Your NC Game score prediction 4 days out.

37-28 Michigan!

Michigan 35-28. The matchup of the game is our elite D-line vs. their elite O-line. We win that matchup and sack Penix at least twice, but he still manages to get some shots in. They can't stop our run game or our pass game, and both Blake and JJ have a field day. Washington scores a late TD to make the game seem closer than it actually was.

30-24 Michigan.  I think Michigan controls TOP with the run game and Washington gets a few big plays on deep balls, but not enough.

41-27

Michigan 38-28, but with Washington scoring late to make it respectable. 

Either way - it will not be a blowout. Do not underestimate Washington and the sophistication behind their advanced offense. All they need are small windows of opportunities to make big plays and they do that with little nuances, tricks and deceptions especially in the play-action game. It is really important that we do not fall for their bag-o-tricks. 

What worries me is if we fall behind (similar to the TCU game last year) and we have to rush around to play catch-up. I almost want us to get the ball first and establish the tone of the game from the start and man them up physically so they tire as the game moves into the 2nd half. 

42 - 26 Michigan

Our offense will control the ball and drag them up and down the field.  When they are behind Penix will force the issue against a defense trying to take away the big play.  Its a recipe for disaster for Washington.   GO Blue. 

41-17, Michigan

I’m Mr pessimist because I have been all season (or at least the last 5 games). I’ve predicted losses against PSU, OSU, and Bama. Thankfully I’ve been wrong, but I will continue this pessimism for the sake of the team. 
I don’t see how we stop them.  All they need is one or two stops and they win a shootout.  Wash wins 42-35

38-28 Michigan.

The Vegas O/U early Tuesday was 66 points. That's a good metric. The Huskies defense is not  ranked very high. I don't want to see this being shootout and it probably won't.

The most points Michigan has given up so far this season was 24 points to the Terps and then Buckeyes. Washington might surpass that. I'll feel real good if our offense can score 40 or more points. The Michigan-D won't give up more than 30.

I think 45-26 Michigan. The opposite of the Rose Bowl becomes a shoot out. The difference is, UW has to settle for field goals while Michigan scores TDs.

31-20 Michigan

Michigan pulls away late from a tight game

I say it's 24-21 and then a critical strip sack by Barrett with a couple mins to go gives us the ball in Wash territory.  UW, with the championship on the line, sells out to stop the run on 3rd and 3 in order to get the ball back and JJ pulls it and hits Barner for a rumbling 35yd TD to seal the game.  31-21 good guys. Pure jubilation.

Not to be specific or anything...

40-31, Michigan.

Michigan 45-23

I think Minter will be able to neutralize some of the UW firepower and Michigan will control TOP. 

It would not surprise me to see a game like 2022 UM/OSU--close with some enemy fireworks in the 1st half and a slow, methodical beatdown in the 2nd.

UM wins a nail biter: 31-28.

Washington's defense in SP+ is 44th and they're giving up 397 yds/game and 23.6 pts/game.  The closest comps we've played this year are:

SP+

Minnesota (31) -- we scored 52

Wash (44) - TBD

MSU (45) -- we scored 49

Yards

Indiana (394) -- we scored 52 

Wash (397) -- TBD

UNLV (402) -- we scored 35 

Pts

Maryland (23.3) -- we scored 31

Wash (23.6) -- TBD

Minnesota (26.9) -- we scored 52

Against the 5 most comparable defenses (counting Minn only once), we averaged 44 pts and never scored less than 31.  Of those games, 3 were true road games.  We still averaged 27 pts against the best the best 4 defenses we faced (PSU, OSU, Iowa, Bama), with only one of those coming at home.  Anything can happen in the postseason but I just don't see us scoring less than 30 pts here, so it's a matter of how much we can contain UW's offense.  I'm comforted by knowing no one has scored more than 24 on us--but if there's a team to do it, it's UW.

31-21 good guys.  Defense wins championships.

38-14 UofM

Semaj runs a punt back for a TD and Harbaugh pounds his shoulder pads and smiles. 

42-28 Michigan

Please don't make me sweat.

If I were a neutral, I'd probably say more like 31-28.

I'll go with 42-27

28-26, Michigan, in an absolute butt-clencher that’ll make the Rose Bowl stress seem like child’s play by comparison. 

Michigan 45

Washington 24

M 38 

W 30

Michigan 34, Washington 23

I think we methodically move the ball on offense while chewing clock and keeping their offense off the field.  Washington will be effective on offense, but we will also get our stops.  

49-21 Michigan.

We score TDs, they score FGs. 

UM 31 UW 17

This game almost certainly gets decided by the matchups of Michigan offense vs. Washington defense.

Washington offense vs Michigan defense is elite vs. elite. Washington wins its battles, and Michigan will win it battles. I see those matchup being somewhat of a stalemate. Washington’s defense, however, is just not good. Scoring defense, I think they’re about middle of the pack in the country, but total defense, they are definitely in or close to the bottom 25%. So they cede a lot of yards, and against an offense that wants to methodically and brutally punish you throughout the course of the game, that likely is a red flag for Washington.

I’m not going to make a score prediction because yes, I’m paranoid about jinxing it. But Michigan has several paths to win this game. I think even if it becomes a shootout, Michigan has a chance to win that kind of game. I wouldn’t favor them, or pick them in that scenario, but I think they have the capability. But that is Washington’s only path to victory. if it becomes a slowdown, grind it out, kind of game that Michigan wants to play, where every possession counts, and Michigan controls the clock, I don’t think that’s a game Washington can win.

So I would say it’s more likely that Michigan wins because they have more paths to victory. Their defense is designed to play a team like Washington, Washington has a suspect defense, and Michigan can score. Washington has to make this game a shoot out. That is their only path.

They can certainly do it, but if Michigan bogs them down, they are in a lot of trouble.

30-24 good guys 

Michigan 38 - Washington 27

M 35

W 27

Meechigan 23-6 

Michigan wins, 38-24. 

B1G East Champs 38

Nouveau B1G West 31

Same score as when I was in Pasadena on 1/1/93 to see these two play in the Rose Bowl.

M 34 - 27 W 

31-17 Michigan 

Michigan wins 31 - 18

My shadow says Forty Six & 2 Michigan