Three years ago, Cade McNamara was flinging passes and winning football games for Damonte Ranch, often in front of half-empty stadiums.
Now he finds himself upon one of the biggest stages in sports.
McNamara, a third-year sophomore, and his Michigan teammates will play in the College Football Playoff for the first time, opening with a semifinal game against Georgia on Dec. 31. The Wolverines (12-1) are the second seed in the four-team playoff; Alabama will play Cincinnati in the other semifinal.
Michigan’s 42-3 thrashing of Iowa in the Big Ten championship game on Saturday continued what has been a season of steady growth for McNamara, who entered the Wolverines’ program after playing quarterback for Damonte Ranch for all four of his high school years.