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Michigan and Washington advance to the college football championship game

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

The new year began with big games in college football. Sorry, Michel, I went into my sportscaster voice there for a moment. Michigan won the Rose Bowl and will advance to the national championship game. They beat Alabama in overtime, and it was awesome - 27 to 20 as described on ESPN.

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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #1: Michigan makes a stand and comes up with a milestone playoff victory.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Well, since I cannot do a sports announcer voice, I will simply say that Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh told ESPN it was the team's togetherness that put the Wolverines over the top.

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JIM HARBAUGH: We're so together, so connected, and we were going to overcome anything that was inside the stadium.

MARTIN: The other semifinal was also dramatic. Washington needed a last-second defensive stand to beat the Texas Longhorns 37 to 31.

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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER #2: Ewers lobs it up, and it is incomplete.

INSKEEP: The winning quarterback is Michael Penix Jr.

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MICHAEL PENIX JR: I said it before the season started. You know, our goal was to win a national championship. And now we got the opportunity. We got the shot to do it.

MARTIN: Washington and Michigan will play in the national championship game next Monday night in Houston.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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