Four Voters Failed to Rank Washington No. 2 in Final Coaches Poll

Washington fell to Michigan 34–13 in Monday night’s national championship game, and in the wake of the loss, four voters failed to rank the team as No. 2 in the final USA Today Coaches’ Poll.

Florida’s Billy Napier, Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, Temple’s Stan Drayton and Arkansas State’s Butch Jones all left Washington out of the No. 2 spot in the rankings. 

Napier, Freeman and Drayton all voted Georgia at No. 2, while Jones curiously had Alabama at No. 2, Washington at No. 3 and Texas at No. 4.

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies fell short in Monday’s national title game against Michigan.

Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

Viewing Georgia as the nation’s No. 2 team seems reasonable given their drubbing of undermanned Florida State in the Orange Bowl and their only loss being to Alabama in the SEC championship. However, Jones voting two-loss Alabama ahead of one-loss Washington seems odd.

Nevertheless, the only ranking that matters is Michigan’s, as the Wolverines captured their first national title since 1997.