Washington football: 3 bold predictions in marquee matchup vs. No. 8 Oregon

1. Michael Penix Jr. will have career day, cement himself as Heisman frontrunner

Penix has outdone the 400-yard mark and thrown at least four touchdown passes in three of the five Huskies games. He also leads the nation in yards per attempt at 11.2. And with Saturday’s game vs. Oregon, he can begin severing himself from the group, more cementing himself as the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.

With the defenses that will be on the field, that isn’t what people will be paying attention to, it’s the quarterbacks of both teams. Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel said 34 NFL scouts who are set to attend the game disagree and believe the Husky passing attack has a significant advantage.

"“The scouts don’t see talent in the secondary. Think about Christian Gonzalez, Oregon’s great corner last year. The secondary doesn’t have the talent on either side of the ball. It’s going to be an aerial show on Saturday,” Thamel said on ESPN’s College Football Live."

Junior receiver Jalen McMillan will return from injury after missing Washington’s previous two and a half games. The Huskies already have two of the Pac-12’s top five receivers in Rome Odunze, who leads the Pac-12 conference with 608 yards this season, and Ja’Lynn Polk, whose 468 receiving yards are the fifth most.

Counting in McMillan, who still ranks in the top 20 in the Pac-12 with 311 receiving yards despite missing two and a half games, poses a significant challenge in the secondary of Oregon’s defense.

While Oregon’s defensive statistics are sizably improved from last season, the Ducks have yet to face a test quite like Washington’s passing attack. The Ducks have faced the 104th-ranked strength of schedule, and the Husky offense, accentuated by its stellar passing attack, will deliver a more momentous challenge.

During the matchup last season in Eugene, Penix threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns, and Oregon has to be concerned he’ll do it again. A leopard doesn’t change its spots after all. You should expect the Ducks to try to be more covert and disguise their coverages, blitz packages, drop a safety, and even add more nickel backs in the secondary early in the downs to confuse the senior quarterback of Penix. Will it be enough? Penix and the Washington Huskies will find a way to win this game. Ingenuity will be vital in finding a way to win this marquee matchup.