Washington Huskies head coach Chris Petersen isn’t used to losing a lot of games having coached a more successful Boise State program before taking the reins in Washington this season. But if he is to make the Huskies a major player in the Pac-12, he’ll have to start from the ground, which he’s currently trying to accomplish.
A win over the Arizona Wildcats would serve as another good experience for Petersen and his team moving forward. Will the Huskies be able to take down Arizona? Or will the Wildcats show Washington who’s boss on Saturday?
In another Saturday college football matchup, the Northwestern Wildcats look to score an upset against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. You can read a detailed breakdown of that game here.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Washington Huskies vs. Arizona Wildcats Betting Preview
Where: Arizona Stadium, Tucson
When: Saturday, November 13, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Washington Huskies (+9) vs. Arizona Wildcats (-9) – view all NCAA Football lines
Betting on the Washington Huskies
Washington’s already dim hopes of reaching the Pac-12 championship game were shut down for good when the Huskies lost 44-30 to the UCLA Bruins on November 8. With only three games to go on their schedule, the Huskies’ agenda should now be to finish the season with a winning record in the conference.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]The Huskies will make a major leap towards this goal if they can overcome Arizona on Saturday, as the Wildcats are their last big obstacle this season.
Head coach Chris Petersen’s game plan against Arizona is centered around stopping the Wildcats’ passing offense. Washington’s defense has been inconsistent throughout the season, having allowed 283.0 passing yards per game over their last four games, three of which were losses. However, in one game during that stretch, the Huskies were able to cripple the Sun Devils’ passing offense by limiting them to just 180 passing yards.
The Huskies’ chances of duplicating that feat on Saturday received a big boost with the news of Hau’oli Kikaha’s return to the line-up after suffering a stinger in the first quarter of the UCLA game. Kikaha is the nation’s sacks leader with 16.5. Meanwhile, the Huskies offense, will look for its backfield to carry a big load since the team’s passing game (177.0 yards per game) has been a disappointment this season.
Washington is one of those rare teams that have better success on the ground than in the air, as the Huskies are rushing the ball 188.0 yards per game. Shaq Thompson and Lavon Coleman lead the team with 456 and 438 rushing yards.
Washington is 5-1 in its last six games.
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Betting on the at Arizona Wildcats
Unlike the Huskies, Arizona is still in the race for the Pac-12 championship game. However, the Wildcats don’t have room for error as their last two opponents are against ranked teams in Utah and Arizona State.
The Wildcats will have to prepare for those matchups with a game against the Huskies, whose leaky passing defense presents quarterback Anu Solomon a perfect opportunity to pad his already impressive numbers. Solomon is third in the conference with 312.9 passing yards per game and fifth in touchdowns with 25 . The red shirt freshman has thrown for 680 yards and 10 touchdowns in the last three games, which include Solomon’s 211-yard, four-touchdown performance in Arizona’s 38-20 win over the Colorado Buffaloes on November 8th.
Solomon’s primary weapon is wideout Cayleb Jones, who leads the team with conference top-five numbers with 734 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Solomon’s options aren’t limited to just Jones, as four other Wildcats have at least 200 receiving yards and 21 catches. Austin Hill has 459 yards and four touchdowns, while Samajie Grant, Nate Phillips, and Trey Griffey have combined for 865 yards and six touchdowns.
Arizona is 6-1 in its last seven games as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
Arizona wins, 41-27.
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