Oregon State @ Washington preview
Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 30, 2017 ) Washington 42, Oregon State 7
With an eye on a second Pac-12 North Division title in three years, No. 17 Washington closes out its home schedule Saturday against Oregon State. The Huskies must beat the Beavers and rival Washington State the following Friday to win the North.
Washington is coming off a much-needed bye week – its first of the season – which followed a 27-23 win over Stanford that set the Huskies up to challenge No. 9 Washington State. The week off afforded Huskies running back Myles Gaskin some extra rest as he had sat out games Oct. 20 and Oct. 27 with a shoulder injury before returning and rushing for a season-high 148 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinal. Now Gaskin and the Huskies will be going up against a coach that knows them well. First-year Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith served the previous four seasons as Washington’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Washington -32.5
ABOUT OREGON STATE (2-8, 1-6 Pac-12): The Beavers snapped a 13-game Pac-12 losing streak Oct. 27 by overcoming a 31-3 deficit and rallying to stun host Colorado 41-34 in overtime, but they have been unable to ride the momentum since, falling to USC (38-21) and Stanford (48-17). Senior quarterback Juke Luton returned from a four-and-a-half game injury absence to guide the second-half rally in Boulder and has completed 73-of-110 passes for 816 yards, six TDs and one interception in the 10 quarters and OT period. Freshman running back Jermar Jefferson ranks fourth in the conference with 120.1 rushing yards per game, but it’s been negated and then some by a defenseless defense which is surrendering a Pac-12-most 45.1 points, 542.8 total yards, 271.5 rushing yards and 271.3 passing yards per game.
ABOUT WASHINGTON (7-3, 5-2): Gaskin and senior quarterback Jake Browning are nearing the end of their standout run together as the school’s all-time rushing and passing leaders, respectively. The Huskies’ offense, though, is experiencing a down season, averaging 26.6 points – which is the program’s lowest mark since 2012 and down nearly 10 points per game from last season’s average of 36.2. However, the Washington defense, led by linebacker Ben Burr-Kiven (second nationally with 13.4 tackles per game), is as stout as ever, ranking 10th in the FBS in average points allowed (16.0) and 15th in average yards allowed (313.5).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Washington has won six straight and 32 of the last 41 meetings in the series, including a 42-7 road win last season as Browning threw three TD passes and ran for another.
2. Washington’s 13-game home win streak is tied for the second-longest in the FBS while Oregon State has dropped 22 of its last 23 road games dating back to 2014.
3. The Huskies (minus-1) and Beavers (minus-4) rank eighth and 10th, respectively, in Pac-12 turnover differential.
PREDICTION: Washington 42, Oregon State 10