Washington Huskies (3-6) vs. Oregon State Beavers (6-3)
Saturday, November 14, 12:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Oregon State -13.0

Sam’s Take (43 – 16):

Anyone surprised to see Oregon State getting better every week? With all due respect to Washington State, OSU is essentially one win away from another high stakes Civil War showdown. The Beavers are playing lights out in all three phases of the game, and a conference title is still possible if a few things go their way.

Meanwhile, the Huskies are desperately trying to fight their way into the postseason. UW must win out (and that still might not be enough), and the first step will be finding a way to end an 11 game road-losing streak.

The recipe for stopping Mike Riley’s club used to be simple; contain the Rodgers brothers. But in recent weeks, QB Sean Canfield has forced defensive coordinators to completely re-write their game plans. The senior signal caller is completing 70% of his passes this season, and he is coming off of a season-high 342 yard game against Cal.

Suddenly the Beavers are full of playmakers, as Adeniji, Halahuni, Kjos, Bishop, and Nichols are all contributing. I expect more of the same from the OSU offense this week, as the unit will be facing a UW D that ranks 102nd nationally in total defense and 111th against the pass.

I can only see one path to victory for the Dawgs this week, and it requires a huge effort from QB Jake Locker. As bad as UW has been defending the pass, OSU is even worse (113th nationally in pass defense). If Locker can regain his early season form, the Huskies may have a punchers chance.

Ultimately, I think the Beavers will overwhelm Washington with a balanced offensive attack.

Prediction: Oregon State 37 – Washington 23

Washington Player to Keep an Eye On: WR Devin Aguilar – Every week I tend to spotlight a UW receiver, as this really is a talented group. The wideouts will have to be particularly productive Saturday against a vulnerable secondary, and I feel like Aguilar will rise to the occasion.

Oregon State Player to Keep an Eye On: TE Joe Halahuni – Halahuni looks like the best tight end in the conference right now, and I expect him to have another big game this week.

Dave’s Take (46 – 13):

Washington has played some very competitive football this season, but they’ve also reminded us that the rebuilding of a program doesn’t happen overnight.

Oregon State, meanwhile, has taken to their yearly trend of getting better as the season goes on, and with the way they are playing right now they have a shot against anyone in the conference.

One of the biggest stories this season has been the emergence of Sean Canfield into a star quarterback. It’s hard to believe there was actually supposed to be a QB battle with Lyle Moevao this fall. No quarterback in the Pac-10 has been much better than Canfield, and his season has helped other Beavers like Joe Halahuni and Damola Adeniji take their game to the next level as well.

The Washington defense has a good mentor in Nick Holt, but they don’t quite have the talent level yet to slow down a high-powered offense like this one. The Huskies will put some points up as well, but I expect a comfortable Beavers victory.

Prediction: Oregon State 38 – Washington 20

Washington Huskies 3-5 Overall (2-3 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Oregon 43 – Washington 19

Next Week’s Opponent: BYE

Count me in as one of the many prognosticators that expected a nail-biter between Oregon and Washington. I guess we will have to wait at least another year before one of the Pac-10’s greatest rivalries returns to form, as the Ducks blasted the Dawgs for the sixth straight season.

Husky fans, Saturday’s game can’t be characterized as anything other than disappointing. What happened to the team that outworked USC on both sides of the ball? I refuse to write the performance against the Trojans off as a fluke, but the last few weeks (including the win against UA) have made it tough to believe in Sarks‘ Dawgs.

Certainly Saturday started innocently enough (3-0 Huskies after a quarter), but the punt block TD (followed by a walk-in two pointer) was a game-changer, to say the least. Special teams proved to be a killer, as the Huskies fell victim to Chip Kelly’s unconventional tactics on more than one occasion (the Nate Costa fake punt scramble never should have happened).

Nick Holt’s defense was also a big disappointment. The Huskies relied on surprising red zone resiliency to keep opponents from scoring up to this point, but the Ducks were able to score four times in the red zone. Statistically, Washington is now ranked at the bottom of the country in rushing yards allowed (91st nationally), passing yards allowed (102nd nationally), total defense (107th nationally), and scoring defense (95th nationally).

Of course, the biggest disappointment of all was the play of QB Jake Locker. I take nothing away from the toughness and tenacity of Nick Aliotti’s defense (the Ducks D is legit no doubt), but Locker didn’t look like himself. He was hesitant throughout the game as both a passer and runner, and Oregon was able to sack him four times while also picking two passes (he went 23/44 266 yards 1 TD, 2 INTs).

