Texas vs. Washington: Odds and Score Prediction for Sugar Bowl 2024

The Texas Longhorns and Washington Huskies secured their respective spots in the College Football Playoff thanks to their best overall performances of the season.

Texas obliterated the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 Championship Game, while Washington made a statement with its defense against the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Each team possesses a veteran quarterback who works with two dynamic wide receivers and a defense that may be slept on a bit on the national level.

The balance on both sides of the ball is what makes the Sugar Bowl matchup so fascinating.

Quinn Ewers and Michael Penix Jr. will be challenged to break down the opposing defenses, and whomever does the best job will most likely come away with a spot in the CFB Playoff National Championship.

The assumption is that Texas and Washington will combine for more points than the Alabama Crimson Tide and Michigan Wolverines do in the Rose Bowl, but do not rule out a standout showing from at least one defense.

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread: Texas -4

Over/Under: 63.5

Money Line: Texas (-175; bet $175 to win $100); Washington (+145; bet $100 to win $145)

Texas and Washington were both average against the spread this season.

The Longhorns produced a 7-5-1 ATS record, while the Huskies were 6-6-1 ATS.

Texas covered the spread in four of its last six games. It was an underdog once this season in its road win over Alabama.

Washington closed as an underdog twice in the final four weeks of the regular season. The Huskies won both of those matchups with the two Oregon schools.

The Huskies embraced the underdog role against Oregon, and that could be a motivating factor once again on New Years' Day.

The two Sugar Bowl participants both had under .500 records to the over. Texas was 5-8 and Washington went 6-7.

The under hit in the last three Washington games. All of those totals were set in the 60s, and that could be the betting precedent followed in the Sugar Bowl.

Texas hit the over in its last two games, but both of those totals were in the mid 50s. The under hit in four of the five Longhorns contests before that.

Washington 31, Texas 24

The two teams can put up a good amount of points without hitting the over.

That will likely be the case at the Sugar Bowl because the two defenses are more than capable of producing a handful of stops.

Washington's performance against Oregon is the one that stands out more from conference championship weekend because that unit faced questions over the final few weeks of the regular season.

The Huskies shut down Bo Nix for a half and that allowed Penix, Rome Odunze and Co. to pull away. A similar situation could play out inside the Superdome.

Texas followed a similar script to end the Big 12 Championship Game by halftime. It has to avoid keeping Penix in the game going into the fourth quarter.

The Longhorns' lone defeat to the Oklahoma Sooners occurred in comeback fashion with Dillon Gabriel leading the Sooners down the field on a game-winning drive.

Penix produced similar fourth-quarter fireworks all season, and his resolve in close games could be the difference-maker in New Orleans.

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