Governors Whitmer, Inslee trade barbs, bets prior to Michigan-Washington championship game

Which will be hoisted in triumph: Michigan beer or Washington wine?

The stakes are high in a wager between governors of both states in advance of Monday’s clash between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the University of Washington Huskies in the NCAA College Football Playoff championship game.

In a video post Friday on X, formerly Twitter, a feisty Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called out her Washington counterpart, Jay Inslee, saying, “Inslee, I mean governor: you fired up for Monday or what?

Inslee replied, “Hey, listen, this has been a big Husky season. I’m looking forward to closing it out.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Whitmer said, “Michigan’s gonna win this thing and I look forward to saying ‘I told you so.’”

“Look, Gretchen, our letter is ‘W’ for win and Washington, okay?,” Inslee responded. “This is in the bag.”

“Ha! Wanna bet?” Michigan's governor retorted.

“Yeah, bring it on," Inslee said. "Whaddya got?”

“Well,” said Whitmer, “I’ll send you some of Michigan’s finest brewskies if the Huskies somehow win this thing.”

“And you’ll get some bottles of Naches Heights wine, the finest wine in the world, right from Washington state,” Inslee offered.

While the two Democratic governors talk smack, top-ranked Michigan and second-ranked Washington put together 14-0 seasons to qualify for the championship matchup Monday evening in Houston. In their semifinal contests earlier this week, Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines defeated No. 4 Alabama in overtime, 27-20, while Coach Kalen DeBoer’s Huskies held off No. 3 Texas in a last-second thriller, 37-31.

The highly anticipated matchup will pit Michigan’s nation-leading defense against a UW passing attack led by the Heisman Trophy runner-up, Husky quarterback Michael Penix Jr. ESPN, which is broadcasting the game, reports that Michigan has been installed as the betting favorite in the battle of the unbeatens.

“Sounds good,” Whitmer told Inslee. “See you on the gridiron, and go Blue.”

The Washington governor was succinct in response: “Go Dawgs!”