Washington hopes to ride Pac-12 title to playoff berth

As for the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State matchup this weekend, in order for the victor to make the Playoff, all of the above things would need to happen – plus the Pac-12 championship game would need to be as ugly as the Big Ten title bout.

“You don’t win a bunch of games year after year unless you have championship, high quality defenses”, said Washington head coach Chris Petersen, a former offensive coordinator at Boise State. The Buffaloes were picked to finish last in the South division again this season. This unit picked off the highly-talented Luke Falk three times last week so Colorado needs to continue being careful with the ball. Both teams had a 10-2 record after the regular season, with only an outside lane scenario for making the playoff, needing a win over an 11-1 team already in position to make the playoff -then OR, now Washington.

The Buffaloes’ attack hinges on quarterback Sefo Liufau, who has an efficient arm and the size – 6-4, 230 – to run option reads and designed keepers between the tackles. In Colorado’s 38-24 victory over Washington State two weeks ago, he finished with 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, and he threw for 345 yards. His dual-threat ability helps open the field for running back Phillip Lindsay. At Valley Christian, Severson rushed for 1,951 yards and 32 touchdowns his senior season. Both operate behind stout offensive lines, with a bevy of talented receivers to catch passes. WR Devin Ross leads Colorado with 65 receptions.

The Colorado Buffaloes are based in Boulder, Colorado at the University of Colorado. “When it comes down to championships you have to play a high level of defense”. Even more impressively, the Buffaloes are giving in to only 18.8 points a contest.

The major intrigue in this week’s ranking was how the committee would sort out the log jam among the three two-loss Big Ten teams. It may not be as simple as a win for the Huskies either.

That’s the mantra of this Colorado Buffaloes football team as they’ve completed one of the most incredible turnarounds in college football. Washington likes to air it out, which could play to one of CU’s strengths: its veteran-led secondary. The clutch performer only tossed seven interceptions on the season.

Not when the Colorado coach goes back over game film, though.

Sefo Liufau is not a new name to football fans around the Puget Sound, but he is something the Huskies haven’t seen this year. Tailbacks Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman totaled 1,915 yards this season and provide a ideal complement to the Huskies’ air attack.

Ross and Pettis – The Huskies have never had a receiver duo like this one. The 6-4, 246-pound senior, projected as a possible low-round National Football League draft pick, has 46 career catches for 713 yards and four touchdowns.

Baker is the most recognizable of the group with his standing as one of the top safeties in the country and one of the most important recruits for Washington since Petersen arrived. Rapp is the first Husky defensive player to be tabbed the conferences’s top newcomer. Only once has he completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in a game, that coming in a 26-13 loss, when he was 17-for-36 for 259 yards and a touchdown.

The Huskies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games in December.

While Cracraft raised the cougar flag, his team members held up two fingers on one hand, and one on the other in honor of his jersey number 21. Clemson* (11-1/7-1 ACC) 4.

This has the makings to be another great championship affair. However, USC was able to get to Browning because the Husky run game was so overwhelmed.

Now, they face a Washington team with an explosive offense directed by quarterback Jake Browning.

The college football world has never seen something quite like the College Football Playoff. I think it’s completely overrated.