2024 National Championship Same Game Parlay
In 1991-1992, Washington and Michigan met in the Rose Bowl in consecutive seasons. They split the matchups, but Washington took home the National Championship in 1991, its last in school history.
Now, things are coming full circle in this national championship matchup.
This year's CFP National Championship game will feature quite the contrast in styles with Washington's high-powered offense facing Michigan's vaunted defense.
When Michigan has the ball, expect a heavy dose of Blake Corum to keep Washington off the field. That's where we begin this four-leg same-game parlay at +850 odds.
Find my Washington vs. Michigan same-game parlay and picks for Blake Corum, Ja'Lynn Polk and more below.
Blake Corum 80+ Rushing Yards (-275) & 2 TDs (+135)
Michigan and Washington last met in 2021, a 31-10 Michigan victory in Ann Arbor. A lot has changed since then, but Michigan's desire to run the football has not.
The Wolverines ran for 343 yards and four touchdowns on 6.1 yards per carry in that game, as true sophomore Blake Corum took off for 171 yards and three touchdowns.
Corum since has developed into one of the best running backs in the country and scores virtually every week, finding the end zone in 25 of his last 26 games.
He leads the FBS with 25 rushing touchdowns this season and caught his first receiving touchdown of the year against Alabama as well. Corum ran for 83 yards against the Crimson Tide, but he should find more room against the Huskies.
On the surface, Washington appears to have an above-average run defense, ranking 43rd nationally with 137.1 rushing yards allowed per game.
However, the Huskies' opponents have the 14th-fewest rushing attempts in the country. Washington ranks 63rd in rushing touchdowns allowed, 89th in yards per carry allowed and 129th in Rushing Success Rate Allowed.
Texas ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns on 6.1 yards per carry against Washington last Monday. Corum has run for 80 yards in five of his last six games and scored two touchdowns in each of his last six games.
Expect to see a heavy dose of Corum again on Monday night.
Ja'Lynn Polk 70+ Receiving Yards (+205)
Last season, Washington's passing attack was hard enough to stop with Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan serving as the focal points, as each surpassed 1,000 receiving yards.
McMillan has battled injuries this season, while Odunze just eclipsed 1,500 receiving yards last week. However, Ja'Lynn Polk's emergence as the third — and at times, second — option in the passing game has made the Huskies lethal.
Polk has 65 receptions for 1,122 yards and nine touchdowns this season. His line sits at 49.5 receiving yards at DraftKings, and he has cleared that line in 10 of his 12 games this season.
However, I'm going for a bit more juice considering his upside. Polk is averaging 93.5 receiving yards per game and has recorded at least 80 receiving yards in nine of his 12 games. He went for 122 yards and a touchdown against Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Michigan has a better secondary than Texas had, and the Wolverines' top two cornerbacks, Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil, will likely match up against the Huskies' Odunze and McMillan.
That leaves a favorable matchup for Polk against Josh Wallace.
Polk is capable of getting behind Wallace and has caught a pass for at least 30 yards in nine of his 12 games.
But even without a deep ball, Polk has caught five or more passes in 10 of his last 11 games. Five receptions should help Polk reach 70 yards considering he's averaging 17.3 yards per catch this season.
Michigan -2.5 (-164)
Going up against the trio of Odunze, McMillan and Polk is a handful for many defenses, but Michigan is one of the few teams equipped to handle them.
Michigan had lost to Ohio State seemingly annually until the 2021 season. Like Washington the past two years, Ohio State has been loaded at receiver for the past decade.
In 2021, Michigan switched up its defense to operate more like the Baltimore Ravens with a 3-4 scheme and a myriad of looks. Since then, Michigan has gone 3-0 against Ohio State.
While the Buckeyes didn't have a quarterback near the caliber of Michael Penix Jr. this season, the wins in 2021 and '22 came against likely NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud.
Led by Johnson and Sainristil, Michigan has its best secondary yet. It ranks 17th nationally in Passing Success Rate defensively and second in defending passing explosiveness.
Defending the deep ball will be more important than ever against Penix. However, Michigan's pass rush sits fourth nationally in pressure rate and 19th with 38 sacks.
Offensively, Michigan should find a ton of success on the ground, led by Corum. Donovan Edwards, Kalel Mullings and quarterback J.J. McCarthy will get carries as well.
Speaking of McCarthy, he will be the overlooked quarterback in this game. But in three career playoff games (two starts), he has accounted for seven total touchdowns — six passing — against two interceptions.
McCarthy should take advantage of a Washington defense that ranks 81st in Passing Success Rate. He'll help Michigan remain balanced and attack Washington through the air and on the ground.
Between McCarthy and Corum on offense and the strong pass rush and secondary on defense, I like Michigan to take home the National Championship on Monday night.
Additionally, the last four betting favorites have won and covered in the CFP National Championship. The 4.5-point spread is a bit of a dead zone for a favorite, so we can move Michigan to -2.5 for the parlay.
Washington vs. Michigan Same-Game Parlay
- Blake Corum 80+ Rushing Yards (-275) & 2 TDs (+135)
- Ja'Lynn Polk 70+ Receiving Yards (+205)
- Michigan -2.5 (-164)
Parlay Odds: +850 via DraftKings
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