Washington didn’t repeat as Pac-12 champion in 2017, but the Huskies still reached a New Year’s Six bowl. What did we learn about Washington this year?
Entering a season with lofty expectations can often bite a team down the road. Bad luck and bad timing can transpire to turn a promising season into a less memorable endeavor rather easily. That misfortune befell Washington in 2017, as the defending Pac-12 champions failed to even repeat atop the North Division.
Missing out on chance to repeat as conference kings was unfortunate. So too was a pair of losses that caused the Huskies to cede any control over their own fate heading into the Thanksgiving rivalry weekend. But when the dust settles, there will still be some memorable things to take away from the 2017 season.
After all, Chris Petersen’s team was still a 10-win group that will be playing in one of the New Year’s Six bowl games. Matched up against Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl, Washington has a chance to make a final statement and secure another top-10 finish. The Huskies might not have realized every goal they had entering the season, but dozens of teams would gladly trade places right now.
What can we take away from the regular season that took place this year in Seattle? Washington isn’t the Pac-12 champion any longer, but they are still one of the top dozen teams in the country. Here are five takeaways from a season that was at once promising and disappointing for the Husky Stadium faithful.