Pac-12 Football

Jayden Maiava's Georgia career was short-lived.

On Monday, the father of the former UNLV quarterback said Maiava was on his way to the Bulldogs. By Wednesday, William Maiava-Pratt told ESPN's Tom VanHaaren his son has now settled on USC.

VanHaaren reported the change came after Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley "made a final pitch."

If anything, the bigger surprise might be Maiava picking Georgia in the first place. Carson Beck, the Bulldogs' leading passer in 2023, confirmed he's returning for his senior year, and he'll have the inside track on the starting job for 2024.

USC's quarterback room, on the other hand, is wide open. Caleb Williams is almost universally considered at top-five pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and Malachi Nelson is transferring to Boise State.

Miller Moss went 23-of-33 for 372 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in a 42-28 win over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl, but the pursuit of Maiava signaled how the coaching staff wasn't letting one game alter its offseason plans.

The Trojans had been linked with former Kansas State QB Will Howard, who ultimately picked Ohio State. In Maiava, Riley may have found a better alternative.

Whereas Howard is a graduate transfer, Maiava has as many as three years of eligibility remaining. He should be a great fit in Riley's offense as well. He threw for 3,085 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with the Rebels in 2023. He also ran for 277 yards and three touchdowns.

Unlike some of Riley's recent success stories, Maiava wasn't a blue-chip recruit coming out of high school. He was a 3-star talent and the No. 53 quarterback in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2022.

The Nevada native nonetheless turned some heads at UNLV, and Trojans fans will be eagerly anticipating what he can do in Southern California.

Michael Penix Jr. couldn't overcome the Wolverines' defense as No. 2 Washington lost to No. 1 Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship game by the final score of 34-13 on Monday night.

Penix Jr. threw for a modest 255 yards, although he completed just 52.9 percent of his passes while throwing just one touchdown to go along with two costly interceptions. This was just his second game with multiple interceptions this season and his first since Oct. 21.

Washington's undefeated season came to an end, as the Huskies' high-powered offense scored a season-low 13 points. Penix Jr. was uncharacteristically inaccurate all night long, routinely missing throws to uncovered receivers.

College football fans were bewildered by the struggles of the quarterback who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.

MICHIGAN PICKS OFF PENIX JR. ON FOURTH DOWN! 😱#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/Kgh8ua2Rxz

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

Washington turnover on downs! 😳

Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze can't connect on the deep pass. #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/oo3bBV8xgQ

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

Michael Penix played Texas last week and couldn’t miss a throw to save his life, now he want to come out here and start missing throws!??

I’m sick!! 🤮🤮🤮

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 9, 2024

This one isn’t on Washington’s defense.

Gave Penix and co. every possible chance with like 9 straight stops.

— Kris (@mizkris18) January 9, 2024

Really need Michael Penix Jr. to start Michael Penix Jr-ing

— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) January 9, 2024

Penix’s mechanics are absolutely brutal whenever he’s forced to work off platform. Has a bad habit of dipping his elbow that hurts his accuracy significantly.

— karan (@905Kar) January 9, 2024

This version of Penix is basically a completely different player from last week.

— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) January 9, 2024

This game by Penix is going to end up having a similar effect on his draft evals as CJ Stroud’s game against Georgia.

But, like…opposite.

— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 9, 2024

As good as Penix looked in the national semifinal he has looked equally as bad in the title game. Happy feet, peeking at the rush, inaccurate down the field. Dramatizing every hit he took all night. Credit the UM defense, but tonight was just too fast for him. #CFPChampionship

— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) January 9, 2024

Just the worst possible night Penix couldve had. Struggling against an elite defense. Knee injury scare. Coaching losing confidence in him and having him do these weak little PA dump offs and screens. Every NFL suit who wasn't high on him has all the footage they need this game

— ✨🦫America Is Musty🦫✨ (@DragonflyJonez) January 9, 2024

Penix legit went from the best tape to the worst tape in the span of two games

— Super Bowl Champions (@IOnlySayFacts) January 9, 2024

Michigan has a legit defense

AND Penix is totally off today.

Not a good mix. Damn.

— Brandon C (@UWFBopinions) January 9, 2024

Although their season had a bittersweet end, the Huskies still won the first College Football Playoff game in school history by defeating Texas in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. However, Penix Jr. underwhelmed and prevented Washington from winning its penultimate game.

Monday night's College Football Playoff title game is star-studded, but one box at NRG Stadium in Houston has some real star power.

Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Stephen A. Smith, Travis Scott and more celebrities were seen together in the same box during the national championship game.

"The box to be in!"

MJ, Derek Jeter, Travis Scott, Stephen A. and more pulled up for the #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/9xyE1wTYst

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 9, 2024

It's safe to say Jeter and Jordan know a thing or two about winning championships. Jordan won six during his time with the Chicago Bulls and Jeter won five World Series for the New York Yankees during his career.

