football stats

Michael Penix Jr's college career at Washington 

Penix – a left-handed quarterback -- played six years in college. He started his career at Indiana, where he battled injuries through four years — with the highlight a COVID-impacted 2020 season when he led the Hoosiers to a 6-2 record.

Penix and DeBoer were a match at Washington from 2022-23. In two seasons, Penix led the Huskies to a 25-3 record. He passed for 4,641 yards, 31 TDs and eight interceptions in 2022. In 2023, Penix passed for 4,903 yards, 36 TDs and 11 interceptions – and led the Huskies to a perfect 13-0 record in the regular season. That included two victories against Oregon, where he totaled 621 yards, five TDs and one interception.

Penix passed for 430 yards and two TDs in a 37-31 victory against No. 3 Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 1, 2024 – which set up the matchup against Michigan. 

Michael Penix Jr.'s 2024 college football stats                    

J.J. McCarthy vs. Michael Penix Jr. college game box score

A look at McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr's stats from the 2023-24 CFP championship game:

McCarthy also had four carries for 31 yards. Penix had three carries for -5 yards. Each quarterback took one sack. 

Michigan vs. Washington in 2024 CFP championship 

This wasn't exactly a quarterback duel. Michigan had a 14-3 lead after the first quarter on a pair of touchdown runs by Donovan Edwards. Michigan had a 17-10 lead at halftime after Washington cut the lead with a 3-yard TD pass from Penix to Jalen McMillan. 

Penix faced a Michigan front that featured defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant – both first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. On the first possession of the second half, Will Johnson intercepted Penix, who was forced to be a high-volume passer. Despite five catches for 87 yards from Rome Odunze, the Huskies could not break through. 

McCarthy hit tight end Colston Loveland for a 41-yard pass that helped Michigan extend its lead to 27-13 after a Blake Corum TD run. Penix then threw his second interception to Mike Sainristil, and that set up Corum's second TD run. Michigan won 34-13. 

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Michigan cruised from there. The Wolverines had 13 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft and seven players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. Washington had 10 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft and one player taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

This was the last game for both coaches at those schools. Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers. DeBoer left for Alabama. 

Michael Penix Jr. vs. J.J. McCarthy: 2024 NFL Draft 

McCarthy and Penix were among the six quarterbacks selected in the first 12 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Atlanta took Penix with the No. 8 pick – a shocking pick considering veteran Kirk Cousins was signed to a four-year, $180 million deal that offseason. Penix would take over the starting job late in the 2024 season in Atlanta. 

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Minnesota took McCarthy with the No. 10 pick. He suffered a torn right meniscus which required season-ending surgery in the preseason. Sam Darnold led Minnesota to a 14-3 record, but the Vikings lost 27-9 to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card round. Seattle signed Darnold in the 2025 offseason. 

McCarthy and Penix were two of the seven future first-round picks who played in the 2024 CFP championship game. 

First-round picks from 2024 CFP championship game

Michael Penix Jr. vs. J.J. McCarthy in 2025 season 

Penix is the full-time starter for the Falcons ahead of Cousins this season. Atlanta lost to Tampa Bay 23-20 in Week 1 despite a comeback attempt from Penix, who scored a four-yard TD run with 2:17 remaining. Baker Mayfield then led the Buccaneers to a go-ahead TD with a 25-yard pass to Emeka Egbuka with 59 seconds remaining. 

Penix – who was 1-2 in three career stats last season – finished 27 of 42 for 298 yards and a TD. He added 21 rushing yards and a TD. 

McCarthy made his first start on Monday Night Football against Chicago. He shook off a third-quarter pick-six to Chicago's Nahson Wright, which gave the Bears a 17-6 lead. McCarthy then led three straight TD drives and hit Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones for TD passes. The Vikings won 27-24. 

McCarthy finished 13 of 20 for 143 yards, two TDs and an interception.