Pac-12 Predictions: Week 2 picks against the spread

Sep 4, 2015; Boise, ID, USA; Washington Huskies place kicker Cameron Van Winkle (48) misses a 46 yard field goal with 20 seconds left in the second half verses the Boise State Broncos at Albertsons Stadium. The Broncos won 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports

Sacramento State Hornets At Washington Huskies

Seattle, Washington

The Line: No Line

This game is mildly interesting, just to see if the week one effort against Boise St will be indicative of the rest of the Huskies’ season. It could be that Washington is better than we think. Or it could be that the offensive struggles that plagued Washington last year, and showed up again in Boise, will continue throughout 2015.

New Huskies quarterback Jake Browning completed 20 of 34 passes, but had just 150 yards. Worse, the running game gained just 29 yards on 22 carries. The only Washington touchdown came on a 76 yard punt return. Sacramento State, meanwhile, ran all over Eastern Oregon in their opening week win. This game will be telecast on the Pac-12 Network at 11:00 AM on Saturday.

Keys To The Game:

Can the Huskies generate some offense? Browning’s passes were short and ineffective and the running game was abysmal against the Broncos. Aside from a couple of long runs, the Hornets kept their opponents running game in check during their 41-20 win. So it will be interesting to see how the Washington offense performs against a team they should dominate. On the other side of the ball, it will be all about the Hornets’ running game. They had 203 yards rushing in week 1, and will look to run through the stout Husky defense.

Prediction:

This is a tough one, but I think Washington pulls out a victory in game much closer than it should be. Look for the Hornets defense to stifle Washington early, but turnovers and other miscues will lead to some easy Husky points. Final score? Washington 35 Sacramento State 3.

Next: Massachusetts At Colorado