It's not clear who the stars are supporting in the game, but it can be assumed Jeter is rooting for his alma mater, Michigan.

The Wolverines are looking to win their first national championship since 1997, while the Huskies are gunning for their first championship since 1991. Neither team has won a title in the CFP era, which began in 2014.

Both teams are looking to cap off undefeated seasons with a championship. Michigan topped Alabama in an overtime thriller to reach the title game, while Washington got past Texas in the semifinal.

The College Football National Championship game between No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington kicked off Monday night between a pair of undefeated teams.

The Wolverines topped No. 4 Alabama 27-20 in an overtime thriller last week in the CFP Semifinal to advance to the title game. Michigan has faced plenty of adversity this season, dealing with a sign-stealing investigation and managing two separate suspensions for head coach Jim Harbaugh while remaining dominant all season.

Washington came into the game looking for its first National Championship since 1991. In their second CFP appearance, the Huskies topped Texas 37-31 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl to reach the title game. Led by quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Washington's offense proved itself as one of the best in the country all season, and the Huskies had their work cut out for them against Michigan's top-ranked defense.

Here were the highlights from an exciting final game of the college football season.

Fourth Quarter

After exchanging field goals in the third quarter, Michigan extended its 20-13 lead about halfway through the fourth quarter, mounting a 71-yard drive capped off by a 12-yard Blake Corum touchdown run.

Blake Corum will not be denied 😤

📺 ESPN#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/oodNCYI0mr

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) January 9, 2024

With Michigan leading 27-13, Washington was in need of a big drive. The Huskies managed to get in the red zone, but another Penix interception just about sealed the game for Michigan. Mike Sainristil pulled down the interception, taking it all the way down to Washington's eight yard line.

MICHIGAN PICKS OFF PENIX JR. ON FOURTH DOWN! 😱#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/Kgh8ua2Rxz

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

Just a few plays later, Corum punched in his second touchdown of the game from a yard out to make it a 34-13 game.

BLAKE CORUM BACK IN THE END ZONE! 🔥#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/BOGhAi4nVn

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

MICHIGAN IS READY FOR THEIR RINGS 💍#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/rWBTZ8IuOY

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 9, 2024

Third Quarter

Things got off to a rocky start for Washington's offense in the second half. On the first play out of the half, Michigan's Will Johnson picked off Penix's short throw, setting the Wolverines up in good field position. Michigan managed to capitalize off the turnover with a field goal.

WILL JOHNSON PICKS OFF PENIX JR. TO START THE SECOND HALF 😱#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/RiG1j5jXeL

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

Second Quarter

Michigan took a 17-3 lead early in the second quarter on a field goal, and the Huskies needed an answer before halftime. They got just that to make it a 17-10 game in the final minute of the half.

Washington's defense got a huge stop on fourth down, giving Penix the ball on the Huskies' 39-yard line. From there, Washington marched down the field and got some help from a pass interference call to get the ball on the three-yard line. On fourth down, the Huskies went for it and Penix delivered, finding Jalen McMillan in the endzone.

WASHINGTON ANSWERS BEFORE THE HALF 🔥

WE'VE GOT OURSELVES A GAME! 😤 #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/edJOq2BL5V

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

First Quarter

Michigan struck first on the first possession of the game. After fielding the opening kickoff at their own 16-yard line, the Wolverines mounted an 84-yard drive, capped off by an explosive 41-yard touchdown on the ground from Donovan Edwards.

DONOVAN EDWARDS OPENS THE SCORING FOR MICHIGAN 😤#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/TIaUfkNlZU

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

Edwards struck again on the next possession. After Michigan held Washington to a field goal, the Wolverines mounted an 86-yard drive, once again finding the endzone on a huge run by Edwards to make it a 14-3 lead. He blew past the Huskies' defense for a 46-yard touchdown, giving him 87-yards on two carries through the first two drives.

SO NICE HE HAD TO DO IT TWICE 🔥

Donovan Edwards with his SECOND TD of the night 😱 #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/HiaSyzfTLb

— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2024

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is jogging again after having undergone nearly a dozen surgeries to address persistent blood clotting in his legs.

Sanders shared a video on Instagram in which he was working out at the Buffaloes' indoor practice facility. He said it was the first time he has felt good enough to jog since the series of procedures began:

Deion Sanders jogged for the first time since having 11 surgeries due to blood clots in his legs and thighs 🙌

(via @DeionSanders / IG)pic.twitter.com/sed9FOJUcW

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 7, 2024

Sanders had two of his toes amputated in 2021 due to issues with the blood circulation in his left foot. He told USA Today's Jarrett Bell the toes were "charcoal black" and added he preferred to have them removed rather than saving them at the cost of missing more games while coaching at Jackson State.

