UW vs. Colorado Predictions

The Huskies have four regular season games left, and the season could go almost anywhere at this point. Today’s game should be a win, as should the Apple Cup, although one never knows.  At UCLA and Oregon State will be tough but winnable games.  Win all four and this season is an unmitigated success.  Win three and it’s still a decent season, especially if they can tack on a bowl win.

There are plenty of interesting storylines to watch the rest of the season, but one I’m especially curious about is the development of a few true freshman.  John Ross has had the biggest impact thus far, and that should only increase in the absence of Kasen Williams. Fellow WR Demorea Stringfellow hasn’t done much thus far, but he too could blossom with increased opportunity.  It sounds like the coaches expect or at least hope he can take over the position.  Stringfellow is a mountain of a man at 6′ 3″ and at least 220 lbs.  Don’t be surprised if he has a breakout similar to Kasen’s at the end of his freshman year.

After watching Stanford’s defensive line demolish Oregon this week, I’m hoping to see quick improvement from maybe the two most talented ends on the Huskies roster, freshman Joe Mathis and Marcus Farria.  Both have had their moments in limited playing time thus far.  I don’t know if they’ll see a ton more playing time, but Sark raved about them during the bye week.  Both bring a combination of size, length, tenacity and quickness that could allow them to be stars as they mature.

The Huskies don’t lose a lot of players after this season, which means the improvement of young players will either lead to upgrades at positions or quality depth, which the Huskies have not had much of in a long time.  Hopefully 2013 brings five more wins and plenty of bright moments for the young guys.

Dan

The Huskies had a bye last week and if all goes as it should, tomorrow ought to be a semi-bye too. Colorado is bad and anything other than a UW blowout would surprise me. It feels like the Huskies haven’t played in a really long time, and they may have some rust to knock off, but by the second half I suspect the Huskies run away, literally, by running the ball. Maybe the Buffs will be good in a couple years, I think that would be good for the conference. For now, they are relying on a true freshman QB from Tacoma who had exactly 1 offer from an FBS school. Although he did torch my Bothell Cougs last year so maybe he’s the real deal. Dawgs roll tomorrow, and hopefully stay healthy in doing so.

UW 42 – CU 13

Joe

UW comes off a much needed bye week to face lowly Colorado.  The Buffaloes showed signs of life at UCLA last week, keeping the game competitive and in doubt into the second half, which is a vast improvement over the Buffs previous blow out losses.  I have a feeling that game may have been CU’s best effort; couple that with a rested and ready UW squad, and I see a solid, big win for UW Saturday night. The Huskies know what is at stake:  win, and they are bowl eligible, which yes, that is a big deal.  It would be four years in a row Sark has guided UW to a bowl, which is only a year removed from the 0-12 abyss he inherited.  At some point the 0-12 excuse must end, frankly I think this is it, but that said, a bowl eligible Husky football team in early November hasn’t happened in a decade, and should be cause for celebration among Husky fans.  The fun part is there is still much to be gained with the rest of the season.  9-3 is a very real possibility with the scuffling Bruins and Beavers left, and then the wretched Cougars at the end. Tomorrow is the first step to Sark’s best record year yet.

UW 39 – CU 17

Andrew

I’ve seen a good amount of talk about how the Buffaloes are going to give the Huskies a tough game and they are no push over.  This could be the case and credit Colorado for playing hard the last few weeks.  But, the Buffs played their best game of the season last week and still lost by three scores.  UCLA didn’t especially look great last week either.  This game may be close for a while but it would be because the Huskies aren’t playing well, not because Colorado is the better team.  I think the Huskies will be focused and ready to set the tone for the last 1/3 of the season.  While Colorado may keep it close for a quarter, I think the Huskies will have this wrapped up in the 3rd quarter.

When I used to pitch in Little League, my dad would coach.  When it was a really important inning he would get this look about him as I headed out to the mound.  Once the inning started, I would hear this voice come out from the dugout.  “9, Andrew!”  I’d fire in a strike.  “Alright, 8 more!”  After every strike he would count down one more until my team was back in the dugout.  Coming into this season I think the goal needed to be 9 wins on the season (including the bowl, in my pre-season prediction).  That goal is going to take a great focus, one that we haven’t seen out of Sark’s team.  Now is as good of time as ever to start.  Go get ’em, Dawgs!  4 more, and it starts tomorrow.

