Texas vs Washington Sugar Bowl Prediction & Picks: Will There Be New Year’s Fireworks in New Orleans?

Last Update: Mon Jan 01, 2024, 11:01 am ET

Read Time: 5 minutes

Texas vs Washington 2024 Sugar Bowl Prediction & Picks 1/1/2024 cover

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Ten years ago, Steve Sarkisian left what he was building at Washington to become the head coach at USC. Ten years later, after many twists and turns for both Sarkisian and Washington, both are on top of the college football world heading into Monday's Sugar Bowl showdown between the Huskies and Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns (8:45 pm ET, ESPN).

Chris Petersen picked up where Sarkisian left off and went 55-26 in six seasons, leading Washington to the College Football Playoff seven years ago. Following the forgettable and fleeting tenure of Jimmy Lake, the Huskies struck gold with another hire from the Mountain West in former Fresno State coach Kalen DeBoer.

In two seasons, DeBoer has led the Huskies, who are off to the Big Ten next season, to a 24-2 record, a Pac-12 title, and the first CFP appearance by a Pac-12 team since Petersen's Huskies in 2016.

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It has been almost two decades since a Pac-12 team won a national championship, and it would perhaps be fitting for one to do so in the final year of the conference as we know it.

But the Longhorns are on their own farewell tour before they depart the Big 12 for the SEC, and they are two wins away from the program's first national title since Vince Young and the 'Horns triumphed over USC–when Sarkisian was the QB coach for the Trojans–18 years ago.

After rebuilding his coaching career, Sarkisian will be hoping to be the man to lead Texas back to the promised land. But to set up a championship clash with either Michigan or Alabama, the Longhorns will have to contend with the Heisman Trophy runner-up and one of the most potent offenses in college football.

Texas vs Washington Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you're interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

Texas -4 (-107)
Washington +4 (-113)

Over/Under

Over 63 (-110)
Under 63 (-110)

Moneyline

Texas -170
Washington +150

Top Players for Washington

Washington Offense

QB Michael Penix Jr.: 307 of 466 (65.9%), 4218 yards, 33 TD, 9 INT passing; 3 rushing TD
RB Dillon Johnson: 201 carries, 1113 yards (5.5 YPA), 14 TD rushing; 19 catches, 148 yards
WR Rome Odunze: 81 catches, 1428 yards (17.6 YPC), 13 TD

Washington Defense

LB Edefuan Ulofoshio: 83 tackles, 6 TFL, 3 sacks, INT, TD
CB Jabbar Muhammad: 42 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 INT, 12 pass breakups
EDGE Bralen Trice: 41 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 5 sacks

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Top Players for Texas

Texas Offense

QB Quinn Ewers: 248 of 351 (70.7%), 3161 yards, 21 TD, 6 INT passing; 5 rushing TD
WR: Xavier Worthy: 73 catches, 969 yards (13.3 YPC), 5 receiving TD; 4 attempts, 35 yards rushing (8.8 YPA); 21 punt returns, 358 yards (17.0 YPR), TD
TE Ja'Tavion Sanders: 39 catches, 607 yards (15.6 YPC), 2 TD

Texas Defense

LB Jaylan Ford: 91 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 2 INT
DT T'Vondre Sweat: 42 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups
DT Byron Murphy II: 26 tackles, 8 TFL, 5 sacks

Texas vs Washington Prediction and Picks

There are two ways to look at the fact that Washington enters the Sugar Bowl with four consecutive one-score games and seven one-score games for the season.

On one hand, you can reasonably wonder if the bubble will inevitably burst after that many close games.

But if you like to live life with an optimistic point of view, like I do, their success in close games, no matter the opponent or venue, is why the Huskies are a strong pick for Monday's game.

Washington's defense is likely to bend and even break quite a bit against Texas, but I don't see the 'Horns being able to offer a ton of defensive resistance against the Huskies. As dangerous as they are with Penix, being able to turn to a punishing, productive runner in Johnson makes them all the more difficult to deal with. Statistically, the Longhorns have been one of the nation's best teams against the run, but they have not been impenetrable, and a guy like Johnson isn't going to back down from the challenge.

Look for Penix and Johnson to pile up the yards and for the Huskies to pile up the points on the way to locking up a trip to Houston.

Prediction: Washington to win

Picks: Washington +4 & Texas/Washington over 63 (Both Lines at BetOnline – Bet this play and get a 100% BONUS if on your first cryptocurrency deposit)

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Where to Bet on Texas vs Washington and Other College Football Games

Most top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of college football odds throughout the season, including on the two CFP semifinal matchups between Michigan and Alabama and Washington and Texas.

In addition to being able to make weekly college football picks all the way from Week Zero to the College Football Playoff National Championship, you can also bet on Heisman Trophy odds, conference championship odds, win totals, and much more.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for college football betting. Below are some of the books that we highly recommend:

If you don't have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.