The Husky Haul
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ESPN analytics predictor favors Washington Huskies at home vs surging UCLA Bruins

By Ethan Lee

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies edge Lance Holtzclaw (10) celebrates following a fourth down turnover by the USC Trojans during the fourth quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies edge Lance Holtzclaw (10) celebrates following a fourth down turnover by the USC Trojans during the fourth quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
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While the Washington Huskies have struggled throughout the season when it comes to playing in a venue that is somewhere other than Husky Stadium, Jedd Fisch’s Huskies have been fantastic at home on Montlake. 

And this week, as Washington is getting set to play its final home game of the season, the Huskies definitely need a win if they want to get to a bowl this year. That’s because their next game after this week is against an Oregon Ducks team that looks like a national title contender. 

Thankfully, in Friday night’s matchup against the UCLA Bruins, it looks like Washington should be able to win. At least that’s the case if you ask the ESPN Analytics Matchup Predictor (which is indeed connected to ESPN’s Football Power Index rankings and such).

Washington enters the matchup against UCLA at 5-5 on the season (and 3-4 in Big Ten play) while the Bruins sit at 4-5 overall with an identical 3-4 Big Ten record. Washington has also lost three of its last four games while UCLA has won three in a row, including over two foes that UW lost to (the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights). 

Despite all of that, Washington is being given a solid chance of winning this one, per the ESPN predictor tool.

ESPN FPI gives Washington Huskies good chance of beating UCLA Bruins at Husky Stadium 

Heading into Friday night’s matchup, the ESPN FPI prediction provides the Huskies with a 64.6 percent chance of beating UCLA.

Here’s to hoping that that pans out. 

UCLA has looked good in recent weeks while Washington has been a mixed bag. Both of these teams have seen some struggles throughout this season, but UCLA has figured a few things out and has wins over Rutgers (on the road by a score of 35 to 32), Nebraska (on the road by a score of 27 to 20), and Iowa (at home by a score of 20 to 17). 

That’s the same Iowa team that beat UW 40-16, by the way.

So, there’s a good chance that Washington will have its work cut out for it. The Huskies probably would have been better off if they’d gotten to play UCLA back in September. But this is how the schedule shook out this season. Regardless, UW is being given a 64.6 percent chance of winning here. And that seems pretty good.

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