Wolverines J.J. McCarthy and Blake Corum declared their entrances into the upcoming NFL Draft on Sunday, and both provided crucial roles in Michigan’s national title pursuit.

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“I have talked to many in and out of football, including my family, Coach Harbaugh, and many who’s opinions I greatly admire and respect,” McCarthy stated. “This decision was not easy and how could it be – I love my teammates, I love my coaches and I love it here in Ann Arbor. It is almost impossible to put into words what this University and my time here has meant to me, but I am going to take 3 deep breaths right now and try… .”

McCarthy reached a 27-1 record as starting quarterback at Michigan, the second-most winning percentage by a starting gunslinger with at least 20 starts since Toledo’s Chuck Ealey went 35-0.

McCarthy not only was a successful Michigan quarterback, but his accuracy competed among the highest of levels. He threw for a career 68% completion, and his 72.3% this season was sixth-best in college football.

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Often lining up beside him was Corum, who broke Michigan’s all-time rushing record in the CFP.

Corum totaled 3,737 rushing yards and 58 touchdowns in his four-year career. He had a career-high and record-breaking 27 touchdowns this season.

Both McCarthy and Corum were All-Big Ten selections the past two seasons, and they were part of three Michigan teams to beat Ohio State in the rivalry game.

Now, the duo set their sights on the NFL. And their head coach Jim Harbaugh could reportedly join them, as he will interview for the head coaching vacancy with the Los Angeles Chargers this week according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

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At 26-1, McCarthy stands tied for the third-best winning percentage as a starting quarterback in college football history. He’s tied with Jameis Winston of Florida State, and he’s behind Toledo’s Chuck Ealey, who went 35-0 from 1969-71, and Oklahoma’s Jimmy Harris who went 25-0 from 1954-56, according to Sports Science Stats from IFS.

READ: No. 2 Washington ‘putting in all the preparation’ ahead of College Football Playoff National Championship 

McCarthy’s head coach Jim Harbaugh knows who Ealey is. He’s someone who Harbaugh’s father coached against for two years, and Ealey is certainly someone who stands out to him, just like McCarthy. 

“Chuck Ealey, I know that name. I could have told you that,” Harbaugh said. “He was somebody that was talked a lot about in the house growing up when we were kids. My dad was a secondary coach. What J.J. has done is remarkable. People say I heap praise on him and things like that, I mean, I think I’m hitting it right down the middle of the strike zone. And he’s a great football player. He’s got the got the ‘it’ factor in every way. And so does Mr. Penix. I look at them both. Great quarterbacks, elite talents and they both got that ‘it’ factor. As did Chucky Ealey.” 

McCarthy, Harbaugh and the No. 1 Wolverines will have their next challenge on Monday night in Houston when they face No. 2 Washington in Houston as part of the College Football Playoff National Championship. 

Michigan is searching for its first national title since 1997, and the Huskies seek their first since 1991. 

Rumors continue to swirl around Harbaugh and his NFL coaching prospects. According to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, interest from NFL teams in Harbaugh “could heat up quickly.” 

Harbaugh said he has “no idea” about how much the result of the national championship will have an impact on his desire to return to coaching in the NFL. 

“There’s a calendar,” Harbaugh said. “I’ll gladly talk about the future next week, and I hope to have one. How about that? A future. I hope to have one.” 

READ: Former USC QB Malachi Nelson to transfer to Boise State

However Harbaugh’s coaching future shakes out, it won’t come before one more game at Michigan. 

McCarthy is third in the country with a 73.2% completion, and he’s topped 80% completion in two of his past five games. 

When asked if the magnitude of the CFP National Championship has set in yet, McCarthy said it has yet to hit him. 

“I feel like it really hasn’t,” McCarthy said. “Everything that we’ve done to get here, we’re continuing to do the same thing so I think we keep the same approach and treat it as, obviously, it’s the national championship, but it’s a football game at the end of the day, and we got to go out there and execute each and every play.” 

McCarthy’s growth as a quarterback has spanned two seasons since taking over as starter in 2022. During his first season as starter, McCarthy posted near-identical statistics as his second: 2,719 pass yards and 22 touchdowns in 2022 to 2,851 pass yards and 22 touchdowns in 2023. 

READ: Kalen DeBoer, Jim Harbaugh talk College Football Playoff National Championship

McCarthy’s statistics are only going to increase with one more game, but it comes on the biggest stage of the national championship. Harbaugh said McCarthy has been prepared for this game. 

“I think the thing that makes him great is he’s so talented, so athletically gifted, but mentally he’s so sharp,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, you have to be sharp as a coach to keep up with him because, I mean, he comes into those meetings prepared. He’s already looked at the cut-ups. He’s already looked at the games. You could reference a cut-up and he knows it. He’s already previewed the game plan.” 

Michigan also is the home to college football’s leading rusher in Blake Corum. He has 25 rushing touchdowns, and Corum caught his first receiving touchdown of the season to give the Wolverines an early 7-0 lead over No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl. 

Washington holds opponents to 137.1 rushing yards per game, good for No. 41 in the country, and Corum said he’s scouted the Huskies front seven. 

“Washington’s front seven, they’re big, strong, especially the interior,” Corum said. “Big, strong guys. Guys that build a wall and then you go to the D-ends, they’re fast, strong, long. They can play D-end, they can play linebacker so just, they’re great athletes. They’re great athletes that stick to the coaches’ plan, and they’re definitely going to provide us with a challenge but not a challenge that we’re not up for so I’m super excited to get to play the Washington Huskies.” 

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Michigan has made it to the CFP National Championship game amid a season full of controversy and consequences, but playmaking and execution. 

The Wolverines will have one more try to compete for the biggest prize in college football, and they have a chance to silence critics while they’re at it. It all starts at 7:30 p.m. from NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday. 

“We’re honored to be here,” Harbaugh said. “We are going to have to play really good. We’re going to have to play really good. And I think our team is ready. Still the hay is not in the barn. It never is for us. Still polishing. Still working. But super excited, super excited to watch our players go out there and compete tomorrow night.” 

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