The winner of the Pac-12 north division will be decided in this week’s rivalry game between the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies. Although the two teams will compete for the same goal come Saturday, the Ducks and the Huskies have taken much different paths through the abbreviated season.
While head coach Mario Cristobal and the Ducks have clearly fallen short of their expectations, their one-loss, division rival Huskies have beaten the odds, overcoming what seemed to be a plethora of doubts and speculation.
Entering 2020, the Huskies program was possibly the biggest question mark in the Pac-12. With a new head coach in Jimmy Lake, a lack of experience at the quarterback position and the loss of several players to opt outs and the NFL Draft, the status of the Washington program back in October seemed uncertain.
At 3-1 on the season, the Huskies haven’t been perfect, but they’ve outperformed their expectations. In what many saw as a rebuilding year, the Huskies have proven to be a possible Pac-12 title team.
It goes without saying, but the Ducks should not take them lightly.
As of early October, the Huskies had lost two key defensive starters as linebacker Joe Tryon and defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike opted out of the 2020 season, declaring early for the NFL draft. Tryon and Onwuzurike were second and first-team all-conference selections in 2019.
But even so, the Huskies’ defense has adapted, ranking at the top of the Pac-12, allowing just 346 yards per game.
Much like the Ducks, the departure of several of last season’s starters has paved the way for younger Huskies to step into starting roles. Sophomore linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio has filled Tryon’s void, tallying 47 tackles on the season, a figure that ranks third conference-wide.
The Washington defense also possesses the ability to close the pocket and rush the quarterback. Sophomore linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui ranks first in the Pac-12 (13th nationally) with seven sacks through the Huskies’ four 2020 season games. The Pearl City, Hawaii, native has forced three fumbles as well, a total that ranks in the nation’s top five.
The Huskies will look to utilize their feisty pass rushing ability to exploit an inexperienced Oregon offensive line come Saturday.
On the other side of the ball, the Huskies have shown promise but have yet to round out their offensive approach.
Sophomore quarterback Dylan Morris stepped into the starting role this season and, to the surprise of many, has thrived as a Pac-12 starter. He sits behind only Tyler Shough and Kedon Slovis in Pac-12 passing, with 897 on the season.
Despite this, the Huskies’ offense still leaves quite a bit to be desired.
At the middle of the conference in both rushing and passing yards, the Huskies have been solid, but lack the offensive firepower and multifaceted approach seen on many teams around the country, including this week’s opponent, the Ducks.
Senior running back Sean McGrew leads the team in rushing, with 227 yards on the season. It may seem unique among the Huskies roster, but in the grand scheme, this doesn’t match up well through the rest of the Pac-12. Colorado’s Jarek Broussard leads the conference with 773 yards, and Oregon’s Travis Dye sits at fifth conference-wide, still with over 100 more yards than McGrew.
In the passing game, the Huskies have relied heavily on junior tight end Cade Otton. His stats speak for themselves, tallying 18 receptions for 258 yards and 14 yards per catch. While this sticks out, it still depicts a lack of weapons offensively. The Huskies’ next best receiver, Puka Nacua doesn’t even crack the conference’s top 20, with 150 yards.
With a spot in the conference title game on the line this Saturday, the Ducks and the Huskies will both have their work cut out for them.
The Ducks offense will seek to return to its explosive ways against a stout Washington defense, while the Huskies will need to vary their offensive approach in order to fool Andy Avalos and the Ducks’ defense.