UW 45 – COL 14

Matthew

Colorado is not a pushover like they have been, but they’re not a lot better.  Paul Richardson is one of the scariest wide receivers in the country, but they don’t have a lot of offensive firepower otherwise.  The defense is nothing to be afraid of.  This is a game the Huskies should win handily.  The best case scenario would be an early blowout and some rest for Price and Sankey and Danny Shelton.  Bigger games are coming.  These Huskies are a bit unpredictable, so who knows what to expect, but this seems like the perfect opportunity to practice some consistency and play a complete game.  It might stay close for a bit, but the Huskies should win this one easily.

UW48 – Colorado 17

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Pac-12 Picks – Week 11

What a way to start the week!  Last night Oregon was demolished (the final score was closer than it really was) by Stanford.  In a way, it almost felt like the end of a mini dynasty.  There were players crying on the Oregon sideline but there were also guys laughing.  It was a strange sight.  Their whole team seemed lost and, as a Husky fan, it was a great sight.  Some people would call that feeling petty and catty.  I guess they may be right, but why do they like words that end in ‘tty’ so much?  Really, that’s what sports are about.  You cheer against your rival no matter what and it may seem silly to some, but then again sports are just cheering for some guy to shoot a ball through a hoop or pass a ball to another guy.  I’m planning on writing a post about this thought soon but people need to just have fun with sports.  Take it as seriously as you want to, but just enjoy it.

That was a weird tangent but I’m hoping you’re still with us.  Pac-12 basketball is about to tip-off and this week is filled basketball games as well as football games.  We had our fantasy draft and I think all of the Good Guys are excited to see how the season plays out.

As for this week in football, the marquee game is already over.  All of the Good Guys (and our commenter Tyler) picked Oregon to win last night.  There are still some interesting games but anything more after last night is just gravy.

Oregon at Stanford (last night, Oregon lost!)
The Good Guys:  Oregon

USC at Cal
The Good Guys:  USC

ASU at Utah
The Good Guys:  ASU

UCLA at Arizona
Dan, Joe, Matthew:  Arizona
Andrew:  UCLA

As always, our Husky picks will come tonight or tomorrow.  Here’s the standings!

Standings:
Dan 57-10  (.851)
Matthew 56-11  (.836)
Andrew 54-13 (.806)
Joe 52-15 (.776)
Tyler (Commenter) 39-10 (.796)

Have a good weekend!

Andrew

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Pac-12 Picks – Week 10

I’m writing this as one Pac-12 game is going on, and another game has already been completed.  I did tweet out last night’s picks so I feel like we have got that covered and I received texts from everyone for these games a long time before tonight’s game.

Currently USC leads Oregon State 7-0 in what is no doubt the Pac-12 game of the week.  Saturday’s games feature decent teams playing bottom-feeders.  With a few great games coming next weekend, this seems like a good time to have a little bit of a down week.

Matthew inched closer to Dan in the standings last week.  Joe and I are trying to salvage their season and catch up.  With my Pac-12 fantasy football team about to be eliminated from playoff contention, I’m really holding out hope for a few lucky picks along the way.  Also, the Good Guys are going to be playing Pac-12 Fantasy Basketball with a draft next week.  I may try to document this draft in some way because I’m guessing there can’t be more than 30 other people in the country who do this.

Anyway, let’s get to the picks.

Arizona State at WSU (Last night, ASU won)
The Good Guys:  ASU

USC at Oregon State
The Good Guys:  Oregon State

Arizona at Cal
The Good Guys:  Arizona

Colorado at UCLA
The Good Guys:  UCLA

Standings:

Dan 54-9 (.857)
Matthew 53-10 (.841)
Andrew 51-12 (.810)
Joe 49-14  (.778)
Tyler (Commenter) 35-10  (.778)

Have a good weekend!

– Andrew

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UW vs. Cal Predictions

It’s been a pretty bad week for Husky fans.  On the heels of the debacle in Tempe, word came that Don James had passed away.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends and all those left with a hole in their lives by his passing.

