Washington Football: Game preview, prediction, live stream vs. Oregon State
By Zach Bigalke
Washington football arrives in Corvallis with a 4-0 record and a five-game winning streak against Oregon State. Will the Huskies make it six in a row?
After winning the Pac-12 title last season, Washington entered 2017 as the prohibitive favorite to reclaim the championship a second straight year. The Huskies had an easy start to the season, winning their first three games against Rutgers, FCS Montana and Fresno State by a combined 141-37 score.
Entering Pac-12 play, the Huskies headed to Boulder last weekend for a rematch of last year’s conference title game. Colorado had hopes of reversing the result, but the game played out much the same as their previous meeting in December. Washington pulled away in the second half for a 37-10 victory over the Buffaloes, as Myles Gaskin racked up 202 yards and two scores on the ground.
Now they prepare for another road trip in league play as Chris Petersen take the Huskies to Corvallis this weekend. Oregon State has yet to win in FBS play this season, their only victory coming in a 35-32 squeaker against FCS Portland State in Week 2. After five straight losses to the Huskies, the Beavers host UW hoping to end their streak of futility. Squaring off in prime time, the defending champs will hope to avoid a trap against the heavy underdogs when they head south on Saturday.
Here’s how to watch Saturday’s game between Washington and Oregon State:
Related Story: 5 reasons Chico McClatcher injury won't hurt Washington
Date: Saturday, Sept. 30
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Corvallis, Ore.
Venue: Reser Stadium
TV: Pac-12 Network
Live Stream: Pac-12 Live
Keys to Victory
Now that Chico McClatcher is out for the season with a broken ankle, the Huskies passing attack got a little less formidable. Then again, even before McClatcher’s injury Washington wasn’t performing that well throwing the ball to begin the season. It will be incumbent on Jake Browning to finally have a big game against an Oregon State secondary giving up nearly 300 yards per game through the air.
Myles Gaskin will also need to have another big game at Reser Stadium. The Beavers are giving up almost 200 yards per game on the ground, and the Huskies should have little trouble generating offense. With games against Cal and Arizona State looming, though, they need more than anything to avoid the trap against Oregon State on Saturday evening.
Coming into this game, a Beavers victory would be one of the most stunning results of the 2017 season. If they are to have any chance, though, Oregon State needs to cut down on turnovers. They have also struggled with penalties this year, as a mistake-prone team has been great at shooting itself in the foot. If they can cut back on those mental errors, Oregon State will need a near-perfect game from every player to even stay within the spread.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of Sportsbook Review
Point Spread: Washington -26.5
Over/Under: 63
Prediction
The closest that Oregon State has come to taking down Washington in the past five years was still a 24-point deficit. We will likely see much of the same when the Beavers square off against the Huskies this time. Gaskin won’t go for over 200 yards, but he will break the 150 mark rushing as he paces a strong effort by the defending champs.
Jake Browning will throw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, while Dante Pettis will fail to score on a punt return and will remain tied with two other players for the FBS career return touchdown record. The Huskies defense will come through with a couple of big stops, and the Beavers will throw a pick-six over the course of the contest.
Next: Complete first round 2018 NFL Mock Draft after Week 4
On the road, Washington will open up an insurmountable lead before halftime. Chris Petersen’s team will easily cover the spread as they move to 5-0 on the season. Even with a series of tough games ahead on the schedule, the Huskies won’t get caught in the trap on Saturday in Corvallis.
Final Score: Washington 44, Oregon State 13