Washington Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2017

Rutgers offers up an interesting data point right out of the gate. The Scarlet Knights played Washington in 2016 in Seattle to open the season. Chris Ash’s team fell 48-13 in Husky Stadium on Sept. 3. Though Rutgers ran nearly 30 more plays than the Huskies, they managed to compile 76 fewer total yards.

Outplayed in every facet of the game, the loss foreshadowed a rough year to come. Last year the Scarlet Knights went winless in the Big Ten and finished the year 2-10. Their two wins on the year came against FCS Howard and New Mexico.

Chris Ash and his staff lost more than half their starters on offense from a team that ranked outside the top 100 in every major offensive category. They do, however, return eight starters to a defense that gave up 37 points and nearly 265 rushing yards per game. Another dismal year could lay ahead in the upcoming season for Rutgers fans.

Prediction: Washington 55, Rutgers 10 (1-0)

The result for the return game in New Jersey will probably look at least as lopsided as it did last year. Washington will jump out to an early lead, then pull its starters in the third quarter on both sides of the ball. At that point Rutgers will probably only have a field goal. Look for the Huskies defense to concede a late consolation touchdown, but by then the result will be firmly in grasp.