Sanders said in June he continued to experience trouble with his left foot and that amputating the entire foot may be required. He followed up days later to say doctors advised him to have surgery on both feet for the clotting but that there was "no talk of amputation."

The Hall of Fame cornerback told Bell he's "chasing normalcy" in terms of his physical health.

"That's all I want," he said. "I want normalcy. I want to be able to walk in two shoes and not be in pain, not taking meds all night. At one point, man, I was taking so many darn pills every night, it was like, 'C'mon. I can't live the rest of my life like this.' It was double-figure pills."

Sanders wrapped up his first season in Boulder in November. The Buffs finished 4-8, a three-win improvement from 2022.

Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze believes his conference doesn't get the respect it deserves.

Per ESPN's Kyle Bonagura, Odunze said the Pac-12, which will have just two teams next season, has been overlooked for its entire 108-year tenure.

"I think the Pac-12 has been slept on for the entire time that it has existed," Odunze said. "Sadly, it's coming to an end."

Since its conception in 1915, the Pac-12 has had a team recognized as the consensus National Champion 10 different times. Odunze and the Huskies are looking to be the Pac-12's first national champion of the College Football Playoff era when they take on Michigan on Monday.

Part of what has led to the Pac-12 being overlooked as one of the top conferences in football is its lack of contenders in the CFP.

Since the Playoff began in 2014, the Pac-12 has had just three appearances—Oregon in 2014 and Washington in 2016 and again this season. Now, with the Pac-12 facing a possible collapse, getting respect becomes a much more difficult task.

Washington, along with Oregon, UCLA and USC will leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten next season. Cal and Stanford are joining the ACC, and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are departing for the Big 12.

With those exits, the Pac-12 will have just two teams in Oregon State and Washington State. The two teams' schedules will consist mostly of Mountain West opponents as they hope for a potential rebuild of the conference that Odunze believes is "slept on."

As 2024 NFL draft conversations heat up, evaluations of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. have yielded mixed responses.

Per ESPN's Matt Miller, the Heisman Trophy runner-up has received grades as a first-rounder and third-rounder from NFL scouts.

"I asked 10 NFL scouts this question and received replies all over the map," Miller wrote. "Penix joins [J.J.] McCarthy as the most debated quarterbacks in terms of draft stock in this class."

According to Miller, one scout believes Penix is in the top-15 range, right around where LSU quarterback and Heisman winner Jayden Daniels could be drafted.

"I would put him in the same range as [Daniels]," an AFC scout who covers the Pacific Northwest said. "I think he's in that pick six to 13 range."

When asking a different AFC scout, the answer about Penix was completely different.

"But a different AFC scout who is tasked with cross-checking the quarterbacks has a completely different opinion: 'I think he's a Round 3 guy on grade but might go earlier because of the position,'" Miller wrote.

Penix has the chance to up his draft stock next week, as he leads the Huskies into the national championship game against Michigan on Monday.

Penix has put together a magical season that almost earned him the Heisman Trophy. He's thrown for 4,648 yards and 35 touchdowns while throwing nine interceptions. In Washington's College Football Playoff semifinal game against Texas, he had 430 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns, leading the Huskies to a 37-31 win.

Now, all eyes will be on Penix as he and Washington look to knock off undefeated Michigan in the CFP title game on Monday. The 23-year-old has a huge opportunity to impress scouts and possibly solidify himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the draft.

In a loaded draft class that includes USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye and a handful of other standouts, Penix is looking to be included among the best in the class.

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 244

HAND: 10⅝"

ARM: 33⅜"

WINGSPAN:

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40-YARD DASH:

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL:

BROAD:

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POSITIVES

— Good size and frame for an NFL edge. Also has decent quickness for his size.

— Has some pop in his hands and solid strength at the point of attack when taking on blocks.

— Has impressive acceleration off the line of scrimmage to win with speed around the edge as a pass-rusher when he times up the snap.

— Decent at turning speed to power to help collapse the pocket against offensive tackles.

— Was dropped in coverage quite a bit, which speaks to his athleticism for his size.

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NEGATIVES

— Not very physical at the point of attack; will let offensive linemen take the fight to him.

— Drops his hands when rushing the passer and is late with them, limiting his pass-rush arsenal.

— Subpar lateral movement skills and is a little tight in his hips and ankles, leading to bad bend around the edge.

— Also struggles to break down in the backfield and will miss tackles/sacks against athletic quarterbacks.

— Turns his shoulders perpendicular to the line of scrimmage when setting the edge.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 29 TOT, 5.0 TFL, 3.5 SK, 1 FF

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NOTES

— Born July 3, 2000

— 3-star recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2021 (Torn left Achilles, missed 5 games; concussion, missed 2 games), 2023 (Undisclosed, missed 1 game)

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OVERALL

After the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Zion Tupuola-Fetui looked like a potential first-round pick with seven sacks in four games. However, he tore his Achilles in the offseason and hasn't been the same player ever since.

