The No. 22 ranked Washington Huskies are on the road this week at BYU. Here are five things to watch for during Saturday’s contest.
1. Come out with energy in the third
Washington has been outscored 27-17 in the third quarter this year. The Huskies built up big leads in the first half against Eastern Washington and Hawaii and cruised to easy wins. But UW’s third quarter against California, was the deciding factor as they were outscored 14-3 – losing 20-19. The Huskies now go on the road in a hostile environment. Coming out of halftime with a purpose is key this week.
2. Zach Wilson
BYU’s starting QB Zach Wilson’s ability to extend plays with his legs can change the game. The Huskies have already had there struggles this year facing mobile quarterbacks. If the Huskies defense is successful this Saturday, they must keep Wilson in the pocket.
3. Defense
Washington’s defense has looked very good for the majority of games but they continue to have uncharacteristic lapses during games. The long TD drives to Hawaii and California have been prime examples. Or the 64-yard TD they allowed in their season opener against Eastern Washington. The Huskies must clean this up especially on the road where they won’t have the home crowd with them.
4. Takeaways
Washington finally had their big takeaway game last weekend, getting three interceptions against Hawaii. In their previous two games, UW didn’t have a takeaway. BYU hasn’t turned the ball over in their last two games. But in the Cougars’ lone loss of season against Utah, they had three turnovers – two of them were interceptions returned for touchdowns. If the Huskies win the turnover battle, they likely come out of Provo with a win.
5. Hunter Bryant
Tight end Hunter Bryant leads the FBS in TE receiving yards with 236. Bryant has the rare combination of speed and size that make him almost impossible to cover in one-on-one coverage. Bryant already has 15 receptions through three games and QB Jacob Eason is finding his groove with Bryant. Watch for Bryant to make some big plays Saturday afternoon.
