Peach Bowl 2016: Final Odds and Prediction for Washington vs. Alabama
The College Football Playoff is finally upon us, and first up is the 2016 Peach Bowl featuring the No. 1 team in the nation, the Alabama Crimson Tide, against the No. 4 Washington Huskies.
There isn't any reason to argue against the Crimson Tide (13-0) being favorites in this matchup. After all, they dominated virtually every opponent they faced during the regular season, even in games in which they didn't play up to their usual standard.
Led by freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has put up 2,592 passing yards with an impressive 65.3 percent completion rate, and an outstanding defense that has carried the team all year long, Alabama seems more prepared than ever to take on the Huskies (12-1).
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
But don't sleep on Washington. With a high-powered offense that can put up points in a blink of an eye and a fundamentally sound defense that doesn't make many mistakes, don't be surprised to see Washington make Alabama look vulnerable and make this a real ballgame.
But before we get into any predictions, let's take a look at the latest odds surrounding these teams, courtesy of OddsShark.
| Alabama | -14 |
| Washington | +14 |
Prediction
Alabama is a two-touchdown favorite against Washington, and it's not hard to see why. Winning by an average margin of 28.8 points per game, the Crimson Tide ranked first in the nation in points allowed, as their defense surrendered just 11.8 points per game while holding their opposition to 10 points or less eight times throughout the year.
The Crimson Tide offense averages 40.5 points per game, and while the Huskies offense can put up points as good as any team in the nation (44.5 PPG), Washington never had to face a defense that is loaded with NFL-caliber players who make up a ferocious unit designed to disrupt any game plan that comes their way.
On the flip side, Alabama's defense hasn't had to face an offense quite like Washington's all season long.
More so than just a dynamic offense, the Huskies ranked eighth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 17.2 PPG during the regular season. Granted, the Pac-12 had a down year, so the competition Washington faced wasn't that fierce, but you can't knock a team for dominating the majority of its competition.
The Huskies did what a good team is supposed to do, and that's why they're playing the No. 1 team in the nation in the Peach Bowl. Unfortunately for Washington, the journey ends on New Year's Eve.
Alabama is just too good, and that's no knock on Washington. If the Huskies had to play against Clemson or Ohio State instead, they would get the nod because that's how good they are. But Nick Saban is a mastermind, and this is arguably the most well-rounded team he's had at his disposal in the last few years.
The over/under on this game is 53, according to OddsShark, and that's no shock. Both teams know how to light up a scoreboard, but when it's do-or-die time, the first team to blink and begin committing turnovers and costly errors is usually the team that falls behind and never recovers.
Expect Alabama to stay consistent with the run game and try to break down Washington's tough front seven before it begins to mix in the play-action game. Washington quarterback Jake Browning will have no choice but to release the ball as fast as he can to avoid Alabama's pass rush, but that will likely lead to turnovers or incompletions.
It won't be long before Alabama seizes the game by the scruff of its neck and takes complete control of the tempo en route to the CFP National Championship.
Prediction: Alabama defeats Washington 41-24.
Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