The death of a beloved sports figure is kind of a complicated thing for fans, in my mind.  Life and death and all of their trappings are so much more important than sports. It sometimes feels silly to claim grief as a fan when others actually knew the person.  It feels like we need to push sports completely aside in these times, like the football pales in comparison to the gravity of his death.  I never met Coach James, and I don’t even remember his teams terribly well.  His personal influence on me should be next to nothing.

And yet the impact Don James made on me is huge.  I hear it when my dad talks about those Rose Bowl winning teams, and I remember it, hazily, in memories of childhood Apple Cups in the snow and my dad yelling as Napolean Kaufman broke down the sideline.  I witness it on Saturdays in the fall as I walk into Husky Stadium with my family.  At those moments, there is no place I’d rather be, and that is due largely to Don James’ legacy.

I never met Don James, but without him, a huge part of my life might not exist.  That pales in comparison to the hole his wife and loved ones are experiencing, but his loss shouldn’t be diminished for those of us who are just fans.  Instead, it’s just another testament to the full life Coach James led, on the field and off.  He was a man who touched thousands of lives in countless ways.  To me, that sounds like the definition of a life well lived.

Thank you, Don James.  We appreciate everything you did, and we are thankful your  impact does not end with your death.  We will remember you every time we walk into Husky Stadium and with every moment of joy Husky football brings us.

Andrew

Last week was awful.  It’s time to move on.  This week the Huskies play an opponent that is extremely different than the three previous weeks.  They play an opponent that is bad.  Cal’s defense is awful and their offense has struggled as of late.  The Huskies should be able to regain their confidence and get healthy during this game.  I expect a heavy dose of the run game, as well as a focus of getting the ball to ASJ and Kasen.  The only way I see this going bad is if Cal gets out to a lead and the Huskies lose their confidence like last week.  I’m guessing that won’t happen.  On a night where the school honors the best coach ever to grace Husky Stadium’s sidelines, this year’s Husky team will pound a conference foe just like James would have.

UW 38 – CAL 13

Dan

Last minute entry! Cal is really bad. Haha you suck Cal! Dawgs win big because I see no other possible outcome.

UW 33 – CAL 17

Matthew

The Huskies were terrible last week, and it’s generated the expected despair from fans.  Luckily, Cal is really terrible right now.  They’re missing over half of their starting line-up to injuries, and they probably wouldn’t have been great to start.  The one good thing they’ve had going for them, a dynamic passing attack, has faded as true freshman Jared Goff has lost his accuracy and confidence after getting pounded for much of the season.  This is a game the Huskies will have to work hard to lose, especially since it’s in Seattle.  I hope to see the Dawgs figure out what they want to do on offense.  Can the line function with Erik Kohler filling in for Dexter Charles?  Will they find a balance between the run, downfield passing and perimeter passing?  This should be a good week to find answers.  The Huskies are a much better team than they showed last week, and a blowout would go a long way to reminding the players of that.

UW45 – Cal 16

Go Dawgs!

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Pac-12 Picks – Week 9

Well, last week was rough.  First the game on Saturday and then the passing of Don James on Sunday made for a very dark weekend for Husky fans.

In a way, this week has been therapeutic.  The stories that KJR has run this weekend on the Dawgfather have been fantastic, especially the Honks on Tuesday and Neuheisel’s song today.  Listening to the stories has brought everyone together and I hope for a celebration tomorrow night that is unforgettable.  Our prayers and thoughts go out to Carol James and the rest of the James family.

In the last few weeks, Dan has pulled away in our picking standings.  We all have a little too much faith in the Huskies and he’s been a little more realistic I guess.  Let’s see if we can catch him.  Here are this week’s picks!

Utah vs. USC – 1:00 P.M.
Dan, Joe, Matthew – USC
Andrew – Utah

UCLA vs. Oregon – 4:00 P.M.
The Good Guys – Oregon

Arizona vs. Colorado – 5:00 P.M.
The Good Guys – Arizona

Stanford vs. Oregon State – 7:30 P.M.
Andrew, Matthew – Stanford
Dan, Joe – Oregon State

Standings:
Dan 50-8 (.862)
Matthew 48-10 (.827)
Andrew 47-11 (.810)
Joe 45-13 (.776)
Tyler (Commenter) 30-10 (.750)

Go Dawgs! And thank you, Don James.

