RADIO
The last great college football season comes to an end on Monday night. After this game, college football will never be the same. The seismic shifts in conference realignment and the unceremonious death of the Pac-12 will be the hallmark of 2024. So will the watered-down 12-team playoff, which will in turn water down the regular season. I enjoyed 2023 for what it was: the glorious end of an era.
The CFP got what they wanted for the last year of a real playoff. They got two outstanding semifinal games where an injury to Dillon Johnson prevented the Huskies from running the clock out on Texas and lengthened the game. Tommy Rees and his mammoth-sized offensive brain came up empty on the Tide's last drive to propel Michigan into the title game. And just like that, the people complaining about the exclusion of Florida State were silenced. The Harbaughs are favored by 4.5, and I will gladly lay a max bet on the Huskies. They are winning this game!
I will be providing you with daily college fantasy football picks DraftKings for the CFP National Championship game starting at 8 pm ET on January 8, 2024. We're still going to go out with a win!
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College Football DFS Captain Plays
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington ($16,500)
This Washington offense goes as Penix goes. If the Huskies are going to win this game, they are going to need a big game from Penix. Dillon Johnson won't be able to get it done on the ground against this defense. Michigan allowed just 2,100 passing yards in 14 games this season. They only allowed seven passing touchdowns and picked off 16 passes. This was a historically dominant defense by the numbers, but Michigan didn't play anyone like Penix.
In fact, three (Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota) of those 14 teams were in the bottom eight of FBS in passing yards. The only team they faced in the top 30 in passing yards was Maryland (22nd), who threw for 247 yards on Michigan. By contrast, the Huskies led the nation with 350 passing yards per game. I'll trust the talent of Penix over Michigan's largely untested pass defense.
Even though Penix was in the Big Ten for four years, he only played Michigan once. It was in 2020 when Penix lit up the Wolverines for 342 yards and three touchdowns on 50 attempts without a turnover. In retrospect, that was the first game where we really saw Penix as more than a scrambler. If there is any guy in the country who can poke holes in the Michigan defense, I have no doubt that it's Michael Penix. If you've read me at all this year (and last), you know that I felt this way about him before the Texas game.
Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan ($13,500)
Statistically, the way to attack Washington is through the air. Most of that was by necessity as teams played from behind, but Quinn Ewers threw for 318 yards on Texas in a close game. That was the second-best game of his career. If Michigan decided to attack through the air, Wilson is the guy J.J. McCarthy looks for to make the impossible catch.
Other Captains: Blake Corum, Jalen McMillan, Jack Westover
College Football DFS Flex Plays
Blake Corum. RB, Michigan ($10,600)
Corum didn't have a lot of running room against Alabama, but he still scored at least two touchdowns for the sixth consecutive game. We all know that's when Michigan's schedule got tough. Corum came up big when the Wolverines really needed him. He likely won't get that 100-yard bonus again, but a pair of touchdowns is all but a certainty at this point.
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington ($9,800)
Odunze now has over 100 receiving yards in five straight games and cleared that mark in nine of the 14 games. Some are calling Odunze the best receiver in a class full of good ones. Is it the quarterback or the receiver? We likely won't know until next year when both are first-round NFL picks and are playing on Sundays.
Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington ($7,200)
McMillan doesn't always pile up the yards that Odunze does, but he has 19 receptions since returning from injury in the Apple Cup. He is targeted almost as much as Odunze. Those points can pile up in a hurry from the receptions alone. Washington is going to have to throw more than usual in this game, and if those Michigan corners can lock up Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk, we could see a ceiling game from McMillan, which is why I like him as a value captain as well.
Other Flex Options: J.J. McCarthy, Ja'Lynn Polk
College Football DFS Value Plays
Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan ($5,400)
Edwards had just four carries against Alabama and four carries against Iowa (though he did catch four passes). He is becoming a huge risk, but those of us who play in large-field GPPs know what Edwards is capable of. Michigan is going to try to play keep-away from Penix and the Washington offense. We have seen Corum have massive workloads before, but I wouldn't be shocked if Michigan ran 45 times in this game. That would leave a large chunk of touches for Edwards at a low price.
Jack Westover, TE, Washington ($5,000)
Yes, that was a perfect throw, but Westover hung onto that ball when he knew he was going to get lit up. Michigan is good enough to limit the deep passes in this game and at times this year, Penix has stubbornly kept throwing them anyway. That won't fly against this ball-hawking secondary. Westover is the secret weapon underneath that Penix will need to rely on more often than usual.
Other Value Plays: Grady Gross, Cornelius Johnson
Enjoy the National Championship!
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