California @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2014 ) Washington 31, California 7

California quarterback Jared Goff is rising up NFL draft boards and the junior looks to help his team break a six-game string of losing efforts against host Washington in Saturday's Pac-12 opener for both schools. Goff became the school's all-time passing-yardage leader (8,379) last weekend and is three touchdown passes away from supplanting Kyle Boller (64 from 1999-2002) as the Golden Bears' leader in career touchdown passes.

Cal is aiming for its first 4-0 start since 2007 and is brimming with confidence after last Saturday's 45-44 road win over Texas. Count Washington coach Chris Petersen among the growing admirers of Goff, who is a possible No. 1 overall pick if he should apply for the 2016 NFL Draft. "He's good. I mean, he's really, really good," Petersen said at a press conference. "He gets it out really fast. He'll hang in the pocket and sit on his back foot. That guy can throw it down the field 40 yards on his back foot on a line." The Huskies have their own promising quarterback in freshman Jake Browning, who has thrown for over 300 yards in each of the past two games.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: California -4.5.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12): Goff is completing 73.1 percent of his passes for 898 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions and junior receiver Kenny Lawler is his top target with 14 receptions for 182 yards and five scores. Senior running back Daniel Lasco (137 yards) is expected to return from a hip injury that caused him to sit out the Texas game but junior Khalfani Muhammad (266 yards, 12.1 average) more than made up for Lasco's absence with a career-high 164 yards on 10 carries. The Golden Bears have forced nine turnovers (seven interceptions, two fumbles) and racked up eight sacks and are hoping junior free safety Damariay Drew (team-high 18 tackles) won't miss any time after injuring a foot against Texas.

ABOUT WASHINGTON (2-1, 0-0): Browning has completed 66.3 percent of his passes in his first three college games for 844 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. Freshman running back Myles Gaskin leads the team with 193 rushing yards while junior running back Dwayne Washington is making his mark out of the backfield with team-best totals of 14 receptions and 204 yards. Junior cornerback Kevin King has notched three of the Huskies' four interceptions but the secondary will be without standout sophomore safety Budda Baker, who injured an ankle in last Saturday's victory over Utah State.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington leads the series 53-38-4, including four straight at home as the Golden Bears haven't won in Seattle since rolling to a 56-17 victory in 2005.

2. Cal senior WR Bryce Treggs (158) is five catches away from passing current NFL standout DeSean Jackson (2005-2007) for seventh place on the school's career receptions list.

3. Huskies senior OLB Cory Littleton has 18.5 career tackles for losses, including a team-best 3.5 this season.

PREDICTION: California 38, Washington 31