If you read our sports betting preview on Monday night’s college football national championship showdown between the Washington Huskies and the Michigan Wolverines, then you already know that we’ve picked Michigan to win by three – which means we like Washington to cover what is, at least for now, a 4 ½-point spread in favor of the Wolverines. Washington has an offense that can score at track-meet pace, but we don’t think they’ve faced a defense that can get after the quarterback and force tackles for loss like Michigan can. However, there is also a case for arguing that Washington Huskies can not only cover but win outright. Here’s that case – with five reasons.
2024 College Football National Championship: Can Washington Huskies Win?
Head coaching
We keep reading about how Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh will have his pick of NFL jobs after this season; given that he has guided the Wolverines to three straight Big Ten titles and College Football Playoff berths, he has earned the kudos. Let’s look at Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer for a minute, though. He guided Fresno State to success and now has a 25-2 record in two seasons at Washington. Against teams in the AP Top 25, DeBoer has a perfect 9-0 record t Washington. Michigan has a terrific scheme, but the Wolverines have played six games this season while Harbaugh was under suspension. Which coach brings more to the game?
Washington’s offense
The Huskies scored 37.6 points per game this season, which ranks tenth among FBS schools. They put up 37 against Texas and won by six. It helps that the Huskies have three elite wide receivers that make up one of the most dangerous groups in the nation. All-American Rome Odunze is the top receiver, but Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan are also capable of breaking big plays. Finding quality coverage for all three targets will be a major challenge for the Michigan defense.
| 2024 National Championship Odds | SPREAD | MONEYLINE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | -4.5 | -190 | U 56.5 |
| Washington | +4.5 | +160 | O 56.5 |
Michael Penix’s skill with the deep ball
This season, Washington has completed 39 pass plays for at least 30 yards and 14 pass plays for at least 40 yards. Michigan is one of the best teams in the nation at limiting chunk plays, but they haven’t seen an offense that can produce like Washington can. They did stop Marvin Harrsion Jr at Ohio State, but Washington has three wide receivers capable of producing like Harrison can.
Rushing the quarterback
Michigan’s pass rush is terrific, but so is Washington’s, thanks to Bralen Trice. In 2022, he had nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss. In 2023, he notched seven sacks and 11 ½ tackles for loss. In the Texas game alone, he had three tackles for loss, two sacks, and forced a fumble. Someone will need to join Trice in pressuring J.J. McCarthy to keep these numbers going and make life hard for the Michigan offense.
Michigan’s passing attack is one-dimensional
Roman Wilson has caught a dozen touchdown passes for Michigan this season. Expect Washington to put their best cornerback, Jabbar Muhammad, on Wilson. If he can keep the ball away from Wilson, McCarthy will have to rely on Colston Loveland and Cornelius Johnson, both of whom have racked up yards this year but who also lack Wilson’s explosiveness.
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