We’ve got a rivalry week matchup upon us, folks. For the first time in the Jedd Fisch era (and the Big Ten era) of Washington Huskies football, UW will head to Eugene, Oregon to meet up with Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks in Autzen Stadium.
Fisch and the Huskies will be meeting with the No. 1 ranked team in the country when they take on the 11-0 overall and 8-0 Big Ten Ducks Saturday evening. Meanwhile, UW enters this game at 6-5 overall and just 4-4 in Big Ten play.
Washington has secured a spot in a bowl game, so there’s not a ton of pressure on Fisch’s Huskies heading into this game. Meanwhile, Oregon has locked up a spot in the Big Ten championship game and looks like the leader for the top spot in the College Football Playoff. So, what’s at play here?
Well, in addition to the fact that Washington has a three-game winning streak over Oregon heading into this weekend, the Huskies do have a pretty good shot at trying to spoil Oregon’s season. Which would be a great thing to see.
Five Oregon Ducks the Washington Huskies must watch out for in rivalry matchup
If the Huskies are going to find a way to upset Oregon this weekend, here are five players Washington will need to account for in this game:
- Dillon Gabriel, Quarterback - The Huskies will need to watch out for the record setting, seasoned quarterback who has torched defenses regularly all throughout his career. He’s got over 3000 passing yards this season and is super efficient.
- Jordan James, Running back - One of the most dangerous running backs in the Big Ten, James has run for over 1000 yards this season and adds another element to Oregon’s offense. He’s consistent and averages 5.6 yards per carry.
- Matayo Uiagalelei, Linebacker - When it comes to pressuring quarterbacks, few pass rushers are better than Oregon’s Uiagalelei. This season, Uiagalelei has racked up 8.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss.
- Tez Johnson, Wide Receiver - It’s not fully clear if Johnson is fully healthy, but if he’s ready to go, he’s proven to be one of the most dynamic and exciting wide receivers in the country. And the Huskies will certainly need to be aware of him and his 72.2 receiving yards per game.
- Tysheem Johnson, Safety - Three interceptions, a bunch of tackles. Tysheem Johnson is an incredible part of Oregon’s defense and it remains to be seen how the Huskies will scheme for the seasoned safety.
This game is set for prime time on an NBC national broadcast and Washington will be looking to upend the high profile Ducks on national television. Should the Huskies pull that off, they’ll head into the postseason with a signature win in an otherwise meh season and a good bit of momentum as a program that is rebuilding. That’d be nice to have.