Most passing yards in CFP championship history

Football is an increasingly pass-heavy game, college or pro. While it is an art form in the NFL, it is a science in college football. This is the level of football synonymous with the invention of the Air Raid, the up-tempo spread and even the antiquated Run and Shoot. Regardless, long gone are the days of running the wishbone to perfection. Only service academies embrace the life of the ole triple option.

Entering Monday night's championship game setting, there are two first-round talents at quarterback in true junior J.J. McCarthy of Michigan and redshirt senior Michael Penix Jr. of Washington. While the former was the blue-chipper coming out of high school, the latter is becoming a college football legend out on the West Coast with every passing play. It should be a national title bout for the ages.

With this being the culmination of the final four-team College Football Playoff, let's take a look back at who did a better job than anyone when it came to moving the sticks in his championship game. No, it is not common knowledge, but it should not shock you if you really think about it. It may not be the guy you think it is, but try to think of a game where points were plentiful. Come on, you got this one!

No, it was not Joe Burrow in 2019 nor was it Stetson Bennett IV last year. It was Mac Jones in 2020!

CFP National Championship Game: Who threw for the most yards in one?

In Alabama's 52-24 blowout rout of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Jones threw for 464 yards and five touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. He completed a national championship record 12 receptions to 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, who also set a championship game record with three touchdowns. Only former LSU star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had more receiving yards with 221.

When we look back on 2020 in the world of sports, the outliers will be plentiful. While I would attest that Alabama winning the national championship and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl in Tom Brady's first year with the franchise make sense, a lot of guys made a lot of money based on a season that did not even have fans in the stands. It was Jones' lone year as the Alabama starter.

Jones finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up to his Alabama teammate Smith. Despite being the best quarterback that year in college football, he would go on to be the fifth quarterback taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, going No. 15 overall to the New England Patriots. Three years later, Jones' NFL career is in the toilet, and the Patriots have never been worse as a franchise. Alabama remains strong.

The magic number for either McCarthy or Penix on Monday night is 465 yards to beat Jones' record.