The No. 17 Utes are facing the No. 4 Washington Huskies this Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium. In preparation for this top 25 matchup, The Daily Utah Chronicle spoke with Alexis Mansanarez, the sports editor for The Daily of the University of Washington, to get her insight on one of the top teams in the nation.
Q: Washington is the best team in the Pac-12 right now, what has been working for the team?
AM: What hasn’t been working for the Huskies? Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning has been at the top of his game, despite the 50 percent completion rate in Saturday’s win — the lowest percentage of the season. His improvement on the deep ball and the addition of John Ross III has been a huge key to Washington’s success.
Don’t get me wrong, defense wins games. When you can hold your opponents to a combined total of only 24 in the first half, you’re doing something right. Once, in fact, if you get past the defensive line, you’re looking at two hard-hitting linebackers in Azeem Victor and Keishawn Bierria. Add the secondary and defensive back Budda Baker to the mix, it would be tough for any team to get points on the board.
Q: Are the Huskies thinking about a potential playoff berth?
AM: The only thing the Huskies are thinking about is their next game against the Utes. Now, the fans and media are definitely thinking about a playoff berth. With Washington now No. 4 in the nation, those chances keep getting better and better.
Q: Utah quarterback Troy Williams used to play for Washington, how does the team feel about lining up against him?
AM: The Huskies are looking at Williams and the entire team like they would any other competitor. Will this be their toughest matchup? Definitely. But I think Williams would have more stake in this game than Washington.
Q: How are the players reacting to the fact that GameDay will be in Salt Lake City for the game?
AM: I’m sure anyone would like the national spotlight, but this will be more for the fans than it is for the team. The recurring theme of this season is blocking out the noise.
Q: Who/what should Utah be worried about from Washington’s offense?
AM: Utah will need to break the O-line and put pressure on Browning. Chances at catching receivers like Ross and Pettis are slim, so if the Utes can make Browning sweat a little, they may get their offense on the field quickly.
Q: Who/what should Utah be worried about from Washington’s defense?
All of it. There isn’t a weak spot on the Washington defense, but I would pay close attention to Victor and Bierria.
Q: What would a win/loss do for Washington?
AM: A win would solidify the UW’s top-four ranking, and it would continue to show the talent of the Northwest powerhouse. A loss, well, a loss would end an undefeated season.
Q: Who do you think will win? And why?
AM: There is no doubt in my mind that this will be one of the toughest matchups for the Huskies. With that being said, UW continues to impress me each time it takes the field, and I’m not expecting any less come this weekend. Final score: UW 48, Utah 20
@kbrenneisen
@almansanarez