Washington Football: 5 bold predictions vs. Penn State in Fiesta Bowl

2. Tevis Bartlett draws two key turnovers

The job that UW head coach Chris Petersen did with the Huskies defense this year is a testament to how good he is at his position. Petersen turned UW into a national contender on a consistent basis, like he did with the Boise State Broncos.

There’s a three-way tie for the lead in interceptions for the UW defense. Junior linebacker Tevis Bartlett is one of those three defenders, all while having a breakout campaign in 2017. Junior cornerback Jordan Miller (who was having a big year until he broke his ankle) and redshirt freshman cornerback Byron Murphy are tied with Bartlett in the team lead for interceptions.

Moreover, Bartlett has a strong group of linebackers surrounding him that will help to make it tough for McSorley, Barkley, and the entire Penn State offense. Keishawn Bierria and Connor O’Brine will be playing their final games as Huskies, and should be motivated to notch a big victory in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl.

Forcing two turnovers would not be out of the question for Bartlett. On the season, he has two picks and also recovered one fumble. He’s capable of such an effort and could really show the nation what he can do entering 2018.