The first semifinal of the 2016 College Football final four will have two teams who got here in very different ways. Washington will make their first semifinal appearance because their offense is one of the best in the nation.

The Huskies look to upset the football world. The sports bookies haven’t shown much faith in them.

Alabama has been in the semifinals the past two years. In 2014 they lost to a loaded Ohio State team. Last season they clubber Michigan State and ended up winning the title over Clemson. This 2016 team could be better than their previous two. 

Head coach Nick Saban will look to be in the Championship game for the sixth time. Yes, Saban is a five-time National Champion coach, and that’s why his team is the favorite in the pay per head sites.

Washington Huskies (12-1) at Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0)

• College Football Point Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -14
• Game Total: 54.5
• Game Time: Saturday, December 31 | 3:00 PM ET
• Stadium: Georgia Dome, in Atlanta, GA
• TV: ESPN

Why Bet the Washington to cover the College Football point spread against Alabama

At the beginning of the season, nobody was counting on Washington Huskies to be in the Final Four. The beauty of College Football is reward outstanding seasons, just like this one. When the Huskies hired head coach Chris Petersen in 2014, this is what they envisioned.

The pay per head bookies know Washington is a team that has adopted their head coach style. The Huskies are an offensive squad that will go down doing what they do best: pass the football.

In 2016, Washington established their 13th best total offense in the nation. They average 267.2 passing yards per game, which is the 26th best number in College Football. The Huskies followed the lead of sophomore QB Jake Browning, who destroyed almost every defense he faced.

Browning finished with 42 touchdowns passes this season; only QB Logan Woodside from Toledo had more (45 TDs) in the entire NCAAF landscape. Browning added 3280 passing yards to his 42 touchdowns and was intercepted just seven times.

I get Alabama owns the best defense in College Football, but it would be foolish for Washington to chance their style for one game. The Huskies need to stick to what they do best and execute.

The Huskies will look for Junior WR John Ross to make an impact early in the game. He leads this offense with 76 catches, 1122 yards, and 17 touchdowns. If Ross can get separation, don’t be surprised if Junior WR Dante Pettis is the best option for Browning. Pettis had 50 catches for 796 yards and 14 touchdowns during the regular season.

The College Football betting trends say the Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games, 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in December, 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game and 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.

This season the Huskies finished with a 12-1 straight up record and 7-6 against the spread. This is the first time Washington jumps as the underdog in the pay per head sportsbooks.

Why Bet the Alabama to cover the College Football point spread against Washington

To say Alabama has dominated every opponent they have faced is an understatement. They are not only 13-0 straight up, but also 9-4 against the spread. Think about it; they played magnificent teams in the SEC, and they beat them all. They were favorites in 13 games, and they beat the bookie business nine of those 13 outings.

How can a team be so dominant? Well, Alabama has based their success on their unprecedented defense. The Tide had the second-best total defense in the Nation. Only Michigan had better numbers, but the Wolverines had an easy schedule. Bama was third in sacks this season.

They recorded 45 sacks, only two shies from Florida State, who led this stat. Yet, the best number comes as an overall defense. The Tide only allowed 11.8 points per game this season; number one in the nation. Just two teams scored more than 20 points on Alabama this season. They recorded two shutdown wins and six times they held opponents to fewer than ten points.

Of course, Alabama’s defense is not the only reason they have succeeded this season. QB Jalen Hurts has been an unplanned successful story. He is a double-threat who dominates defenses with his cool and collected way to play the game. Hurts can and will beat you either by passing or running the football.

The Crimson Tide is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game, 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite, 13-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games and 13-6 ATS in their last 19 neutral site games.

Alabama’s experienced could be a major factor in this matchup. The price per head services‎ respect head coach Nick Saban because they know what they get with him. Washington head coach Chris Petersen is on his first semifinal.

How to bet the Game Total in the Washington Huskies vs Alabama Crimson Tide College Football Semifinal Matchup:

The game total was set to 54.5 points, according to the pph sportsbooks. Washington averages 44.5 points per game and Alabama 40.6 PPG. The OVER is a done deal right? Well, not so fast. Keep in mind Bama allows only 11.8 points per game; the best number in the entire nation.

The OVER the jackpot in eight of the 13 games Washington played this season. The OVER is 4-1 in the Huskies last five non-conference games, 10-3-1 in their last 14 games following a straight up win, 9-3-1 in their last 13 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points and 7-2-1 in the Huskies last ten vs. a team with a winning record.

For Alabama Crimson Tide, the OVER cashed out only six of the 13 games they played in 2016. As mentioned, they held teams to season-low numbers. It’s not easy to move the ball against Bama. However, the OVER is 17-3-1 in the Crimson Tide last 21 neutral site games as a favorite, 5-1 in their last six games on December, 9-2 in their last 11 bowl games, and 19-6-1 in their last 26 neutral site games.

2016 College Football Semifinals Odds and Picks: Alabama -14 and the OVER.