Washington Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Utah in Week 12

Washington football will host Utah in Week 12 looking to bounce back from a tough Pac-12 North loss to Stanford.

Losing to Stanford in Week 11 was a nightmare scenario for Chris Petersen and Washington football. No, not because it was an upset, but rather because it essentially eliminated the Huskies from College Football Playoff contention. The Huskies were the conference’s last hope, presumably, and now they may not even win their own division.

Jake Browning hasn’t been himself this season, passing for 2,097 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, and he has not thrown for over 300 yards in any game. Myles Gaskin has 1,038 yards and 13 touchdowns, really coming on as of late and the Huskies’ defense is one of the best in the Pac-12, allowing just 257 yards per game.

Utah, on the other hand, began the season red-hot, going 4-0, but the Utes lost four straight before demolishing UCLA 48-17. The Utes are 5-5 with two games left and are looking for a win to become bowl eligible. They will get a tough matchup with Washington in Week 12, but a winnable one.

The Utes are led by sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley who has passed for 1,953 yards and 13 touchdowns with nine picks. He’s also a dual-threat with 453 yards and three rushing scores. Former Oregon wide out Darren Carrington II has been his favorite target, catching 58 passes for 830 yards and six touchdowns.

Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s Washington vs. Utah game:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 18
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Seattle, Wash.
Venue: Husky Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

Washington must avoid coming out flat. Yes, I know, losing to essentially end any hope of a College Football Playoff appearance is rough, but the Huskies are still playing for a respectable bowl bid and need to perform as such. Utah isn’t a pushover, so getting Browning going through the air while igniting Gaskin on the ground will be important. This team must avoid playing like the walking dead.

After throwing two interceptions in his first four games, Huntley missed two games with Utah before coming back and showing some rust. In fact, he’s thrown seven interceptions over his past four games. He will need to shake off that rust and make smart decisions against a tough Washington defense. Winning the turnover battle could help Utah upset the Huskies.

Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: First round after Week 11 edition

Prediction

The Utes have a decent defense, but it’s not quite at the level that can stop Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin. Heck, Dante Pettis could have a big game catching the ball for the Huskies, but this one will be much closer than expected. The Utes and Tyler Huntley will take the Huskies down to the wire. His dual-threat ability will give the Huskies fits, but in the end, he will continue his trend of throwing interceptions, tossing two crucial ones in the fourth quarter.

Final Score: Utah 20, Washington 33