Here are my takeaways from Washington’s 44-23 win over UCLA…
1. Huskies run over the Bruins
All week the talk was about UCLA’s poor rushing defense and how UW needed to run the ball at will. They did just that. Washington ran the ball 58 times for 333 yards.
“We had a game plan to run the ball and stick to it,” Petersen said after the game.
Myles Gaskin ran the ball 27 times for 169 yards and a TD. Lavon Coleman added 14 carries for 94 yards and three touchdowns.
After struggling to run the ball at Arizona State it was a good sight to see UW get back to their running game. When this team is at its best they are playing smash mouth football.
2. Washington’s defense plays tough despite key injuries
Without both starting cornerbacks, Jordan Miller and Byron Murphy, the Huskies for the most part shutdown Josh Rosen and the Bruins. The Huskies harassed Rosen all day and sacked him four times in the first half. Rosen would later leave in the third quarter and not return to the game.
Washington’s defense allowed just 16 points to UCLA (seven of UCLA’s points came on fumble recovery TD). They limited the Bruins to 170 yards passing and 62 yards rushing. UCLA managed just 3.8 yards per play.
Right now it doesn’t matter who UW plugs in on the defense, they continue to be one of the best in the country.
3. Injuries continue to plague Washington
Washington has already lost Chico McClatcher, Jordan Miller, and Trey Adams for the rest of the season. In the second quarter of today’s game, freshman tight end Hunter Bryant left the game with an apparent leg injury. Bryant tried to stand and run it off but failed and went back down to the ground. Hunter Bryant was becoming Jake Browning’s second favorite target this year. Bryant did not return to the game and his status is unknown at this point. Coach Petersen said after the game that he doesn’t know the severity of Bryant’s injury and is getting X-rays done. Losing Hunter Bryant for any length of time would be a huge blow for the Huskies.
4. The Kicking game shows up!
After a brutal first seven games, the kicking game was on point for the Huskies today. After a great week of practice, according to head coach Chris Petersen, Tristan Vizcaino made all three field attempts and five extra points. Vizcaino’s longest FG was only 31 yards but that was no sure thing just a few weeks ago. This could be a very good sign going forward.
5. Looking ahead
The Huskies still control their own destiny in the North division of the Pac-12. Things won’t be easy though. Washington’s final four games include; Oregon, at Stanford, Utah, and Washington State. If the Huskies win out they will be guaranteed a spot in the Pac-12 Championship. Washington will have a better idea of where they stand in the College Football Playoff rankings when they come out next Tuesday.
