Huard: Huskies match up better with Colorado than USC
Nov 29, 2016, 3:20 PM | Updated: 3:20 pm
Brock Huard on Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau: "He’s a good passer but he’s a power runner as well." (AP)
(AP)
Washington head coach Chris Petersen said Monday he is confident that if his Huskies win the Pac-12 championship on Friday, they’ll be included as one of the four teams in the College Football Playoff. From the perspective of 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard, UW is fortunate that game will be against Colorado rather than USC, the only team to beat the Huskies this season.
“I think it’s a much better matchup than USC,” Huard said Monday on “Blue 42.”
While the 11-1 Huskies earned their place in the Pac-12 title game by beating North Division rival Washington State last week in the Apple Cup, USC and Colorado jostled with tough opponents in the South Division on Saturday. The Buffaloes (10-2, 8-1) squeaked past No. 22 Utah 27-22, while the Trojans (9-3, 7-2) topped Notre Dame 45-27.
USC, which upset UW at Husky Stadium on Nov. 12 with the “College GameDay” crew on hand, owned the tie-breaker with Colorado after beating the Buffaloes 21-17 on Oct. 8. After starting the season 1-3, the Trojans have won eight straight games and are viewed by many pundits as one of the most talented teams top-to-bottom in the country.
“I think USC would have been a much more difficult physical matchup for UW,” Huard said. “Now, psychologically, there could be something to be said about, hey, they got us in our place and give Chris Peterson a little bit of time … and there would have been some awfully intriguing storylines going into it.”
But, alas, the Huskies will face an altogether different foe in Colorado. Led by Pac-12 Coach of the Year Mike MacIntyre, the No. 9 Buffs made an historic one-season turnaround after finishing 4-9 in 2015. The team is led by outside linebacker Jimmie Gilbert and special teamer Ryan Moeller, who were both named first-team Pac-12 players on Tuesday. Running back Phillip Lindsay, offensive tackle Jeromy Irwin and defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie, Tedric Thompson and Ahkello Witherspoon were named to the second team.
Petersen said during his press conference Tuesday that the team’s tough defense and hybrid offense will pose a unique challenge.
“(Colorado) is a big challenge for us,” Petersen said. “I think this is a unique team that plays tremendous defense and has a unique offense. We haven’t seen anything like it this year with how they run the quarterback (Sefo Liufau), how he carries the ball. He’s a good passer but he’s a power runner as well. We haven’t seen that, so that’ll be different for us.”
Huard expects the Huskies’ stout defense will also be a challenge for Colorado.
“As far as on the field physically, there are some opportunities at the line of scrimmage for both sides,” he said. “Colorado is not dominant on their O-line. Their quarterback, while creative and extends plays, also makes mistakes and can be very erratic when he’s hit a lot. They’re not dominant with their speed on the perimeter at wide receiver or at running back. This is going to be, I think, a very compelling, very tough game, but one of those situations that on Thursday or Friday I say to you … if the Huskies play their A-game, Colorado plays their A-game, you win by 10 points. And that’s exactly I think what they’re going to have to do for the (College Football Playoff) committee as well.”
