2024 CFB Record: 10-5 after last week's SWEEP!
Are you ready for the rematch of last year's College Football Playoff Title Game? It's going to be a major battle in Week 6 as the Huskies try to get some sweet revenge on the Wolverines. The action starts on Saturday, October 5 at 7:30 Eastern on NBC.
Dive into our betting preview for Michigan vs. Washington below. We'll go over the live odds and give out some predictions before delivering our best bet for this remarkable matchup. Enjoy the game and best of luck with all of your wagers in Week 6.
Most online sportsbooks opened this game with Michigan as a -1.5-point favorite. However, lots of sharp action came in on the Huskies to push the line to its current number of Washington -2.5. That's quite a big move, especially when you consider that U Dub is coming off an ugly loss to Rutgers.
As for the total, oddsmakers are expecting a low-scoring slugfest. Most online shops have the total at 40.5, but DraftKings is currently just a touch higher at 41. While lots of folks will think that this total is too low, you have to remember that we're dealing with two very good defenses.
The Wolverines offense has looked much better since making the move from Davis Warren to Alex Orji at QB. The 6'3" junior does lots of damage to opposing defenses with his legs but has had trouble completing passes down the field.
Colston Loveland is a great weapon at tight end, but Michigan needs desperately needs another playmaker to emerge in the passing game. The running game has been solid, however. Kaleel Mullings and Donovan Edwards form a stellar 1-2 punch at running back for the Wolverines.
As you might expect, the Michigan defense has been ferocious so far this season. Sure, they had a hard time with Texas, but so will every other team in college football. Josaiah Stewart and Mason Graham lead Big Blue with 4 sacks and 3 sacks, respectively.
The Washington offense sputtered for most of the game last week against a hungry Rutgers defense. The Huskies racked up 521 total yards but were an atrocious 2 of 12 on third downs. They'll have to perform better than that against a Michigan squad that only allows 4.6 yards per play (27th in the nation).
Will Rogers has been a great addition for U Dub at quarterback. No, he isn't putting up Michael Penix type numbers, but the Mississippi State transfer has thrown for 1,354 yards and 10 touchdowns. What's even more impressive is that Rogers has yet to throw an interception this season.
The Huskies secondary has been stellar so far this year, as they've only allowed 4.8 yards per pass (7th in the country). Washington has also done a good job of pressuring the quarterback, as they rank 20th in sack rate.
I love Michigan's running game, but the fact that they have trouble completing a forward pass of more than 5 yards is a major cause of concern. Orji will continue to get better as the season goes on, but he's only completing 55.6% of his passes and his QB rating is actually lower than what Warren's was.
This is a huge revenge game for U Dub, as they were blown out and embarrassed in last year's title game by Michigan. I love Washington's balanced offense, and they also get an extra day of rest after playing Rutgers last Friday night.
I also think that Washington has a huge edge in the coaching department. Jedd Fisch is an offensive genius, and I look for him to come up with a solid game plan. Sherrone Moore is a good motivator but he's largely unproven as a head coach, even with all of his interim wins a year ago. Give me the Huskies on the moneyline!
Prediction: Washington 21 - Michigan 17