The most important thing for Locker to do now is put this one behind him, as the Huskies can still accomplish a lot this year but not without Jake at his best. Looking for a positive on offense? Look no further than RB Chris Polk (18 caries, 104 yards 1 TD), who ran hard all day even when everything else was going wrong.

Washington has a bye this week, giving Sark and the coaches a chance to reevaluate and regroup. The Dawgs have three wins and therefore need to win three of their remaining four games to reach the postseason (@UCLA, @OSU, WSU, Cal). Is it possible? I still think so, but the players must compete with the same fire that was clearly present a few weeks ago, and the defense must be MUCH better.

Oregon Ducks (5-1) vs. Washington Huskies (3-4)
Saturday, October 24, 12:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Oregon -10.0

Sam’s Take (31 – 14):

The Ducks and Huskies have formed one of the Pac-10’s fiercest rivalries over the years, but when is the last time there was any buzz surrounding this game? While Washington holds a significant lead in the all-time series (58-38-5), the Ducks have obliterated U-Dub in five straight meetings, making the usually nasty rivalry nothing more than an afterthought.

I believe this year will be different. The buzz is back in this series, and despite Washington’s best effort to throw away every bit of momentum they have accumulated this season (that 50-yard TD bomb from Danny Sullivan still seems surreal), I believe coach Sark, Jake Locker and an extra-fiery Nick Holt will have the Dawgs ready to play at home.

Having said all of that, I also think Oregon will come ready to play. QB Jeremiah Masoli may not be 100%, but all indications are that he will start. Chip Kelly may limit the playbook a bit this week, especially considering the Ducks need to have a healthy Masoli for the ‘SC game. I therefore expect to see a heavy dose of RB LaMichael James, as this UW defense has been suspect against the run (86th in nation) and James has already proven he can tear through a pretty solid D (UCLA) even without the threat of a passing game. The Huskies have been tremendous defensively in the red zone, but I still expect Chip Kelly’s squad to score a few times inside the 20-yard line.

The most compelling match up in this game involves QB Jake Locker and the UW offense going up against an Oregon D that is playing as well as any in the Pac-10 (and possibly the country). The Ducks have disrupted opposing QBs all season (even Boise’s Kellen Moore), but Locker will be the unit’s biggest test of the season thus far.

I am really looking forward to this game, and I believe it has a chance to be the most exciting of the week in the Pac-10. The Huskies have the ingredients to pull the off the upset this year, but I really think Oregon is on a mission. Chip Kelly has the Ducks locked in right now, and I think they will do just enough to escape a very hostile environment with a win.

Prediction: Oregon 31 – Washington 27

Oregon Player to Keep an Eye On: CB Talmadge Jackson III - Jackson had a game to remember against UCLA, and he will be one of the keys to containing the talented UW receivers.

Washington Player to Keep an Eye On: RB Chris Polk - If Polk can hit a few big runs early, the entire offense will open up for Jake Locker to work his magic.

Dave’s Take (35 – 10):

You can’t deny that there is just something special about when Washington plays at home this year. Their 3-1 record includes thrilling wins over ranked USC and Arizona, and their only loss came in a well-played game against LSU. Upsetting another major conference player is a serious possibility this Saturday.

With that said, I honestly don’t think UW will be able to keep up this week. Oregon is clicking in all three facets of the game; special teams has been great, the defense has been insanely strong since conference play has started, and the offense is always a major threat. Washington has been shredded by the run in Pac-10 play, and it is hard to see them bucking that trend against LaMichael James and the nation’s 16th best rushing attack (202.7 yards per game).

Washington’s offense has plenty of talent, and Jake Locker and Chris Polk have really emerged as stars, but they are only averaging 25.4 points per game (76th in the nation). Good defenses have been able to limit Washington’s offensive output, and the Ducks shut-down defense should be able to do the same.

Unless Jeremiah Masoli reverts back to his early-season struggles and makes a ton of mistakes (which Washington has proven, especially at home, that they can capitalize on), I see Oregon taking the crowd out of this game early and heading into next week’s Halloween showdown with ‘SC in top form.

