Washington @ Arizona State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 19, 2016 ) Arizona State 18, Washington 44

Fifth-ranked Washington is halfway through an undefeated regular season and looks to maintain its unblemished record when it visits Arizona State in Saturday's Pac-12 contest. The Huskies are looking to make the College Football Playoff for the second straight season and know they can't afford a slip-up against the Sun Devils.

Washington won its first three Pac-12 games by an average of 31 points but coach Chris Petersen sees challenges ahead with UCLA, Stanford, Utah and Washington State among the remaining opponents on the slate. "Each week I think the kids have really responded," Petersen said in a press conference. "But I think as we move forward here, I think we're going to be tested like we haven't been tested." The Huskies haven't won in Tempe since 2001 but the Sun Devils may have issues keeping that streak alive due to a leaky defense that allows an average of 36.4 points. Arizona State has given up 30 or more points in all five of its games and gave up 301 rushing yards to Stanford star Bryce Love in its most recent game, when it fell 34-24 on Sept. 30.

TV: 10:45 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Washington -17.5

ABOUT WASHINGTON (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12): Junior quarterback Jake Browning has passed for 1,466 yards and 14 touchdowns this season and his career TD count sits at 73, two behind school record-holder Keith Price (2010-13). Senior Dante Pettis excels at catching passes (37 for 416 yards and six touchdowns) and returning punts (three scores to tie the NCAA mark of eight career touchdowns) and now looks to be getting help from freshman tight end Hunter Bryant, who had nine catches for 121 yards and a touchdown in last Saturday's rout of California. Junior outside linebacker Tevis Bartlett (team-best 7.5 tackles for loss) is one of many key players for a defense that is also receiving strong play from redshirt freshman defensive end Ryan Bowman (team-leading 3.5 sacks).

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (2-3, 1-1): Senior running back Demario Richard is only averaging 3.3 yards with a long run of 14 in four games this season but the dangerous performer has 3,019 career all-purpose yards and 25 total touchdowns. Junior quarterback Manny Wilkins has passed for 1,452 yards and eight touchdowns against just two interceptions and he set a school mark with 192 consecutive attempts without being picked off prior to throwing two in the loss to Stanford. Senior middle linebacker DJ Calhoun (48) and junior weakside linebacker Sam Christian (47) rack up the tackles as ball carriers routinely break past the defensive line with the Sun Devils allowing 190.6 rushing yards per game and a porous average of 5.8 yards per carry.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington cruised to a 44-18 win over Arizona State last season to halt a 10-game losing streak in a series that the Sun Devils lead 18-16.

2. Sun Devils sophomore WR N'Keal Harry (476 receiving yards) has outputs of 170 and 148 this season.

3. Huskies junior RB Myles Gaskin (559 rushing yards) sits fourth in school history in career rushing yardage (3,234) and is tied for third with Joe Steele (1976-79) with 32 rushing scores.

PREDICTION: Washington 52, Arizona State 21