– Andrew

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UW vs. ASU Predictions

The Huskies season is at a crossroads as they head toward kickoff in Tempe.  Right now, they are where everyone expected them to be.  One might have hoped for five wins or worried about three losses, but 4-2 right now was the most realistic positive scenario.  The question is where they go from here.

The Huskies of the last few years would struggle with all of the tough road games remaining.  We’d hope they’d take one of the ASU, OSU and UCLA games.  That still might happen.  I think this team is different though.

There are certain things a winning team does.  There are always excuses and reasons for not winning games.  It would’ve been nice to have a more than 1 of 5 of the Huskies toughest games at home, rather than have the five easiest opponents in Husky Stadium.  That’s unfortunate.  Every season has these types of scenarios, though, where not everything comes up perfectly.  The good teams win despite the circumstances.  And then, on those incredibly rare occasions where everything falls perfectly into place, the good teams become great and challenge for Rose Bowls and national championships.

I don’t know if the Huskies are quite to that level yet, but I think they’re closer to being the type of team unaffected by their circumstances than they are to the team that’s stumbled to seven wins of late.  They play with a confidence and assurity that is new this season.  They still have to prove it, though, every game.  A trip to Arizona State is the perfect place to start.

Joe

Three losses in a row is a very real possibility for the Dawgs this weekend, something UW has done every year under Sark.  On the road in Tempe is never easy, especially when ASU has talent, which they have this season. That said, this team seems to be different.  They’ve played well in both road games this year and were in the game vs Oregon last week until Mariota went all Mariota on them.  Bishop Sankey is *the* best running back in America and I don’t think ASU slows him down.  Look for Kasen and ASJ to have bounce back games.  The Sun Devils are a step down from Stanford and Oregon, and it will show. UW takes this one in front of 20k+ Husky fans who make the trip south.

UW 43 – ASU 32

Andrew

I’m not really sure what to expect tomorrow.  In the past decade there is no way this team would win this game.  They are about equal in talent to Arizona State (although I’d say the Huskies have more talent), it’s a road game and the team just played two very tough games.  I do believe that this team is different though and that’s why I’m picking the Huskies today.  If they play fast and don’t come out flat, I don’t know why they would lose.  They match-up pretty well against the Sun Devils and I think Bishop will have another big day.  Let’s hope so!  Go Dawgs!

UW 38 – ASU 30

Dan

The question Husky Nation has been asking for the last few years is when will this team take the next step, from good to great. 5 years ago all we wanted was to be respectable, but bowl games are the norm again and there’s no doubt this season will end at a bowl game. But there’s a big difference, at least in perception, between 6-8 wins and 9-11. The arrow is pointing up for UW but it’s time to take that next step, and a win on the road against a ranked opponent would be huge. Great teams win these games, while good ones take care of inferior opponents, win the occasional home game upset, but then lose road games versus good teams. That’s pretty much been UW in the Sark era.

As for the game itself, it sure feels like  we will see a lot of offense. ASU has a ton of weapons and when Taylor Kelly is on his game, he is a top 5 QB in this conference. I think he’s the key to the game. The Huskies proved at Stanford that they can bring their game on the road and compete, but can they finish the job? Let’s not forget that this game is huge for ASU too, similarly a potential season definer. In the end, I think the Huskies have a great shot to win this game, but until I see that they can win a game like this, I have a hard time picking them.

Sun Devils 34 – Huskies 27

Matthew

I think if this game were on a neutral field, the Huskies would win fairly easily.  ASU is a good team, especially on offense.  Their defense has been mediocre though, and the offense one-dimensional enough to be stoppable.  ASU has been much better at home, particularly Taylor Kelly.  I think the Huskies are a different team on the road this season, but I’m worried playing at home will bring out the potentially elite side of ASU, instead of the average-ish side they show often.

