Your A to Z guide for Michigan-Washington football in the national championship game

Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson (1) leaps in for a touchdown during the Rose Bowl against Alabama in Pasadena, California on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.Neil Blake | MLive.com

No. 1 Michigan takes on the No. 2 Washington Huskies on Jan. 8 in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The potential milestones are many — the program’s 12th national title, a program record for wins in a season at 15, the Big Ten’s first national champion since rival Ohio State in 2014 and head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first title.

For fans making the trek to the Lone Star State, here’s all you need to know about the game, traffic, parking and more.

Michigan running back Blake Corum (2) runs for a touchdown in overtime during the Rose Bowl against Alabama in Pasadena, California on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.Neil Blake | MLive.com

Michigan-Washington national championship game info

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

Where: NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas

The teams: No. 1 Michigan (14-0, beat Alabama 27-20) versus No. 2 Washington (14-0, beat Texas 37-31)

How to watch: ESPN

How to stream: Fubo (free trial); DirectTV stream; Sling

Michigan-Washington betting odds: -4.5

How to buy tickets

StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, and Ticketmaster have tickets available for the game at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL’s Texans.

Entry to the game will cost at least $850, with some sites having tickets no less expensive than $2,785.

Weather forecast

NRG Stadium has a retractable roof, so weather should not be an issue for the game. Expect showers and possible thunderstorms in the Houston area on Monday night, though, according to the National Weather Service.

Michigan running back Blake Corum (2) leaps to try to hurdle Washington linebacker Jackson Sirmon (43) and defensive back Dominque Hampton (21) in the third quarter of their college football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, on Saturday, September 11, 2021. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Previous national title paths

Michigan has claimed 11 national championships, and the Wolverines frequently have to dispatch a West Coast foe to put on a ring.

The program’s first in 1902 came after a 49-0 win over Stanford in the inaugural Rose Bowl. The 1947 title came after another 49-0 drubbing in the Rose Bowl, this time of Southern California.

The most recent national title is in 1997 when the Wolverines eked out a 21-16 victory over Washington State in the Rose Bowl. The other national titles all come between 1902 and 1948 without the need of postseason bowl wins.

A frequent enemy

Michigan and Washington have a history in the postseason. The Wolverines boast an 8-5 record in the series, splitting four matchups with the Huskies in the Rose Bowl.

Memorable games include former Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler’s first bowl victory in 1981, Washington’s Rose Bowl rout in 1992 to clinch a share of the national title and Tyrone Wheatley and the Wolverines getting revenge in 1993.

The Huskies have come a long way in just two years since their last matchup with the Wolverines, a 31-10 loss in 2021 in Ann Arbor. Washington ended up 4-8 that year.

Houston BBQ and Texmex

The Houston food scene is filled to the brim with joints for barbeque and Texmex, or the combination of Texan, Mexico and Cajun flavors.

There are the brisket, pork ribs and sausage of Lonestar Sausage & BBQ, as well as Burns Original BBQ (which earned a seal of approval from famous chef and food commentator Anthony Bourdain).

On the Texmex side, there are options such as Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen, El Patio and Molina’s Cantina.

For fans seeking a bar friendly to Wolverines, there is Canyon Creek Cafe Bar & Grill on 6603 Westcott St.

Getting to NRG Stadium

The stadium in south Houston provides transportation instructions from all directions, whether you’re coming from the north, south, east, west, or from the two airports. See the directions provided here.

Houston’s public transportation service is known as the METRORail, and it transports directly to the stadium premises. For route schedules, visit ridemetro.org. Guests with disabilities may call 713-225-0119 for assistance, and cab service can be accessed by calling 713-236-1111.

Where to park

On-site parking is available for advance reservation for $50 plus fees for automobiles and $200 plus fees for oversized vehicles. Parking permits are available for purchase now by visiting am.ticketmaster.com/cfbplayoff/2024parking or can be purchased at the lots on game day upon arrival at NRG Stadium on a first come, first served basis.

The lots will open at 11 a.m. local time on Monday and close two hours after the game ends. Recreational Vehicles can park in Yellow Lot 36, but are not allowed to park overnight.

Students tailgate before the beginning of the home opener between Michigan and Cincinnati at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, September 9, 2017.MLive file photo

Where to tailgate

Tailgating is allowed in all stadium parking lots. Tailgating is limited to the parking spot and space directly behind or in front of each vehicle.

People bringing a grill in tow will need to purchase an additional space. Open flames are allowed but must be extinguished before entering the stadium, and you may not use lighter fluid.

A list of prohibitions include the use of large balloons, golf carts, bikes and scooters. Officials also require that combustible materials be kept at least three feet away from burning pits and that generators must have fuel stored in approved metal safety cans.

What to bring and what not to bring

For a full list of permitted and non-permissible items, visit the Houston Texans’ NRG Stadium guide at houstontexans.com/game-day/teammate-central/prohibited-items

Harbaugh’s final game?

A report from ESPN states that Harbaugh has hired high-profile sports agent Don Yee to represent him, with some speculation pointing to a move to the NFL after the season. However, University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker has indicated work on a contract extension to keep Harbaugh in Ann Arbor is ongoing.

If Monday night is a win in his hypothetical final game, Harbaugh’s record at Michigan would be 86-25. His overall college record, including stints at University of San Diego and Stanford, would be 144-52.

A win on Monday would also be a rare win for Harbaugh in his final game of a season. The last time that happened was in his first season at Michigan in a 41-7 victory over Florida in the 2016 Citrus Bowl.

Harbaugh has won division and conference titles, an Orange Bowl while at Stanford and now a Rose Bowl. However, a win in Houston would be his first championship of an entire league, as the closest he’s come so far is Super Bowl XLVII against his brother John’s Baltimore Ravens.