National Championship betting odds released for Michigan vs. Washington

After taking down Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines are officially bound for the National Championship Game in Houston next Monday. Standing in their way of their first national title since the 1997 season are the Big Ten-bound Washington Huskies, who defeated Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

DraftKings Sportsbook revealed their first betting line for the National Championship, and they have the Wolverines as an early 4.5-point favorite, with the over/under currently set at 55 points.

Michigan overcame a ton in the Rose Bowl in order to get to this point — especially on special teams — but the Wolverines were able to get the ball back late and throw a game-tying touchdown pass to Roman Wilson to force overtime. Blake Corum eventually scored the game-winning touchdown, and on the play of the game on fourth-and-goal, Michigan’s stout defensive front stopped Bama quarterback Jalen Milroe from reaching the end zone.

All in all, it was a solid performance by Michigan en route to its first game with the National Championship on the line since the 1997 season.

Meanwhile, Washington’s offense looked incredible against a normally-competent Texas defense in the Huskie’s 37-31 victory in the Sugar Bowl. Michael Penix Jr. threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns, while Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk each went for 100+ yards, with the latter scoring a touchdown. This Washington team is drastically different than what we saw in Ann Arbor when the Huskies traveled to Ann Arbor in 2021 — a big 31-10 victory for the Wolverines — so Michigan will have to be on its A-game once again in order to win.