Our Washington vs. Michigan prediction for the 2024 college football national championship based on the best college football odds believes the Wolverines will dictate the style of this matchup against the Huskies on Monday.
The stage has been set for the 2024 College Football National Championship Game. No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington are slated to meet at NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday in what is the first national title game without an SEC school since 2014.
Both the Wolverines and Huskies are deserving enough to claim the national crown. Michigan is 14-0 after running through the Big Ten conference and earning a 27-20 overtime win over Alabama in the CFP semifinals. Washington (14-0) won the final Pac-12 trophy and secured a 37-31 victory over Texas to get here.
Neither of these programs have claimed this level of hardware in quite some time, with Michigan's last national title coming in 1997 and Washington's previous championship taking place in 1991. So the question is, who will make history on Monday to close a storybook season?
As part of our look at the College Football Championship odds, here is our best Washington vs. Michigan prediction and our college football picks for Monday's National Championship Game (odds via our best college football betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Washington vs. Michigan prediction: National Championship Game
This game could very well come down to which team will dictate the style of this matchup.
Washington has an electric offense, led by a Heisman finalist at quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. The Huskies want this championship game to come down to a shootout, as their offense is capable of trading punches with any other team in the country.
Michigan, on the other hand, is a team that prefers to slow the game down. The Wolverines typically have the edge in the trenches, allowing them to control things upfront. Their defense ranks first in the country, giving up an average of 10.2 points per contest. Michigan's offense relies on ball control and takes advantage of favorable field position.
That's what makes this total interesting, as it's basically placed somewhere in the middle. This would be the second-highest total for Michigan all season, as the Wolverines have had just one closing point total higher than 51 since non-conference play. Overtime was the only reason why Michigan's victory against Alabama finished Over 46 in the semifinals.
Washington, meanwhile, usually has a closing point total somewhere in the 60s. The Huskies have had only two point totals lower than this mark all year, both of which finished Over by a comfortable margin.
So which team will leave its handprint on this game? We believe Michigan will dictate play, halting Washington's offense better than anyone else has been able to do all year.
With our projection being a few points below this mark, we'd be comfortable taking this Under at anything 55.5 or better.
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Washington vs. Michigan best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | bet365 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 55.5 | Under 55.5 | Under 55.5 | Under 56 | Under 55.5 |
| -110 | -110 | -105 | -110 | -110 |
While most of our best sports betting apps have dropped the total down to 55.5, Caesars has actually bumped the line back up to its opening number of 56. This provides a great opportunity for anyone who missed the early mark to still get the best number on the total.
There is always a chance that this is a sign that the market is pushing back on the total, but we do believe the Under is the right side. BetMGM's -105 value on Under 55.5 is worth a look if you can't find a 56, but don't take anything lower than 55.5.
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Washington vs. Michigan od ds
Washington vs. Michigan odds analysis
Given the magnitude of this game, it's no surprise to see that there has been minimal movement in the market at this point in the week. That could certainly change as we get closer to kickoff and limits are increased across our best sportsbooks.
Michigan has been trading as more than a field-goal favorite for much of the week, with the spread sitting between -4 and -4.5. The total opened at 56 and immediately dropped to 55.5, where it has remained at most of our best live betting sites.
National Championship game info
- When: Monday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
- How to watch: ESPN
Washington-Michigan prediction made Thursday at 1:15 p.m. ET.
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