Prediction: Oregon 31 – Washington 17

Washington Huskies 3-4 Overall (2-2 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Arizona State 24 – Washington 17

Next Week’s Opponent: Oregon

Hard to remember that there was a whole game played last Saturday; all that comes to mind is the one fateful play. For all of the accolades that Steve Sarkisian and Nick Holt have (deservedly) received, they deserve their share of criticism for flat out costing their team the game on Saturday.

I won’t pretend to know what would have happened if this game went to overtime; none of us know. But with the momentum tilted in Washington’s favor after outscoring the Devils 10-3 in the second half, Thomas Weber’s confidence waning at only 1/3 on FG tries (and having just missed one in the 4th), and one of the most clutch QBs in the conference in Jake Locker, I wouldn’t hate my chances.

Chris Polk rushes for six yards. 2nd and 4. Chris Polk rushes for three yards. 3rd and 1. With 81 yards to go and barely any time left on the clock, why is Steve Sarkisian calling for a pass here? “Just a poor call,” he later admitted. The risk to reward should have made this an extremely easy decision, but for whatever reason, the usually razor-sharp Coach Sark had a mental lapse.

But then the play that stunned us all. I get that you don’t want to give away the middle of the field and the underneath routes; but how in the world does Nick Holt call a play that doesn’t make the number one priority keeping the ball out of the endzone?

With 13 seconds to go at the 50 yard line, even if ASU does complete a 20 yard pass, it would still set up a 47-yard field goal attempt for a kicker that has already missed two from 40+ tonight. I’d much rather take my chances on that occurring than giving Danny Sullivan’s big arm a free shot for six.

I’m not a fan of Monday morning quarterbacking, and I usually give coaches the benefit of the doubt and understand that they know better than I do. But calling the coaching in the last minute of the game anything less than boneheaded is just being too nice.

The Huskies will try to regroup this week against hated rival Oregon. They play at another level at home, so this one should be interesting; but it sure would have been nice to come into this game with a two game winning streak instead of a second heartbreaking loss in three weeks.

Washington Huskies (3-3) vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (3-2)
Saturday, October 17, 7:15 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Arizona State -6.5

Sam’s Take (28 – 13):

Washington has lost five straight to Arizona State, but I believe the Huskies have a great chance to win in Tempe this Saturday. It will be very interesting to see how Jake Locker and the UW offense perform against an aggressive and violent ASU front seven.

This has the look of a game that will require Locker to utilize his running ability for the second straight week (92 yards rushing vs. UA), because the Devils will likely force him out of the pocket throughout the game.

If there is one area where the ASU defense is vulnerable, it is in the secondary. I am certain Steve Sarkisian realizes this, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him call a few deep passing plays early in order to utilize a gifted (yet strangely inconsistent) UW receiving corps. ASU is not built to play catch up, and a couple of quick scores will put U-Dub in great position to win. Running the ball into the teeth of the Devils D is a bad idea, so utilizing misdirection plays against a defense that often over pursues will also be a key for Washington.

Arizona QB Nick Foles picked apart the Washington defense last week, but Nick Holt’s unit tightened up in the red zone. Danny Sullivan and the ASU offense have shown no potency on offense so far this season, and there is little reason to believe anything will change this week (unless QB Brock Osweiler has an unlikely breakout performance in a reserve role of course). If Holt’s unit can continue to be opportunistic, especially inside its own 20-yard line, the Huskies should handle the Devils offense without much problem.

Washington has not won on the road in a long time (Nov. 3, 2007), but I think this is the week that they get over the hump.

Prediction: Washington 24 – Arizona State 17

Washington Player to Keep an Eye On: WR James Johnson - Johnson was quiet last week, but he should be a key contributor in the passing game against ASU.

Arizona State Player to Keep an Eye On: LB Vontaze Burfict - Burfict has already lived up to all of the hype. Now the freshman phenom will have to help contain Jake Locker when he decides to run.

Dave’s Take (31 – 10):

Saturday’s game between the Huskies and Sun Devils matches strength VS. strength when Washington’s offense takes the field against ASU’s defense, and weakness VS. weakness when ASU’s offense faces Washington’s defense. So who gets the edge?

Washington ranks 106th nationally in total yards surrendered, giving up over 400 yards a game. They have done a decent job buckling down in the red zone this season, and one of their best games of the season came against USC, who was running a very vanilla offense with Matt Barkley out. Arizona State runs a fairly basic pro style offense centered around Danny Sullivan making easy throws and Dimitri Nance getting plenty of carries; Nick Holt could hone in on that and get his unit ready.

