– Last Updated on August 24, 2018 9:05 am
2018 Football Preview – Pac-12 – Huskies
Looking for 2018 Washington Huskies predictions? The Huskies finally enjoyed life atop the Pac-12 Conference with a studly offensive duo of QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin – both of whom are back for 2018. Despite losses elsewhere on the roster, with those two alone, Washington has to be considered one of the favorites to repeat as Pac-12 North division champs.
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2018-19 College Football Preview – Washington Huskies
Head Coach: Chris Petersen
2015 Record: 10-3
Washington Huskies Odds to win the 2018 FBS Championship: +2800
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The Huskies and their crazed fans in Seattle – which we know (thanks to the Seahawks) is a football hotbed – are lucky that both Browning and Gaskin are returning for their senior seasons. Can UW harness that good fortune once again?
2018 Washington Huskies Predictions: Team Strengths
Offensive Backfield: Washington definitely has one of the better QB/RB combos in the country this season. Both Browning and Gaskin are looking at smashing whatever school record remain to be broken for the Purple and Gold.
Gaskin needs just 51 yards to supplant school legend Napoleon Kaufman, and his record of 4,106 rush yards. It isn’t just Gaskin at running back either; backup Salvon Ahmed is one of the most electric players in the conference.
For Browning’s part, he was awarded the 2016 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. He already holds the school record for touchdowns and every other annal should topple with a strong senior campaign.
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Big-Time Big Boys Up Front: The Huskies have a stud pair of senior offensive tackles in Trey Adams and Kaleb McGary. Adams, an athletic freak and 6″8, 331 lbs, could well be a Top 10 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. McGary has a lower ceiling perhaps, but he’s still 6″8, 325 lbs and been a starter since his freshman year.
Adams had ACL surgery last fall, but he’ll be good to go this year and should be a further boon to the talents of Browning and those dynamic running backs.
There’s further experience on the offensive line, with junior Nick Harris, a returning starter at center, and senior guard Matt James. It’s one of the Pac-12’s most experienced offensive lines.
2018 Washington Huskies Predictions: Team Weaknesses
Who’s Out Wide?: Having such a well-heeled backfield is critical to success, but Jake Browning would be even more lethal if he had an established wide receiver corps to throw to.
Sophomore TE Hunter Bryant is a special talent, but he’s gone down with a knee injury and won’t be ready till near the end of the season, if at all.
Junior Aaron Fuller is probab\\\\\\ly the best out of an unproven bunch. Rangy Ty Jones offers promise, but he’s still an underclassman. Also, keep an eye on freshman Marquis Spiker, the fifth-ranked WR in the 2018 National Signing Day class.
Still, Browning hasn’t reached his ceiling since he lost electric speedster John Ross in 2016.
Someone in this current group needs to change that.
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The kicking game also needs to pick it up in 2018. The battle for the starting job is redshirt freshman walk-on Peyton Henry and sophomore Van Soderberg. Junior, Aussie-style punter Joel Whitford is just okay.
Washington Huskies Prediction: 10-3
Make no mistake: This is another really good ballclub. The Huskies return nine defensive starters from their Fiesta Bowl loss to Penn State last season.
Safety Taylor Rapp is a first team Pac-12 talent, CB Byron Murphy is an emerging star and DT Greg Gaines continues a proud tradition of defensive linemen in Seattle, most recently Vita Vea, the recent first-round NFL pick.
Still, while this talent abounds, it’s not an easy go with the schedule. Washington’s opening game is across the country in Atlanta against SEC powerhouse Auburn. Apart from that, there’s tricky road games at Utah, Chip Kelly’s high-powered UCLA attack, and Oregon.
Washington is still probably the Pac-12’s best chance for a representative in the College Football Playoff. It’ll be super entertaining to watch the swan songs of Browning and Myles Gaskin.
Things could break right for the Huskies and you might see them squaring off against the Alabamas or Clemsons of the world.
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If a couple of wideouts take a big leap forward, the offense is going to be set and they have more turnover than the ‘D’. It’s a good time to be a Huskies fan.
2018 Washington Huskies Football Schedule
- 9/1/18 3:30 PM ET @AUB
- 9/8/18 5:00 PM ET UND
- 9/15/18 10:00 PM ET @UTAH
- 9/22/18 TBD ASU
- 9/29/18 TBD BYU
- 10/6/18 TBD @UCLA
- 10/13/18 TBD @ORE
- 10/20/18 TBD COLO
- 10/27/18 TBD @CAL
- 11/3/18 TBD STAN
- 11/17/18 TBD ORST
- 11/23/18 8:30 PM ET @WSU
What do you think about our 2018 Washington Huskies predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2018!
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