Washington Earns Team of the Week Honors, Faces Huge Challenge in Rival Oregon
By Kyle Kensing
Sept 27, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Josh Nunes (6) is sacked by Washington Huskies linebacker John Timu (10) during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Washington defeated Stanford, 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE
Washington earned FWAA Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Team of the Week honors after upsetting Stanford, and before facing Pac-12 rival Oregon.
Steve Sarkisian retooled his defensive coaching staff in the off-season, and on Thursday night the shift paid dividends. The Huskies held Stanford without an offensive touchdown on the night. Cornerback Desmond Trufant led the Dawgs’ defensive effort with a pair of pass deflections and a critical interception.
“I wanted this one as much if not more than any other one,” senior safety Justin Glenn said, “just because every game that we’ve played against Stanford has kind of just been a beatdown, really.”
The selection of Washington for Team of the Week bucks the Week 5 trend of extraordinary offensive performances. Nominees West Virginia and MTSU scored a combined 119 points in their wins over Baylor and Georgia Tech.
UW has undergone a defensive rejuvenation, which will need to become a full-on revolution this Saturday when it faces Oregon.
No. 2 Oregon ranks fourth in points scored per game at 52.4, employing Chip Kelly’s sped up version of the spread offense to deluge opponents. Games against the Ducks can turn in an instant courtesy of that offense, and there are no shortage of weapons in the team’s arsenal.
In its three wins, UW has held opponents to a combined 38 points, though the 41 points allowed in a Week 2 loss skews the Huskies’ overall average to just under 20 points per game. Saturday’s contest has a similar look to Week 2, in that the Huskies must travel to the inhospitable home of a top five ranked opponent. LSU has slipped to No. 4 since toppling UW, but was No. 2 at the time. That gives Sarkisian’s Huskies the rare distinction of facing the second ranked team in the nation, on the road, twice in a five-game span.
For UW, Saturday’s trip to Autzen is more than an opportunity at another upset and 2-0 start in the Pac-12. The Huskies come in with the added motivation of facing a rival. The Border War dates back to the turn of the 20th century, and in that time UW has amassed the series lead. However, UO’s rise to the pinnacle of the Pac has coincided with planting a green-and-gold flag firmly atop the rivalry. The Ducks have won eight straight dating back to 2004.
A Washington win Saturday would propel the Huskies back into the forefront of college football for the first time in over a decade.