Washington has trailed at the half twice this season. In both instances, the Huskies came out in the second half and pitched a shutout to win the game.

UW is hoping to do something similar in the second half of the College Football Playoff National Championship against Michigan on Monday night. The Huskies trailed 17-10 at the break, but a touchdown from Michael Penix Jr. to Jalen McMillan with 42 seconds remaining in the half provided some momentum. Receiving the ball to open the third quarter gives UW an opportunity to build on that momentum.

“It’s just doing what we’ve done all year,” coach Kalen DeBoer told ESPN before heading off to the locker room. “We took some of their best punches early and now we’ve kind of settled in. Defense has kind of gotten things figured out. Great drive by our offense right there. We get the ball to start the third quarter, so we’re in a great spot.”

Michigan outgained Washington 290-161 in the first half. The Wolverines ran for 174 yards in the first quarter alone.

But things flipped a bit in the second quarter. Washington started playing the run more soundly. Penix found a bit of a groove throwing the football. And UW steadied the ship.