While I can see the Sun Devils struggling on offense, I feel like the difference in this game is the Sun Devils defense. Technically, by the numbers, not much separates UW and ASU offensively; Washington gains only about seven more yards per game and has scored three points less per game. The difference? Jake Locker seems to have a killer instinct and the ability to finish drives and capitalize on opportunities; the Sun Devils haven’t really shown that on offense.

Defensively, though, I think the Sun Devils are better equipped than most teams to stop Locker. Sporting the nation’s third ranked defense (only 221.8 yards allowed per game), they have an excellent front seven that will make life very hard for Locker and Chris Polk. Washington scored 14 points at Stanford, 16 points against USC, and 23 points (could have easily been 16 points if not for the late TD) against LSU. That’s about where I see them ending up, in the 14-20 range against a very good defense.

So can ASU crack into the 20s? I say yes. We all have that outstanding effort against USC firmly planted in our brains, but this has not been a good defensive football team, and I think ASU can do just enough.

Prediction: Arizona State 23 – Washington 17

Washington Huskies 3-3 Overall (2-1 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Washington 36 – Arizona 33

Next Week’s Opponent: @Arizona State

It cannot be overstated how big of a win this was for U-Dub. A loss to the Wildcats may have put a bowl game in jeopardy (UW would have been 2-4, 1-2), but now the revitalized Huskies are sitting pretty at 2-1 in the Pac-10. After a heartbreaking loss in South Bend, the Dawgs were on the other side of a thriller this week, as the game is now being called the “Miracle on Montlake”.

For most of this game, I was trying to figure out how Nick Holt could continue allowing his defense to be picked apart by variations of the bubble screen. After all, the ‘Cats run game was stymied by Washington, and usually if you can stop the Wildcats potent rushing attack, you can stop the Wildcats. But UA QB Nick Foles was tremendous all night, and especially in the second half. Sonny Dykes decision to throw one more screen pass at the end of the game was a costly one, and Mason Foster’s INT TD was a season-saving play in my opinion.

If you look at the numbers in this one, a strong argument could be made that the better team lost. UA out-gained the Huskies 461 yards to 256, while also dominating time of possession (39:19 for UA, 20:15 for UW). But the Huskies capitalized on virtually every opportunity they had, as Jake Locker tossed three TDs on only 140 yards passing. Although Locker has become a brand new QB under Steve Sarkisian, we also got to see a little bit of the old Locker against the Wildcats, as he rushed for a team-high 92 yards on 11 carries (including a 56 yard rushing TD).

The Husky running backs did not do much, and the receivers had a difficult time shaking the explosive UA secondary, but when the offense had a chance to score it came away with touchdowns every time (UA settled for FGs four times).

I was very impressed with the performance of the Huskies defensive front seven. Sure, there wasn’t much of a pass rush on Foles, but that is to be expected because of the quick passing style of Sonny Dykes offense. Everrette Thompson and the rest of the d-line played great against the run, and the linebackers were also outstanding (especially Foster and Butler). The injury-plagued secondary struggled (predictably), but I came away impressed once again by the play of freshman corner Desmond Trufant. Trufant has all the physical tools, but he has also demonstrated excellent instincts, and he may emerge as the shutdown corner of the secondary in time.

Now the Huskies will travel to Tempe for a date with the Sun Devils, and then its back home for a showdown with arch-rival Oregon.

Washington Huskies 2-3 Overall (1-1 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Notre Dame 37 – Washington 30 (OT)

Next Week’s Opponent: Arizona

The major concern coming into the 2009 season for the Huskies was the defense. It still is.

Just one week after getting shredded for 34 points and giving up a career day on the ground to Toby Gerhart (a career-high 200 yards, part of 321 total rushing yards surrendered), this week the Huskies got destroyed through the air to the tune of a few more career days. Jimmy Claussen had a career-high 422 yards, mainly exploiting the secondary with his favorite target Golden Tate, who racked up an insane (and yes, career-high) 244 yards on nine catches.

As far as silver lining goes, the Huskies did hold Notre Dame to only two touchdowns in regulation, bending-not-breaking on five drives that ended in Fighting Irish field goals. But that isn’t much of a consolation prize in a game that Notre Dame virtually moved the ball at will en route to 530 total yards. Nick Holt has a lot of work to do with this unit.

