ESPN Mel Kiper predicts Washington Football team as Pac-12 Champs
By Bret Stuter
ESPN’s Mel Kiper is sticking with the University of Washington Football team to repeat as Pac-12 Champs this year
The national media darlings so far have to be USC. You see, the national loves a gunslinger, and sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold is all that and more. But, the Pac-12 is filled with great quarterback play. And that quarterback play has swept up national sportscasters in the Pac-12 debate. Can the Washington Football team win? Right now, that debate is short of support for the Washington Football team. Washington quarterback Jake Browning simply throws touchdowns. But national sportscasters want more?
Despite his propensity for throwing interceptions, and for pulling out games against unranked opponents, USC quarterback Sam Darnold has most of the national media oohing and ahhing. With that admiration comes the belief that the team will win the Pac-12 championship.
Kiper like the Huskies
But there is one voice out there leaning heavily towards the Washington Huskies. And that voice is Mel Kiper.
While his partner, and most of the nation, rationalize USC as the champion, he falls back to one simple fact.
"“Washington has the most NFL talent in the conference” – ESPN’s Mel Kiper"
And while that may not seem like a valid tie-breaker, it should be noted that he is basing his argument on some valid principals. Washington enters the Pac-12 part of the schedule as one of the most fearsome defenses in the conference. And the offense has ho trouble putting points on the scoreboard.
Will real Washington team stand up?
It’s been tough to gauge the quality of the Washington Huskies football team this year. The first game did not start off on a fast track. But since then, the games have been so well at hand that Coach Petersen has rotated players in off the bench. As a result, opponents have scored late.
I’m fine with that, but it complicates assessing just how good these Huskies are in the spectrum of NCAA football. That will change this weekend when Washington travels to Colorado to face their 2016 Pac-12 championship opponents, the Colorado Buffalo.
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I predicted the Washington Football team to repeat as Pac-12 champs. Mel Kiper does too. Perhaps we’re onto something….