College Football Playoff Public Betting: Michigan Take Lowest Percentage Of Bets In Semifinals – originally posted on Sportslens.com
See the list of figures from the most up-to-date CFP public betting data, with Michigan very unpopular amongst bettors.
College Football Playoff Public Betting
No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide vs No. 1 Michigan Wolverines – Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
Taking a look at the latest CFP public betting figures ahead of Monday’s semifinals, courtesy of Action Network, it would appear the Michigan Wolverines are being backed the least of any team on New Year’s Day.
The no.1 ranked Wolverines, who are favored by 1.5 points against the no. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide, have taken just 26% of bets compared to 74% for their underdog opponents.
Michigan opened as a 2.5-point favorite but the line has since moved in Alabama’s direction. The Wolverines cooled off towards the end of the regular season after a glittering start to the campaign.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy has failed to throw for 150 yards in each of his last four outings. Their defense is the program’s strong point though, allowing just 9.5 points per game – the fewest in the country.
Alabama also boast an impressive defense and three of their key pieces on that side of the ball are expected to go in the first round of next year’s NFL Draft – DE Dallas Turner and CBs Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry.
The Crimson Tide offense has seen quarterback Jalen Milroe grow and prosper in the position in his first year as a starter. He hasn’t thrown two picks in a game since a loss to Texas early in the season and has since totalled 35 touchdowns – 23 passing and 12 rushing.
- Alabama Crimson Tide +1.5 – 74% of bets
- Michigan Wolverines -1.5 – 26% of bets
All smiles from QB1 before the Rose Bowl:
(via @AlabamaFTBL) pic.twitter.com/8hHV99rjCe— Sidelines – Bama (@SSN_Alabama) December 28, 2023
No. 3 Texas Longhorns vs No. 2 Washington Huskies – Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
The betting for the second semifinal between the Texas Longhorns and Washington Huskies is significantly closer, but the latter holds the edge heading in.
The Sugar Bowl sees the Huskies, who are 11th in the country with 37.7 points per game led by Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback (the country’s leading passer with 4,218 yards), open as +4.5 underdogs.
Washington also boast college’s second-leading receiver Rome Odunze, who has accumulated 1,428 yards this season. They’ve won their last four games and seven of their last nine games have been won by one score.
The Texas offense is firing on all cylinders too, having put up 57 points against Texas Tech in their regular season finale and 49 against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game.
The Longhorns will miss star running back Jonathon Brooks due to injury but even without him the team’s run game hasn’t taken a hit, averaging 207.7 yards on the ground in three games.
The pair met in the Alamo Bowl lost year with Washington coming away 27-20 winners.
- Texas Longhorns -4.5 – 43% of bets
- Washington Huskies +4.5 – 57% of bets
IT’S BOWL WEEK
#CFBPlayoff Semifinal at the @Allstate #SugarBowl
2⃣@UW_Football
3⃣@TexasFootball#PurpleReign #HookEm pic.twitter.com/FTA9a5pp2J
— Allstate Sugar Bowl (@SugarBowlNola) December 27, 2023
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