Washington Win Total Prediction
The Washington Huskies have been the class of the Pac-12 for the last three years. Will they be able to have another double-digit win season in 2019?
Odds
Chris Petersen enters his sixth season as head coach of the Huskies. Washington was 10-4 last year and 7-2 in the Pac-12 and they have won at least 10 games in three straight seasons. According to oddsmakers, Washington is listed with an over/under of 10 wins during the regular season in 2019. The over is listed at +140, while the under is listed at -160.
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Offense
Despite having a big-name QB in Jake Browning last year, Washington averaged just 26.4 points and 415.5 yards per game. This year’s offense returns seven starters, but Browning is gone. Stepping in is Georgia transfer Jacob Eason. Eason started for the Bulldogs as a true freshman before injuries sent him in another direction. Good news for Eason is Washington has four starters back on the O-line and a couple of top receivers back. Aaron Fuller caught 58 passes for 874 yards and four scores while Ty Jones caught 31 passes for 491 yards and six scores. Washington loses Myles Gaskin at running back. He rushed for 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2018. Salvon Ahmed takes over after he rushed for 608 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago.
Defense
The Washington defense was the strong point of the team last year, ranking near the tops in the nation in both scoring (16.4 points per game) and total yards (306.2 yards per game). Problem is, just one starter is back this season on the defense. Ben Burr-Kirven had 100 more tackles than the next guy on the team with 176. He is now gone and the unit needs a leader. A lackluster pass rush may not improve this year and the secondary will have to rely on the lone returning starter in safety Myles Bryant, who had 61 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2018.
Schedule
Washington will host Eastern Washington and Hawaii in non-conference play while making a trip to BYU. The Huskies will host Cal, USC, Oregon, Utah and Washington State in Pac-12 play while making road trips to Stanford, Arizona, Oregon State and Colorado.
Prediction
Washington has been the class of the Pac-12 for the past three years, but the Huskies are now listed with an over/under of 10 wins. That means they need to get to 11 to hit the over, or stay at 9 to hit the under. Getting to 11 wins in the regular season is left for only elite programs. Washington is not quite an elite program. Not with a QB who hasn’t played in years and a defense that has just one starter returning. There are likely to be some letdown games along the way.
College Football Prediction: Washington Under 10 Wins -160