Offensively, the Huskies had an outstanding day. Chris Polk seems to be getting better every week, carrying the ball 22 times for 136 yards Saturday for a dominating 6.2 yards per carry. Sophomore Jermaine Kearse led the wide receiving corps with eight catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. And Jake Locker bounced back from a less-than-stellar effort in Stanford, completing 55% of his passes for 281 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

The Huskies are creating quite a catch-22 for their fans this year; the offense is so talented and exciting that it is hard to get too depressed about the defense, but the defense is looking so bad that it is hard to get excited about the offense.

This week’s game against Arizona should provide more offensive fireworks on both sides of the ball, but the Huskies will hope that a return home might be what the doctor ordered for the defense to put out a few of those fireworks on the Wildcats’ side.

Washington Huskies (2-2) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-1)
Saturday, October 3, 12:30 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Notre Dame -13.0

Sam’s Take (22 – 10):

The Huskies have not had any success in this series over the years (0-7), but they do have one thing going for them in 2009. Steve Sarkisian and Nick Holt are very familiar with Notre Dame, and more importantly, they understand how to beat them.

This has the makings of a very entertaining match-up, especially at the quarterback position. Jake Locker struggled last week, but we all know what he is capable of. The Irish will counter with their own superstar in Jimmy Clausen. Clausen is far and away the best pure-passer that UW has faced this season, so the UW secondary will have its hands full. Clausen has been hampered a bit by turf toe, but he is a dangerous talent even with reduced mobility.

I expect to see big plays from both sides, but I think the Irish will have more of them. Clausen has a lot of weapons to work with (Tate, Allen, Hughes) and I still believe the Huskies are vulnerable in the secondary.

Jake Locker must make better decisions with the ball this week, because Washington CANNOT afford to turn the ball over like they did against Stanford. I would like to see RB Chris Polk assert himself in this one, as he maybe the key to keeping the Irish defense off guard (and the UW attack balanced).

As good as Sarkisian and Holt are when it comes to preparation, I expect Charlie Weis’s Irish to have the answers in South Bend.

Prediction: Notre Dame 35 – Washington 28

Washington Player to Keep an Eye On: TE Kavario Middleton - He was just plain bad against Stanford, which surprised me. Middleton is an exceptional talent and an important part of the passing game, so he needs to play well Saturday.

Notre Dame Player to Keep an Eye On: WR Golden Tate - Tate is Clausen’s favorite target and a true playmaker who can hurt the Huskies in a number of ways.

Dave’s Take (25 – 7):

I was worried that the defensive effort in the USC game might be an anomaly for the Huskies, and after Stanford’s huge day offensively, I am starting to believe that might be the case.

While it was a rough day offensively for the Huskies last week, I believe they have the offensive firepower to shoot out with a lot of teams, and Notre Dame might be one of them. Jake Locker feels about due for another big game, too.

But I’ve got to go with the Fighting Irish here; they are a little bit further along in their development than the Huskies are. The big performance against LSU and the upset win over USC has sent expectations soaring this season, but it is important to remember that this team still has a long way to go.

I’m sure Nick Holt and Steve Sarkisian can come up with a defensive scheme that will give the Huskies a chance Saturday, but I don’t think they have the personnel to execute yet. For the Huskies to have a chance, they’ll need the game to devolve into a shootout, and have the ball in Jake Locker’s hands late. But I’m not seeing it.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34 – Washington 20

Washington Huskies 2-2 Overall (1-1 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Stanford 34 – Washington 14

Next Week’s Opponent: @Notre Dame

Is this the kind of performance we can expect from Washington on the road this season? Let’s hope not, because the Huskies were beaten soundly on both sides of the ball. U-Dub looked slower, less energized, and less prepared than Jim Harbaugh’s club all night. Stanford’s Chris Owusu wasted little time in delivering an early hay-maker to the Huskies, as he returned yet another opening kickoff for a TD. From there, the Cardinal simply rode #7 all the way to victory.

The Huskies never seemed to stand a chance against RB Toby Gerhart, who ran for a career-high 200 yards (1 TD). Nick Holt’s D knew what was coming the entire game, but simply couldn’t do anything about it. Stanford QB Andrew Luck only attempted 14 passes (7-14 103 yards), but managed to run for 59 yards and a TD against a front seven that was easily pushed around. Altogether, the Dawgs gave up 322 yards on the ground, and that is unacceptable.

