Stanford Cardinal Face Washington Huskies in Top-10 Showdown

Stanford survived last weekend on a late comeback effort against UCLA. Now the Cardinal face the Huskies with Pac-12 and College Football implications on the line.

As J.J. Arcega-Whiteside celebrated his touchdown to seal the win over UCLA, head coach David Shaw was already thinking ahead. No time to celebrate late heroics as preparations began in a short week to face a tough Washington team. While the first road game provided a positive result, the atmosphere in Husky Stadium will test the team’s mettle.

Before the season, the media picked Washington to finish second behind Stanford in the Pac-12 North. Fans of the Oregon Ducks, who were picked to finish third, may not have liked the poll results but overall the choice was surprising. However, with the Huskies returning their starting quarterback Jake Browning along with offensive and defensive returners, the team had fewer questions to answer before the start of the season, unlike the Ducks.

So far, the Huskies are living up to the hype. In the first three games of the season, Washington defeated Rutgers, Idaho, and Portland State soundly. Washington scored148 points on the three teams, while only allowing 30 points against. The Associated Press preseason rankings put the Huskies at 14, which some believed was a bit high. By easily defeating their first three opponents, Washington proved worthy of their preseason ranking.

Credit the Washington Athletic Department in luring Chris Petersen away from Boise State to coach the football team. Petersen is a proven winner before the BCS implemented the playoff format. As the coach for the Broncos, the media was unfavorable to Petersen’s team playing in a weak Western Athletic Conference. Many felt the Broncos would get blown away from opponents in premier conferences. College football nation went into shock when Boise State defeated Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. Gutsy play calling by Petersen propelled the Broncos in overtime.

The win gave legitimacy to the football program in competing with ranked opponents. In 2008, Petersen scored the program’s first road victory over a BCS-conference team defeating seventeenth ranked Oregon. Petersen served as an Oregon assistant from 1995 to 2000 and the win put other BCS teams on notice Boise State was no pushover.

From the hiring, the hope is Petersen can replicate the success at Boise State by making Washington contenders every season to win the Pac-12. After being hired in 2013, Petersen said patience would be needed so he could recruit the players to fit his system. Now in his third year as head coach, Petersen has Husky fans excited with the 4-0 start.

The Huskies are currently the favorites to win Friday night’s tilt with the Cardinal, but their performance last week raised a few questions.

Although the Huskies made quick work of the first three opponents, the real test of being Pac-12 contenders came in the first conference game. Rich Rodriguez has been successful in scoring signature victories at home for the Arizona Wildcats and gave Washington all they could handle. In the end, the Huskies prevailed with a 35-28 overtime victory.

Browning showed signs of weakness, only throwing for 160 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Despite his struggles, a breakout performance by junior running back Lavon Coleman proved vital. On 11 carries, he totaled 181 yards with a touchdown. He will need another strong performance against a tough Stanford defense.

Coleman’s emergence is not the only threat Stanford will deal with on the ground. Myles Gaskin is Washington’s answer to Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey. Not only is Gaskin a threat on the ground, but as a receiver as well. At only 5-10 and 195 lbs., he is small enough to slip by defenders and has the speed to pile up yards.

Stanford’s defense will be facing a bit of adversity in stopping Washington’s offense. Cornerbacks Alijah Holder and Quenton Meeks will miss the game after suffering injuries against UCLA. This will be a tough task for the Cardinal, as the Huskies have talented receivers looking to be impact players. Dante Pettis has been the primary target for Browning and he will look to make an early impact in the endzone.

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Ryan Burns proved last week against UCLA he can forget about previous drives and come in the clutch. He will have to be consistent and complete drives with touchdowns or the noise of Husky Stadium will overwhelm his concentration. Perhaps Coach Shaw will go with the same strategy as last week with receiving the ball first to allow Burns to settle in.

The Stanford offensive line needs to step up as McCaffrey did not make a big impact against UCLA. By allowing space for McCaffrey to make plays, the field will open up for Burns to pace Stanford’s offense down the field.

Along with McCaffrey, receiver Michael Rector has to be a presence. Francis Owusu will not be available due to injury last week.

Washington boasts a strong defensive unit which will look to prevent Stanford from marching down the field. Azeem Victor and Budda Baker lead the defense as the two combined for 20 tackles last week against Arizona. The Huskies currently lead the nation with 13 sacks without blitzing much. They will look to bring more pressure knowing how tough Stanford is.

No matter who comes out on top, the road does not get easier. A Washington win puts them as favorites but games against Oregon, Utah, and USC remains. Petersen is the right man to lead but living up to the hype will be the task Friday night.

A Stanford win will solidify them as the clear favorite to win the Pac-12. However, games against Notre Dame, Arizona, and Oregon remain. The Cardinal will have their hands full dealing with the Huskies on the field and the noise from Husky fans.

Next: Stanford Cardinal Prevail, No Time To Celebrate

Two Pac-12 teams will be colliding early to gain the upper hand in the conference. Stanford looks to remain the dominant team in the conference. Washington looks to shock the nation and emerge as legitimate contenders. Petersen has a proven track record for scoring big victories and has the personnel to secure a win. For Stanford, weathering the storm early will be critical to come away from Husky Stadium on top.

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