It’s showtime—finally. A full month since winning the Pac-12 Championship, the Washington Huskies finally get to hit someone that’s not wearing Purple and Gold.
The College Football Playoff semi-final kicks off tomorrow at 5:45, and it’s the Huskies versus the Texas Longhorns, in The Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana.
After their win in the Pac-12 Championship the Huskies jumped up to number two, and as the Longhorns won the Big 12, we are set up for a rematch of last season’s Alamo Bowl.
Last year it was the Huskies who won 27-20, but these are very different and much-improved teams.
With things set for action in New Orleans, here’s what the Huskies need to do to play in the national championship.
Air Attack
The Huskies have done it all season. And don’t expect it to slow down tomorrow. Quarterback Michael Penix has led UW to the best passing attack in the nation and a Maxwell Award Player of the Year.
In a game that is seems to be destined to be a shoot-out, Penix outplaying Quinn Ewers will be a big part of the Huskies game plan if they are heading to the national championship. Along with (arguably) the best quarterback in the nation, the Huskies collection of NFL level receivers will be a nightmare for a Texas secondary that has looked vulnerable.
The Longhorns simply don’t have the secondary depth to go man for man with the Huskies. With all-american Rome Odunze working with a healthy Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk, the Texas secondary should not be able to slow down all three.
The Longhorns have given up points this year, and this Husky offense scores them.
The Offensive Front
This is a Texas team that has wreaked havoc on opposing offensive lines. T’Vondre Sweat has been one of the best players in the nation as he leads this Texas front. But this front hasn’t faced the Joe Moore award winning line.
The Huskies have given up less than one sack per game and have absolutely dominated some of the country’s most talented pass rushes. The Huskies will have their work cut out for them up front, as the Longhorns have one of the best rushing defenses in the nation.
The Huskies have been successful when they get running back Dillon Johnson going, but thats going to be a tough undertaking. Left tackle, Troy Fautanu has been the anchor of this line and earned second team All-American awards, and will be facing all of Texas’s leading edge rushers. If the Huskies dominate this Texas front it will be a long day for the burnt orange.
Takeaways
Texas has not been particularly protective of the football, with 18 turnovers over their 13 games it is likely that the Huskies will get at least one.
And they probably need to.
The Huskies secondary has been a pleasant surprise this season in the turnover department, as they are currently fifth in the nation (tied with Texas and others) in interceptions.
Winning the turnover battle is going to be huge in a game where both defenses will be struggling to contain the offenses. It is likely the Huskies will struggle to get stops against an incredibly dynamic Texas unit, which means when opportunities are prevented and the Longhorns make mistakes, pouncing on those will be key.
Jabbar Muhammad has had a big year since arriving from Oklahoma State, and will have the job of trying to stop one of Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell on almost every play. If he can take one of them out of the game the UW defense will have their chance to make plays.
Disrupting Ewers
Quinn Ewers step forward has been the largest difference from the un-ranked Texas team the Huskies saw last year, to the 3rd ranked team they will play on New Year’s. Ewers is without a doubt one of the best quarterbacks in college football this year, but the Huskies will look to take advantage of him.
Ewers has been noted to struggle under pressure. While the Huskies have struggled to get sacks this season, Bralen Trice leads college football in quarterback pressures. If they can make Ewers uncomfortable it will change the game plan for Texas. Ewers lives in the middle of the field, completing most of his passes to the center third of the football field, an area UW has generated a lot of turnovers.
If Trice and Co. force rushed and off balance throws, the secondary and linebackers will have a chance to ruin the holiday for the horns.
Big Moments
In a game of this magnitude there will be big plays. And in games like this it comes down to big time players. Plays like 4th down attempts can, and have, made all the difference in big games. The Huskies have been incredibly succesful on fourth down, with a lot of thanks to OC Ryan Grubb. The Huskies are 73-percent on fourth downs, one of the best numbers in the nation, while the Longhorns are 63-percent. Texas is also untested in tight games.
UW had as many ranked wins in the last three weeks of the season as Texas has had all year. The Huskies are a tried and tested team while the longhorns have played close games against sub .500 teams.
The Huskies look like the team that belongs in this spot, while the Longhorns needed a big final day to get here.
And oh ya. Kalen DeBoer has never lost a game as an underdog at Washington.
