Michigan vs. Washington for the College Football Playoff national championship is just about the perfect way to end the 2023 college football season on Monday, Jan. 8. The game will be live streamed on DirecTV Stream (free trial) and fuboTV (free trial).

The matchup of unbeatens hits all the major themes and storylines of the past five months from conference realignment to the transfer portal — with Jim Harbaugh as the main character.

Harbaugh’s top-ranked Wolverines (14-0) face Michael Penix Jr. and the second-ranked Huskies (14-0) on Monday night at NRG Stadium in the last national title game before the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12.

Michigan’s regular season started and ended with Harbaugh serving three-game suspensions related to NCAA infractions cases. The latter was handed down by the Big Ten in November as punishment for an in-person scouting and sign-stealing scheme the conference determined broke its sportsmanship policy.

The scandal dominated headlines just as Michigan was entering the meat of its Big Ten schedule. The accusations against Harbaugh’s program led many to question the legitimacy of the Wolverines’ renaissance over the past three seasons. This is Michigan’s third straight playoff appearance, but first time advancing after beating Alabama in overtime in the Rose Bowl.

Being doubted only galvanized a team loaded with experience that came into the season unafraid to point to winning Michigan’s first national championship since 1997 as the goal.

Washington is built similarly and led by the type of star who typifies college football’s new era of player empowerment.

Penix is a Florida native who started his career at Indiana — he already has a win against Michigan on his resume — but transferred to Washington to play for DeBoer in 2022.

Finally healthy after four injury-ravaged seasons in the Big Ten, Penix has become a star in the Pacific Northwest. The runner-up for the Heisman Trophy had some voters questioning their decision last week when he threw for 430 yards in a Sugar Bowl victory against Texas.

When is Michigan-Washington?

Michigan and Washington play at 6:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) on Monday, Jan. 8.

Will it be live streamed?

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream offers a free trial.

There are four options of DirecTV Stream:

The Entertainment Package, which consists of 65+ channels, is $54.99 until the promotion runs out April 30. It’s the basic package for can’t-miss entertainment – including ESPN, TNT, Nickelodeon and HGTV.

The Choice Package has more than 90 channels and is $74.99 during the promotion. The channels in ENTERTAINMENT, plus MLB Network, NBA TV, college sports networks, and more. Enjoy Regional Sports Networks with no additional fees.

The Ultimate Package has more than 130 channels and is $89.99 during the promotion. Everything in CHOICE, plus Oxygen, Golf Channel, NHL Network, Universal Kids and more.

The Premier Package has more than 140 channels and is $134.99 during the promotion. Everything in ULTIMATE, plus HBO Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax and more.

DirecTV Stream offers a free trial that doesn’t require much effort.

To sign up, enter a phone number, email address and credit card, and you’ll receive five days of the service without charge.

In addition, enhance your experience with the DirecTV Stream device. While it doesn’t include a free trial, it give you access to thousands of apps like Netflix and more on Google Play. You can search using the voice remote with Google Assistant, and you can enjoy a traditional live TV channel guide. It is sold separately.

FuboTV

The game will be live streamed on fuboTV, which offers a free trial. The most basic of plans is the “fubo pro” package, which comprises 146-plus channels for $74.99 per month. Like all cord-cutting alternatives, there are plenty of options, especially for sports. It comes with more than 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR, and up to 10 screens at once.

There is also the “fubo elite” package, which comprises 205-plus channels for $84.99 per month. It comes with fuboExtra (48 more channels) and News Plus (11 more channels). Plus, more than 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR, and up to 10 screens at once.

The “fubo premiere” package is “fubo elite” with the addition of Showtime for $94.99 per month.

Will it be televised?

Michigan and Washington will be broadcast on ESPN.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.