BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado ended a five-game skid two weeks ago with a win over Stanford but still needs to win its final two games to become bowl-eligible. That daunting task starts Saturday night as the Buffaloes host Washington in their home finale.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Washington -14.5
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So Colorado not only must beat the Huskies, whom it hasn’t defeated in the last nine meetings over 20 years, but then must win on the road the following week at Utah, currently ranked eighth nationally and leading the Pac-12 South Division. The Buffaloes, though, will have the advantage playing at home in altitude with Colorado standing as one of the eight programs nationally which has played in front of home crowds averaging 100 percent or better capacity this season. Like Colorado, Washington also is coming off a win and bye week. The Huskies downed Oregon State 19-7 on Nov. 8 to snap a two-game losing streak and now enters their road finale looking to clinch coach Chris Petersen’s sixth straight winning season in as many years with the program.
ABOUT WASHINGTON (6-4, 3-4 Pac-12)
The Huskies won Pac-12 titles in two of the previous seasons entering 2019 but have experienced a down year while coming up short in close games with a 23-13 loss at Stanford standing as their only defeat larger than five points. Quarterback Jacob Eason is averaging 247.2 passing yards per game while a 20-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and has received plenty of help on the ground from running back Salvon Ahmed who ranks third in the conference with 98.4 yards per outing. The Washington defense led the Pac-12 in scoring and total defense the previous four seasons but has slipped to third in each category this season while allowing a still-formidable 21.2 points and 349.7 yards per game.
ABOUT COLORADO (4-6, 2-5)
The Buffaloes got back on the winning track with the 16-13 victory over the visiting Cardinal on Nov. 9, and they did it with defense, snapping the program’s 14-game streak of surrendering 30 or more points. Senior quarterback Steven Montez ranks sixth in the conference, averaging 254.6 yards of total offense per game, but has struggled with interceptions, ranking second in the Pac-12 with a career-season-high 10 in as many games. CU’s talented trio of wide receivers (Tony Brown, Laviska Shenault and K.D. Nixon ) have combined for 129 receptions, 1,725 yards and 11 TD grabs, but the Buffs’ defense ranks 10th in the conference in points allowed (32.3 per game) and 11th in yards surrendered (469.3).
EXTRA POINTS
1. Washington has won all seven meetings since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011, including a 41-10 romp in the 2016 conference title game and a 27-13 home victory last season in Seattle.
2. The Huskies have gotten out to fast starts this season, outscoring the opposition 107-13 in the first quarter.
3. Along with 17 CU seniors, Colorado’s famed buffalo mascot, Ralphie V, will be making her final home appearance after 12 seasons but is not scheduled to run on the field before the game.
PREDICTION: Washington 30, Colorado 27