Sarkisian’s offense did not fare much better. QB Jake Locker struggled all night, completing 16-31 passes for 191 yards (1 TD, 2 INTs). He threw two passes to Stanford’s Delano Howell, and seemed to be bothered by the more physical Cardinal defense throughout the evening. I thought Locker played hesitant and wasn’t sure where he wanted to go with the football, which has been very uncharacteristic of him under Sark’s tutelage.

The play calling for U-Dub was certainly nothing special (and horrendous at times), but I was more disappointed by the sheer lack of physicality with which the o-line played. Polk and Locker never really got things going on the ground, but mostly because Stanford’s front seven controlled the line of scrimmage.

I was absolutely positive that Washington would avoid a “letdown” this week, but after watching the game, I think I was wrong. UW did not play with nearly enough focus, urgency, or determination, and that falls on the coaching staff.

The sloppy, uninspiring play must stop in a hurry, as the Dawgs head to South Bend this week. The Fighting Irish are good, but UW is capable of springing an upset if the team can respond. Now is the time for Washington to prove itself on the road, and the experience of playing at Notre Dame should help the Huskies for the rest of conference play.

Washington Huskies (2-1) vs. Stanford Cardinal (2-1)
Saturday, September 26, 6:00 PM PST
Las Vegas Favorite: Stanford -7.0

Sam’s Take (20 – 7):

This is a very intriguing game for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, I am excited to see the mental chess game that goes on between two of the best young coaches in the country. Both Steve Sarkisian and Jim Harbaugh are building special programs at their respective schools and a win Saturday would provide a huge boost to either team, as the winner will move to 2-0 in conference play.

I am also looking forward to seeing great quarterback play from both sides. Washington’s Jake Locker is playing as well as any player in the conference, and a strong argument could be made that Stanford’s Andrew Luck is the third best QB in the conference right now (behind Locker and Cal’s Kevin Riley).

While this game may have “letdown” written all over it for Washington, I’m not buying it. The Huskies have heard all week that they must avoid the letdown, and I believe this team will be ready. U-Dub is playing on the road for the first time this season, but the Farm is not exactly the Swamp, so I don’t think the atmosphere will be a factor.

Nick Holt’s Husky D will have to find an answer for Toby Gerhart. Sure USC ran for 250 yards against UW and still lost, but if Gerhart gets going, Andrew Luck will hurt the Huskies in ways that Aaron Corp could not. I expect to see an aggressive game plan from Holt in an effort to stop the run (similar to how UW was able to contain LSU’s bruising RB Charles Scott).

Ultimately, I believe the difference in this game will once again be Jake Locker. Locker looks very comfortable in Sark’s offense and his supporting cast has been excellent (I am especially impressed with James Johnson).

I expect a hard-fought game between two rising programs, but the visitors will have just enough.

Prediction: Washington 31 – Stanford 27

Washington Player to Keep an Eye On: LB Donald Butler - He has been excellent this season and will be a key to containing Gerhart.

Stanford Player to Keep an Eye On: DE Tom Keiser - Keiser is one of the most underrated players in the conference and he will look to pressure Locker all day.

Dave’s Take (20 – 7):

It’s been an emotional roller coaster for the Huskies this season; an emotional and respectable effort against LSU, an end to the nation’s longest losing streak in a win over the Idaho Vandals, and then the unthinkable; an upset win over USC. And it’s all been at home.

Now they must hit the road for the first time to face a Stanford team that for five out of the six halves they’ve played this season have looked like one of the Pac-10’s best teams. The late collapse against Wake Forest (helped along by some awful refereeing) was a rough loss, but I think it was a valuable one for this young team.

I can’t argue with the fact that Jake Locker is the best quarterback in the conference right now. This will without question be the toughest offense that Stanford has faced to this point.

But is everyone really sold on Washington’s defense? Yes they played an outstanding game against USC (albeit against a painfully vanilla offense), but a lot of USC mistakes helped the cause along, too. Toby Gerhart should be able to rack up a ton of yards on the ground WITHOUT putting the ball on the turf, which will result in points on the board for the Cardinal.

I’m not even buying into the whole letdown thing. This Washington team looks like a focused bunch, and I expect them to be ready this Saturday. But in a game that looks to me like it could be a shootout, I like Stanford’s defense better, and I also like the home-field advantage. Washington is going to have to prove me wrong – again.

Prediction: Stanford 34 – Washington 28