I’m still not terribly worried about the Husky defense.  They’ll have their hands full with the Sun Devils, but it’s a manageable job.  I’m a little more worried about the offense.  They still seem to be looking for an identity in the passing game.  They’ve gone away from the quick screens and perimeter attack in favor of attacking the intermediate sidelines, with the occasional pass over the middle, usually deep.  If they can find the right balance, and figure out a way to better incorporate ASJ, the offense could explode.  The line also needs to continue to improve, especially with Will Sutton and Carl Bradford aimed at Keith Price.  I’m betting on the Huskies today, because I think they’ve become a team that wins these games, but it’ll be tough down in the desert.

UW 38 – ASU 24

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Pac-12 Picks – Week 8

Sorry about the slow week.  After last weekend being a little bit rough, motivation was lacking.  Here are this week’s Pac-12 picks and the Husky picks will come in the morning I’m guessing.

Charleston Southern vs. Colorado – 11 A.M.
The Good Guys:  Colorado

UCLA vs. Stanford – 12:30 P.M.
Andrew, Dan, Matthew:  Stanford
Joe: UCLA

USC vs. Notre Dame – 4:30 P.M.
Andrew, Joe:  USC
Dan, Matthew:  Notre Dame

Utah vs. Arizona – 7 P.M.
The Good Guys:  Arizona

Washington State vs. Oregon – 7 P.M.
The Good Guys:  Oregon

Oregon State vs. Cal – 7:30 P.M.
The Good Guys:  Oregon State

Standings: 

Dan 43-8
Andrew 42-9
Matthew 42-9
Joe 41-8
Tyler (Commenter) 25-8

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UW vs. Oregon Predictions

It’s been tradition since this blog’s inception to not make predictions for the Oregon game.  There hasn’t been a time since we started writing when any of us would have picked the Huskies to beat Oregon, and that is just too much to bear when it becomes a whole post.

That comes to an end this year.  The Huskies are better, for one thing.  It’s also, as I told my fellow Good Guys, time to stop treating Oregon as something special.  They are still our hated rival, and still the best team on the schedule, but they are no longer an unconquerable foe.  So here come the predictions.  Anything could happen on the field tomorrow.  We’ll hope most of the good stuff happens for the purple and gold.  Go Dawgs.

Matthew

I can see the Huskies winning this game.  I would be surprised, but not shocked.  The Huskies are good, maybe great.  Oregon is great, but they’re a little untested.  Their defense is a small step down from the last year or two.  Mariota is phenomenal, but he’s had minor accuracy issues this season.  This game should come down to whether the Huskies can score with great frequency, and whether they can significantly limit the Oregon running game.  I think they can.  I don’t think they’ll do quite enough to get the win, though.  Oregon’s tough for anyone to beat, and I’m not sure UW’s defense, especially on the line, is quite capable of controlling them yet.  But if Danny Shelton proves immovable, and the linebackers make camp in Oregon’s backfield, and the secondary doesn’t miss any tackles and has their angles down perfectly… well, this could happen.  If the Huskies keep it close through the first quarter, be prepared to hold your breath until the end.

Oregon 37 – UW 31

Dan

If I blacked out and could not watch or hear the game tomorrow, which is defninitely a possibility, and then at 7 pm someone told me that the Huskies won the turnover battle, had a better 3rd down conversion rate than the Ducks, and scored TDs every time they got in the red zone, I’d feel confident that the Huskies had won the game. My only remaining question would be, did the refs screw us? If not, I definitely see a win. Those would be my keys to the game. My prediction is that not all those things happen, and we could still win of course, but, well, I’m pretty skeptical. Go Dawgs!

