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

Washington’s three-score loss to Michigan on Monday night swayed four coaches poll voters.

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.