Tupuola-Fetui tried to play in 2021, but his quickness and explosion just weren't there, and another injury limited him to just two games that season. He has regained some of those movement skills over the last few years, as he's shown decent quickness for his size, but he's still not the same player he once was.

What the Husky can be in the NFL is a decent rotational player who offers some pass-rush upside. He can win by timing up the snap and accelerating off the line of scrimmage or by turning speed to power, as he has some impressive upper-body strength.

However, there is some concern about how high Tupuola-Fetui's ceiling is since he's a sixth-year senior and will be a 24-year-old rookie. It also doesn't help that he's regressed over the last few years and might have already hit his peak.

Washington did have ZTF drop in coverage quite a bit this season, so he could find a home as a standup outside linebacker for a team that uses a lot of odd fronts in the NFL.

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GRADE: 6.6 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 115

POSITION RANK: EDGE11

PRO COMPARISON: Dorance Armstrong

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

Washington running back Dillon Johnson gave fans a scare when he left Monday's game against Texas late in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury, but it sounds like he'll be just fine.

Per Mike Vorel of the Seattle Times, Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb offered a positive outlook for Johnson's chances to suit up for the national championship game against Michigan, saying during a radio appearance, "We do expect him to play."

Grubb went on to add, "X-rays that were taken at the Superdome were negative."

Johnson ran for 49 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and added three catches for 18 yards in the Huskies' 37-31 win over the Longhorns. He was helped off the field by two trainers without putting pressure on his left foot with less than a minute left in the game. He had suffered a previous injury to his foot on Nov. 18 against Oregon State.

"It's related, I think, to what he's been going through the last couple months," UW coach Kalen DeBoer said in the postgame press conference. "Obviously he was down and in some pain, but he's been in pain he last couple months. So he's just working through it. He's a tough, tough guy. He's been so strong and keeps pushing forward. It goes back to two or three weeks left in the season, when really this injury happened."

Johnson has totaled 1,162 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns this season to help lead Washington to an undefeated 14-0 record. The Huskies are seeking their first national championship since 1991.

If Johnson is less than 100 percent, it will be a tough matchup against a Michigan defense that ranks sixth in the nation by holding opponents to 87.1 rushing yards per game.

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 206

HAND: 9½"

ARM: 29¾"

WINGSPAN: 73"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.45

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL: 39"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Versatile defender who can play at all three levels of the defense and becomes more effective closer to the line of scrimmage.

— Instinctual player who displays good vision and route recognition to see threats.

— Strong tackler who takes good angles and tracks the ball very well. Does a great job of quickly closing ground and explodes through the ball-carrier.

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NEGATIVES

— Short strider who shows a good burst but lacks the speed to flow sideline to sideline. Forced to readjust his angles with speedier backs.

— Shows some stiffness in his coverage drops. Rigid hips to flip and run, causing him to be slow to climb and gain ground.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 11 G, 60 TOT, 6.5 TFL, 3.0 SK, 2 INT, 4 PD, 2 FR, 1 FF

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NOTES

— 29 career starts

— 3-star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— 2023 second-team All-America (College Football Network)

— 2023 Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist

— Three-time All-Pac-12 (2023 Phil Steele first team, Coaches second team; 2021 and 2022 honorable mention)

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OVERALL

Cole Bishop is a multiyear starter with very good size for a safety at 6'2" and 207 pounds. He's an instinctual player with a high football IQ and the versatility to play all over the field. He has the physicality to be a box player and the movement skills to cover in space.

While playing the run game, Bishop excels when he's close to the line of scrimmage. He uses his instincts to identify and react to the run with very good short-area quickness, and he closes on the ball with very good angles. He's a strong tackler who does a good job of fronting up and running through the ball-carrier when in the box, but he tends to dive and have more inconsistent tackling when on the edge. Bishop is a downhill player who does a great job of attacking the line of scrimmage and playing close to or in the backfield.

As a pass defender, Bishop has shown the ability to drop as a deep defender, where he is able to play the routes in front of him and react to the ball in the air. When defending intermediate routes, he has the ability to play man coverage, using his short-area bursts to get out of breaks and drive on the ball.

Bishop does his best when playing as an underneath defender, where he can pass off receivers and has over-the-top help. He is a short strider with some stiff hips, and he struggles to turn and run. He's slow to climb and gain growth, which may cause issues in the NFL.

Though Bishop has versatility within his game, he lacks true scheme versatility. He's best as a box defender, so he'll fit best as a strong safety who can occasionally switch up his look as a deep defender. Bishop could carve out a successful NFL career if the right team selects him.

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GRADE: 7.5 (Potential Impact Player — 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 42

POSITION RANK: S5

PRO COMPARISON: Su'a Cravens

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.