A Colorado football helmet during the 2014 Rocky Mountain Showdown at Sports Authority Field in Denver. (James Bradbury/CU Independent File)
The Colorado Buffaloes host the No. 7 Washington Huskies this Saturday at Folsom Field in a rematch of last year’s Pac-12 Championship game. To get some intel on the Huskies, the CU Independent’s Justin Guerriero chatted with Sports Editor Josh Kirshenbaum and Reporter Alec Dietz of The Daily of the University of Washington. Here’s what they had to say about Saturday’s matchup.
Justin Guerriero: Like the Buffaloes, the Huskies lost a solid chunk of their 2016 starters. Is Washington’s secondary ready for CU’s talented receiving corps?
The Daily: We’ll find out on Saturday, won’t we? If the past three weeks are anything to go by, the Huskies should be ready. Redshirt freshman defensive back Byron Murphy started his playing career with two picks against Rutgers and made a nice breakup on the first drive against Montana.
That seems to have been enough to convince opposing offenses to just avoid his side of the field. Fellow defensive back Jordan Miller has held his own in the spotlight after a couple of years in the shadow of Sidney Jones and Kevin King. Myles Bryant has stepped into the nickel role and is absolutely flying around out there. And Colorado fans know enough about Taylor Rapp.
JG: In relation to my above question, what is the Huskies’ front seven looking like? Will they be ready to limit senior tailback Philip Lindsay’s contribution to the game?
TD: Compared to the secondary, it’s very experienced. Keishawn Bierria and Azeem Victor were projected to be one of the best duos at inside linebacker in the country before the season started, but so far the Dawgs’ biggest contributor has been junior Ben Burr-Kirven, who has either led the team in tackles outright or held a share of the lead in every game so far.
On the line, both Vita Vea and Greg Gaines are juniors who could go in the early rounds of the NFL Draft this April. Lindsay is by far the best running back the UW has seen thus far though, so he’ll be a good test for an experienced group.
JG: Jake Browning is obviously one of the best quarterbacks in college football. What is your assessment of him so far this season?
TD: Since he’s come to Seattle, he’s been one of the most cerebral quarterbacks in the game. That hasn’t changed at all; he’s not going to beat himself. Probably the biggest change for him this year is the expanded cast surrounding him.
Last year often turned into the John Ross III and Dante Pettis show. This season without Ross, he’s turned more to other less established receivers, tight ends and tailbacks out of the backfield. So far it’s worked; he’s seventh in the country in efficiency.
JG: Who are the supporting cast members that can hurt a Buffaloes defense that’s had its flaws this year?
TD: The obvious answers are Pettis out wide and Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman at tailback. Aside from them though, one guy to watch is true freshman tight end Hunter Bryant. He had three catches last week versus Fresno State for a team-high 99 yards. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say he has the best hands of the tight end group.
If Andre Baccellia, who missed last game due to what looked like a minor injury, is back, he’s a solid second option for Browning. If not, look for sophomore Aaron Fuller, who converted multiple third downs against Fresno State.
JG: Any weaknesses regarding the Huskies we should know about? In other words, how does Colorado win this game?
TD: Last season, the UW running game struggled through the nonconference season before gelling just in time for the team’s Pac-12 opener at Arizona. After that, balance was the key to the Dawgs’ offensive success.
This season, the UW running game has struggled through its first three games. If Washington can’t get the running game going and counts on Browning to win the game by himself, it could spell trouble for the offense.
On the defensive side, with no disrespect intended to Rutgers, Montana and Fresno State, Colorado brings the best player at basically every offensive position that the Huskies have faced.
They haven’t faced a tailback like Lindsay. They haven’t faced a mobile quarterback like Steven Montez and they haven’t defended against a group of receivers as strong and experienced as the Buffs’. It’s a big jump for the UW defense, and we’ll know very quickly if the Huskies are ready.
JG: Final thoughts/score predictions?
TD: Perhaps the biggest strength for Washington this year has been its play on special teams. Head coach Chris Petersen prides himself on strength in the third phase of the game, and between good coverage on kicks and punts and Dante Pettis taking back three punts for touchdowns, the Huskies have dominated their opponents in the special teams game. In a tough environment on the road, it could very well come down to field position or one big play on either side in special teams.
As for a score prediction, I think this one will be close throughout. Of its games away from Husky Stadium since the beginning of last season, six have been within one possession at the end of the first quarter. I think one or two big plays on defense or special teams in the second half will make the difference and the UW wins a dawg fight (pun most certainly intended), 27-17.
The Buffaloes and Huskies will face off this Saturday at Folsom Field. Kickoff is at 8 p.m.
Contact CU Independent Head Sports Editor Justin Guerriero at justin.guerriero@colorado.edu and follow him on Twitter @TheHungry_Hippo.
Follow Josh Kirshenbaum and Alec Dietz on Twitter @J_Kirshenbaum and @AlecCDietz.