Oregon 38 – UW 24

Andrew

We all know Oregon is good.  They score a lot of points and don’t give many up.  They are fast, have playmakers all over and usually have underrated lines.  Frankly, it’s going to be very difficult to win this game.
But, the Huskies are good too.  It’s time to stop pretending that when we stick with or beat a team it’s because they aren’t as good as expected.  UW is every bit as good as Stanford and that’s not because Stanford is overrated.  The Huskies are better than any team we’ve had around here in a decade.  Saturday is truly a marquee matchup, not because of Oregon but because of what Washington has done.
I expect the loudest crowd in Husky Stadium since 2000 tomorrow and if the Huskies limit big plays they could win this game.  Holding them to field goals instead of touchdowns and winning the turnover battle is key.  The talent is as close to even as this matchup has been in a long time.  I think Oregon’s QB, lines, secondary, and special teams may have the edge (I might call the secondary a push and QB is also close).  I think Washington has an edge at RB (if DAT is hobbled, that is), WR, and LB.  And we get the home crowd.  I had every intention when I sat down to write this prediction to not pick the Huskies.  What the heck though.  I hate the Ducks!
UW 41 – Sucks 35
Joe
This is the year our national nightmare ends.  This is UW’s best shot at taking down UO in years. Before this season, Oregon feasted on depth chart thin Sark editions,  “He Who Shall Not Be Named” teams in the mid 2000’s and the Gilby 1-10 trainwreck.  Not exactly stiff competition.  Is that an excuse?  No, it’s reality, UW has sucked, everyone was beating them, not just the Quacks.  Before UW’s “Dark Decade”, the UW/UO rivalry was a good one dating back to 1994.  It was traditionally back and forth, close games.  Before 1994 Oregon was a doormat from day one, as in since the turn of the 20th century, still settling the West, cowboys and Indians, where buffaloes roamed doormat (Young Duck fans forget this… I know some old timer Duck fans who remember the old days and are quite humble and thankful for UO’s recent successes).

I think UW’s defense will be up to the task, along with Keith and Bishop playing well.  Am I getting my hopes up too high?  Maybe.  I
have no reason to think Oregon won’t play well, they always do.  They are one of the most talented teams in the nation, and are certainly the fastest.  They are coached up well and tend to let their play on the field do the talking (unlike their fans).  So in order for UW to win, they must play up, mitigate turnovers, mitigate the big play ability of UO’s skill players, be air tight on special teams and stop with the silly pre snap penalties.  That’s a lot.  I know.  Dare to dream.

UW 35 – UO 31

*As a bonus, I thought I’d include this little bit from Andrew.  He doesn’t like me to share these, but too bad!
I hope you’re keepin’ it real.  Oh wait, you always are!  Way to go.
Here’s a little something I put together for this intro that only you and I read.  Taken from ‘Kill The Beast’ from Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh98Kscctw4
Grandpa Sankey: The duck fans will swear at your children,
they’ll come out of their trailers in the night.
We’re not safe ’till the mascots head is mounted on my wall.
I say we kill the Ducks!

Softy: We’re not safe until he’s dead.
Hugh Millen: They move swift through the night.
Mrs. Sark: They’re set to come after our team with a monstrous appetite.
Dick Baird: They’ll wreak havok on our plumbing if we let them wander free!

Sark: So it’s time to take some action boys!
It’s time—to—fol—low—me!

Through the wind, through the rain,
through the lake and the bus stops.
It’s time consuming but it one exciting ride.
Say a prayer, then we’re there,
at the floating bridge of Lake Washington,
and there’s something truly ugly inside.

It’s a duck, they’ve got helmets ugly yellow ones.
Massive idiots, one good decade and a century of ‘suck’.
Hear them quack, see them roam,
but we’re not going home,
’till they’re dead, good and dead. Kill the Ducks!

Team Chorus:
Get your torch, mount you horse,

Gaston:
Through your courage to our fortress.

Chorus:
We’re counting on our coach to lead the way.
Through a mist past the lake, where we see Husky Stadium,
something’s lurking that you don’t see every day.
It’s the ducks, we don’t need luck,
We won’t rest ’till he’s good and deceased.
Steady fourth, tally ho! Grab your sword, grab your bow!
Let’s get on and here we go!

Grandpa Sankey: We’ll lay seige to the duck, and bring back his head!

Husky fans Chorus: We don’t like them at all
9 years but now they fall,
and those uniforms are ugly as muck.
Bring your voices, our time arrives,
bring children and and your wives,
so protect our home and our lives!
LETS KILL THE DUCKS!

chorus:
Raise the purple, sing this song,
here we come at seventy-thousand strong.
Let’s get loud on third and long,
let’s kill the ducks!

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