McCarthy Liked the Color of the Confetti This Year
Wolverine quarterback finally gets to celebrate after losing the national semi-final game in each of his first two seasons. Michigan beat Alabama, 27-20, in overtime Monday in the Rose Bowl
Photo Courtesy of Rose Bowl Game
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy holds the trophy on stage with teammates Mason Graham and Blake Corum (also wearing a hat). ESPN’s Rece Davis interviews Wolverine coach Jim Harbaugh.
By Steve Kornacki
PASADENA, Calif. – J.J. McCarthy liked the color of the confetti this year.
He’d seen it fall in the colors of Georgia and TCU in national semi-final losses the last two years, but it was all maize and blue after Monday’s 27-20 overtime win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Following last year’s loss in the Fiesta Bowl to the Horned Frogs, having watched his opponents celebrate once again, McCarthy said, “Fought our hearts out. There's a lot of things that we could have done better. Can't wait to watch the tape. But we'll be back, and I promise that.”
And No. 1 Michigan (14-0) did get back and now faces No. 2 Washington (14-0) Monday night in Houston for the national championship. McCarthy, the Offensive MVP of the game, had a lot to do with that. He completed 17-of-27 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns with nary an interception. The offensive line also was superb as McCarthy didn’t get sacked.
Here was the Q&A between McCarthy and ESPN’s Rece Davis from the on-field stage afterward.
Q. J.J., you wanted to get your rose. You just ran across the field to get it. Why was this game so important to you?
McCARTHY: This game means so much to me, and I have superstition like back in hockey like they do with the Stanley Cup. I didn't touch it all week and I just was waiting for this moment to be able to put it in my mouth.
Q. You vowed that this team would get back to the College Football Playoff. Now you've got an opportunity to play for a national championship. What can you say about the fight of this group?
McCARTHY: I mean, the fight started week one. Everything we've been through, all the adversity. It's a team that goes through that adversity that can't get to the heights we're trying to reach. I feel like we just did a tremendous job of responding to all that and pushing through, and we've got one more game left, so the job is not finished yet.
Q. You just bent over and were looking around and overcome a little bit. How would you describe the emotions that you're feeling right now?
McCARTHY: It's indescribable just because the last two years being able to watch the opposing team celebrate, it's just different when I see the maize and blue confetti on the field. I'm nothing without this head coach [Jim Harbaugh], nothing without my teammates, nothing without that defense. Everything was so amazing. It's just really, really amazing.
Harbaugh summed up McCarthy after the game: “I've said it before, but right here, this is the greatest quarterback in University of Michigan — college football history. Got a long way to go to get to get where Tom Brady eventually got to, which is the GOAT. … But in a college career, there's been nobody at Michigan better than J.J. I know we talk about it, an amalgamation of quarterbacks. He is that guy.”
With that comment, McCarthy put his right arm around Harbaugh and squeezed his shoulder.
McCarthy – the team MVP and Big Ten Quarterback of the Year – has completed 230-of-314 passes (.732, third nationally) for 2,851 yards with 22 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. His 170.1 efficiency rating ranks eighth in the country.
He could very well have another good passing game against Washington.
The Huskies haven’t been beaten this year, but neither their scoring defense (24.1 points per game) nor passing defense (267.1 yards per game) rank in the Top 50 nationally.
I like people who keep their word. McCarthy said Michigan would be back, Corum said National Championship or Bust.
I am so excited for the NC game and to see what JJ can do to get them on top. The final drive in regulation against Alabama has me so pumped for this game.