Washington football was close to an undefeated regular season in 2016, but can the Huskies take the next step in 2017?
Since winning the Pac-12 Championship last year, the Washington Huskies have heard a lot of doubt about their team in 2017. An appearance in the College Football Playoff caught many off guard but Washington definitely deserved the right to be in the field.
Head coach Chris Peterson is establishing the Huskies as a consistent contender for the National Title and Pac-12 Championship. At his last job, Peterson established Boise State as a perennial power among Group of Five teams.
Washington has to compete with the USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, Washington State Cougars, Stanford Cardinal, and Colorado Buffaloes in the Pac-12. USC actually enters 2017 as the favorite to win the conference. Washington also carries a top 10 ranking into the year.
Junior quarterback Jake Browning is the key to powering the Husky offense. The running backs, Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman, split carries and both are tremendous options. Dante Pettis replaces John Ross as the primary receiver.
The offense should not skip a beat for Washington in 2017. The defense is where departures might hurt more. Defensive backs Sidney Jones and Budda Baker left for the NFL. The secondary is where Washington needs to recover.
The non-conference slate will not be a challenge for Washington. They only face one Power Five team, like 2016, against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Fresno State and Rutgers are the only FBS teams they face out of conference.
Things get tougher in conference play. Washington plays Oregon, Utah, and Wazzu at home. Stanford and Colorado host the Huskies. USC would not face Washington until the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Now, let’s take a look at three reasons why the Washington Huskies can go undefeated in 2017.