The No. 2 Washington Huskies will meet the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, for the 2024 College Football National Championship Game. This heavyweight matchup is set to kick off Monday, Jan. 8, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Washington’s offense has been a handful for every defense the Michael Penix Jr.-led team has come across. The Huskies are averaging nearly 38 points per game en route to their 14-0 record. Washington has lost just two games under head coach Kalen DeBoer who took over the program back in 2022.
DeBoer’s squad will be up against undoubtedly their toughest opponent yet. Michigan has been dominant defensively all season, and some late-game heroics from J.J. McCarthy and the Wolverines’ offense see the Big Ten Champions ready to contend for their 12th national championship in the school’s history.
Can Washington shock the country yet again and win the school’s third championship? Let’s take a look at the CFB National Championship odds and our predictions and best bets for Washington vs Michigan at the 2024 College Football National Championship Game.
Washington vs Michigan Odds
Track our latest CFB odds for Huskies vs Wolverines:
NCAAF lines used for Washington @ Michigan were current as of Jan. 3 at 11 a.m. ET on DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Michigan (-185) • Washington (+154)
- Spread: Michigan -4.5 (-110) • Washington +4.5 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 55.5 (-110) • Under 55.5 (-110)
It doesn’t appear that there will be much movement spread-wise in this one with under six days until kick-off. The line slightly moved to -5 before coming back down to its original -4.5 within a few hours.
Washington enters this week as underdogs for just the fourth time all season. The Huskies are 3-0 as underdogs up to this point.
Washington vs Michigan Prediction
SCORE PICK: Washington 33, Michigan 28
No one expected to still be watching Washington playing this far into the season. However, despite being counted out time and time again, Penix Jr. and the Huskies continue to shock the country, and I see them doing it again here against Michigan.
This will be much easier said than done; however, Michigan did show signs of weakness at the Rose Bowl for the first time all season. In what could be head coach Jim Harbaugh’s last game for the program, I believe the Wolverines will come up just short against an aggressive Washington attack.
It will be interesting, however, to see if Washington’s potent offense can stay hot against arguably the best defensive unit in the country.
The Wolverines stifled Jalen Milroe and the Alabama offense, allowing under 300 yards of total offense in the Rose Bowl. However, Penix Jr. appears to be on a whole other level as of late and proved that with his monster performance against Texas last week.
The senior quarterback finished the Sugar Bowl 29 of 38 for 430 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-31 victory.
The 23-year-old has 35 touchdowns on the season with over 4,600 yards through the air. He will be up against one of the best pass defenses in the country, which has allowed an average of just 150 yards through the air and under 11 points per game.
It may take a while for Penix Jr. and the offense to get into a rhythm; however, I believe they can certainly outlast a weaker Michigan offense.
DeBoer got solid contributions on the ground from junior running back Dillon Johnson. Johnson left the game early with a foot injury, but not before scoring two touchdowns on the ground. Despite the injury looking serious, Johnson is expected to play.
The Wolverines will continue to lean on senior running back Blake Corum, who has scored in every game for Harbuagh’s squad this season. While Washington’s defense has not been nearly as good as Michigan’s, the Huskies have certainly had success slowing down their opponents, particularly when they need stops the most.
They say defense wins championships, but I believe Washington will be an exception and steamroll its way to a victory in the 2024 National Championship Game.
Washington vs Michigan Best Bets & Props
Washington +4.5 (-110)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1.5 units
It may seem naive to roll with the underdogs here; however, I believe Washington has a good chance to cover and win outright in the biggest game in the school’s history.
Michigan is by no means a team that one can disregard, but its recent performance against Alabama should have certainly raised some eyebrows to those who believed the Wolverines would walk through the College Football Playoffs.
Despite the Wolverines’ ability to shut down the Crimson Tide’s offense for much of the contest, McCarthy and the Michigan offense could not seem to get any separation on Nick Saban’s squad. I think Washington’s offense will be too much for the Michigan defense to handle and for Harbaugh’s offense to keep up with.
Washington Over 28.5 (+150)
DraftKings Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
We will continue to bank on Washington’s offense continuing its scoring play with Huskies Over 28.5. DeBoer’s squad scored until this total just three times all season and is averaging well above 30 points per contest.
Penix Jr. is quickly rising on draft boards, and his play over the last month is a big reason why. Michigan’s secondary is certainly elite but will be tested against wide receivers Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk, who have terrorized cornerbacks all year with over 2,600 yards combined.
I believe good offense will beat good defense, and the Huskies will find ways to score as they have all season.
Washington vs Michigan Same-Game Parlay
Washington vs Michigan SGP (+290)
FanDuel Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 unit
- Blake Corum Any Time Touchdown (-380)
- Washington +4.5 (-110)
- Michael Penix Jr. 2+ Passing Touchdowns (-158)
- Washington Over 24.5 (-113)
We will be playing things safe with our Washington vs Michigan four-leg same-game parlay.
Each of the four legs currently has negative odds, with a Corum anytime touchdown being the lowest. Corum has scored in every game this season, including two in Michigan’s last game against Alabama.
I then tailed two of our best bets with Washington +4.5 and Over 24.5 points. FanDuel does not currently have team total alternates, so we had to settle for 24.5, which I believe should be surpassed no question.
I decided to stick with the Huskies covering the 4.5-point spread; however, feel free to sacrifice some points for extra security.
Finally, we will need two or more touchdowns from Penix Jr. for this SGP to cash. The 6’3” quarterback has been a machine when it comes to throwing touchdowns, with over 30 for the second year straight.
Penix Jr. has thrown for two or more touchdowns in six of the last seven games of the season. If Washington is to score over 24.5 and cover the spread, you can almost guarantee it will be because of Penix Jr. throwing at least two touchdowns.
