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One week before the season, Washington’s bandwagon is fairly full. There are seats available, but only middle ones next to fans who can name the entire ’91 two-deep.
For this, you’re welcome.
The Hotline was among the first, if not the first, to pick the Huskies as the team to beat in the North. (The date of publication was Jan. 20, to be exact.)
The combination of defense, returning quarterback, skill talent, offensive line experience and coaching gives them an edge on Stanford and Oregon, which have many of those components, as well, but definitely not the returning quarterback piece.
Plus, the Huskies get Stanford and USC at home and miss UCLA.
And if the season doesn’t go as predicted here, if they make me look silly, well … they wouldn’t be the first.
Coach: Chris Petersen
Season: Third
Record: 15-12
Win totals by season: 8-7
Job security: No short-term risk of losing his job. But if all he does is win six or seven games, the grumbling will begin (albeit on the margins of Husky fandom).
Notable: The Huskies play Stanford and Oregon back-to-back for the fourth time in five years and fifth in the last seven.
*** Previous installments:
Arizona predictions
Arizona State predictions
Oregon State predictions
Oregon predictions
Colorado predictions
Utah predictions
Cal predictions
Stanford predictions
USC predictions
UCLA predictions
Here we go …
Sept. 3: vs. Rutgers
Result: Win
Record: 1-0
Comment: Rutgers gave Washington State all sorts of trouble during a recent home-and-home series. That won’t happen with UW, at least not this year.
Sept. 10: vs. Idaho
Result: Win
Record: 2-0
Comment: Would be nice if the Huskies had challenged themselves in the non-conference …
Sept. 17: vs. Portland State
Result: Win
Record: 3-0
Comment: Who knows: It could haunt them in the selection committee room.
Sept. 24: at Arizona
Result: Loss
Record: 3-1/0-1
Comment: With one eye on their ranking and the other on Stanford, the Huskies stumble in the heat of the Zona Zoo.
Sept. 30: vs. Stanford (Friday)
Result: Win
Record: 4-1/1-1
Comment: Most anticipated game UW has played in years, and its defense brings the hammer.
Oct. 8: at Oregon
Result: Win
Record: 5-1/2-1
Comment: The extra day is crucial for preparation as the Huskies come down from the post-Stanford high, get locked on the vulnerable Ducks, and end the losing streak.
Oct. 15: Bye
Comment: Perfectly placed following two emotional games.
Oct. 22: vs. Oregon State
Result: Win
Record: 6-1/3-1
Comment: Sluggish start, dominating finish.
Oct. 29: at Utah
Result: Loss
Record: 6-2/3-2
Comment: Days before the release of the first CFP rankings, the Huskies get nipped by their own success and mauled by Utah’s defensive line.
Nov. 5: at Cal
Result: Win
Record: 7-2/4-2
Comment: Back on track.
Nov. 12: vs. USC
Result: Win
Record: 8-2/5-2
Comment: Timing works in UW’s favor with the Trojans fresh off Oregon and awaiting UCLA. But I’d pick Washington regardless of schedule placement.
Nov. 19: vs. Arizona State
Result: Win
Record: 9-2/6-2
Comment: Classic trap game if the Sun Devils have any bite. Just don’t see it.
Nov. 25: at Washington State (Friday)
Result: Win
Record: 10-2/7-2
Comment: Apple Cup is the rivalry game in the Pac-12 for the first time in eons. I’d pay to see it.
* Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline
The post Pac-12 football: Washington game-by-game predictions for 2016 appeared first on College Hotline.
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by Jon Wilner