Washington Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2017

Washington football aspires to return to the College Football Playoff in 2017. See how we predict the upcoming regular season will play out for the Huskies.

Last year’s Washington squad won the Pac-12 for the first time since it was still the Pac-10 back in 2000. The Huskies went 11-1 in the regular season, knocked off Colorado, and earned a trip to the College Football Playoff. There they ran into the buzzsaw that is Alabama, but the Huskies still acquitted themselves well by holding the Crimson Tide to 24 points.

How will Chris Petersen’s team react to being a frontrunner from the outset in 2017? The 2016 offense ranked among the top scoring units in the country, and they return most of the starters from that group. Jake Browning looks like a legitimate Heisman contender, and a double-headed backfield is built to keep opponents off balance.

They also boasted one of the stingiest defenses in the nation last season. Five of their 11 starters have moved on from college, but the team returns a deep group that should not drop off too much in 2017. Anchored by defensive tackle Vita Vea up front, Washington should shut down its opponents once again despite the losses.

As long as all the parts come together, Huskies fans could be in for another transcendent season in Seattle. Can UW return to the College Football Playoff? Click ahead to read our game-by-game preview as we predict the result of each Washington showdown on the 2017 schedule.