Huskies vs. Oregon State Preview
After two big wins against Stanford and Oregon, the Huskies had a week to recover and are back and ready to take on the Oregon State Beavers at home in a Pac-12 North Matchup.
Arguably the two biggest games on the Huskies‘ schedule are in the rearview mirror. They dismantled Stanford at home in a Friday night game, and a week later, they went to Autzen Stadium and dropped 70 points on the Ducks, ending a 12-year losing streak thanks to eight total touchdowns by quarterback Jake Browning.
It appears the fifth-ranked Huskies control their own destiny at this point, as Ohio State and Michigan are both ranked ahead of them and they will play each other. The loser will likely fall out of the top four teams and out of a playoff spot.
This week has the feel of a potential trap game, especially after two big wins and a week off, so the Huskies need to take care of business against a less talented opponent in front of their home crowd in Seattle.
The Opponent:
The Beavers are 2-4 this season, with wins coming against Idaho State and in a shootout against Cal.
The Beavers are down to their third quarterback this year, as the first-string quarterback, Darrell Garretson is out for the remainder of the season, and the backup, Conor Blount, is out as well. That leaves Marcus McMaryion as the guy to face the Huskies’ stout defense that has feasted on quarterbacks this year with 24 sacks, first in the Pac-12 and tied for sixth in the nation. In terms of total yards, the Huskies rank 11th in the country allowing just 318 yards per game.
The Beavers may be without their starting running back, Ryan Nall, who has a foot injury and is listed as doubtful. Nall leads the team in rushing yards with 464 yards and six touchdowns.
The defense for the Beavers hasn’t been too great this season. They’ve allowed just under 31 points per game, and well over 200 yards per game on the ground. Expect to see a lot of carries for both Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman.
The Prediction:
The expectations for this team are huge. And although this game has all the makings for being a trap game, I think the Huskies show up and get the conference win in front of their home crowd. Chris Petersen has shown his team can execute against any team they face.
I think a first half hangover could happen, after two big rivalry games and a bye week, but then they come out in the second half and squash the lesser opponent.
Gaskin will have over 120 yards and a touchdown, and expect Browning to strengthen his case for winning the Heisman with at least 250 yards and three touchdowns.