NCAAF Pick: Washington Over 9.5 Wins (+125) at Caesars Sportsbook
The Washington Huskies are expected to be very good this year, with Michael Penix Jr. on Heisman watch. Can the Huskies earn the magic number of ten wins this season?
Washington Huskies Preview
The Washington Huskies looked incredibly good in Kalen DeBoer’s first season as head coach. The Huskies went 11-2 overall and finished 7-2 in the Pac-12.
Washington was one of the best offenses in the nation. The Huskies were practically neck-and-neck with Tennessee for the best offense in the nation. With that offense, the Huskies made it into the Alamo Bowl and finished in the top eight in the AP and Coaches Poll when the season ended.
Washington’s got one more year in the Pac-12. We’ll see if they can make it count in 2023.
Here’s a preview of the Washington Huskies football team.
The Offense
Michael Penix Jr. was super dominant last year for the Washington Huskies. The former Indiana Hoosier threw for 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns. Most importantly, he stayed healthy and is now on Heisman watch.
The senior quarterback’s draft stock has soared since. Penix Jr. didn’t run much for Washington. He only took off 35 times for 92 yards but added four more touchdowns on the ground. He also played behind one of the best offensive lines in the nation. Washington was No. 1 in the country in tackles for a loss allowed and No. 2 in the nation in sacks allowed. They’ll return Troy Fautanu and Roger Rosengarten on the offensive line.
Meanwhile, Penix Jr. will have Rome Odunze, who has had great chemistry with his quarterback. Odunze added 75 receptions for 1,145 yards last year. The receiving room will also have Jalen McMillan, who caught 79 passes for nine touchdowns.
Those two shouldn’t disappoint, significantly after Penix Jr. added over 4,500 yards last year in the air. Penix Jr. will have former Mississippi State running back Dillon Johnson alongside him. He’s a capable pass-catcher with all the intangibles to be a great running back for Washington.
The Defense
The Washington defense doesn’t have to be perfect. The offense will score a lot of points, but the Huskies could use more turnovers.
Washington’s got Edefuan Ulofoshio back. He missed last year due to an injury but should be Washington’s main guy at middle linebacker. He’s highly regarded for the position group. They’ll also have Alphonzo Tuputala, a terrific tackler, and USC transfer Ralen Goforth should be impactful for the defense.
Washington’s pass rush will be electric like it was last year. They’ve got NFL talent on both edges, which will help the secondary, hopefully, grab more interceptions and earn more takeaways.
Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui are the two edge rushers. Keep those names in mind throughout the season. This is a talented team up front that can set the tone for the rest of the defense moving forward.
Washington Win Total
Washington is projected to win 9.5 games, but the Over is at +125 at the NCAAF odds board. Therefore, the higher probability is that the Huskies will win nine or fewer games this season.
Washington will begin the season with Boise State at home. They should end up winning that game. At home, they’ll also get an easy matchup against Tulsa in Week 2.
At 2-0, the Huskies will face Michigan State on the road. Although it’s a fun matchup, Washington should easily outshine Michigan State in that game.
The Huskies would be 3-0, with California up next. Mark that down as a win. They’ll also defeat Arizona on the road.
At this point, Washington would be 5-0 to start the season. They’ll have Oregon at home in their sixth game. I think, at home, Washington could earn a significant win over Oregon. That’ll be a terrific matchup between two Big Ten teams next year.
At 6-0, Washington will get by Arizona State and defeat Stanford on the road. They’d be 8-0 with a road game against USC. They’d lost that game. They’ll also likely lose to Utah at home, but I like their chances at escaping Oregon State and defeating Washington State for ten wins.
The Huskies schedule gets much tougher toward the second half of the season, but if the Huskies can take care of business in the first half of the season, they’ll be able to stomach a couple of losses and still earn enough wins to get over on the win total.
NCAAF Pick: Washington Over 9.5 Wins (+125) at Caesars Sportsbook
