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Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9). Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Sugar Bowl 2024 odds: Do the Huskies have a better shot than the odds suggest?

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated Dec 20, 2023 5:37 PM ET

It wasn't all that long ago that the Washington Huskies were the favorite to win the CFP Championship game in January. Fast forward to pre-Christmas week and Michael Penix Jr.'s team is the underdog in every sense — but should it really be that way?

AP Coach of the Year Kalen DeBoer drove the Huskies to an undefeated season and past a very tough Oregon Ducks team in the conference championship. And yet, Washington is the 6-point underdog at DraftKings against the Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl — the same team they defeated 27-20 in the Alamo Bowl last year — and they are the +700 long shot to win the CFP Championship game.

Do the Pac-12 champs deserve to suddenly be dark horses? Let's take a look at their odds.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate what Kalen DeBoer has done at Washington:

2022: 11-2
2023: 13-0 (PAC-12 Champs + CFP)

In 2021, the year before DeBoer arrived at Washington, the Huskies had just gone 4-8.

DeBoer has taken Washington to heights they didn’t expect so quickly. pic.twitter.com/EvhDrzBqs1
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) December 15, 2023

Is it Washington's meteoric rise that has given oddsmakers some pause when it comes to the college football playoffs? Because it shouldn't.

After finishing 2021 with a 4-8 record, the 2022 Huskies went 11-2 on the season thanks to a seven-game winning streak to end their regular-season campaign before beating the Longhorns at the Alamodome. Now, Washington enters the Sugar Bowl undefeated and Texas enters at 12-1, and the Longhorns are favored by almost a full score on the spread.

Plus, Washington has more experience in this arena. Despite not winning a championship in the current CFP era, this will be the second time the Huskies have made the playoffs. The Longhorns, on the other hand, have played in six bowl games since the CFP was established in 2014 but have not made a championship appearance.

Washington defeated Texas in the 2022 Alamo Bowl

Who will win the 2023 Sugar Bowl and advance to the National Championship? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/mhzSezIK93
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 19, 2023

Even if the Huskies beat the Longhorns on New Year's Day — which is a strong possibility — they are still underdogs in potential matchups at DK if they make it to face Michigan or Alabama. But perhaps we shouldn't read into those odds too quickly.

All in all, the Huskies look like a good bet for Jan. 1 even though they are the underdog in every scenario. With the run DeBoer's team is on, they are a squad that is easily better than their odds would suggest.

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