Pac-12 football preview: Predicting Washington’s weekly results and victory total

Welcome to the Hotline’s predictions for each Pac-12 game of the 2022 season. The 12-part series will be published in six installments, with teams grouped by travel partners. Links to prior articles at bottom …

Washington Huskies

Coach: Kalen DeBoer (first season)Offensive coordinator: Ryan Grubb (first season)Co-defensive coordinators: William Inge and Chuck Morrell (first seasons)

2021 record: 4-8/3-6

Washington’s five-year win totals: 12-10-10-8-4 (2020 season excluded)

Last postseason appearance: 2019 Holiday Bowl (beat Boise State)

Best-case 2022 scenario: 10-2Worst-case 2022 scenario: 6-6

Projected starting quarterback: Michael Penix Jr.

Key question: Did the Huskies underachieve last season simply because of poor coaching, or is the roster stocked with second-rate talent?

Here we go …

Sept. 3: vs. Kent StateResult: winRecord: 1-0Comment: Given the Week One implosion last year — and this being Kalen DeBoer’s debut — we expect a first-rate effort from the Huskies, even if the execution is a bit spotty.

Sept. 10: vs. Portland StateResult: winRecord: 2-0Comment: Home favorites are vulnerable to a look-ahead sinkhole, but Portland State lacks the personnel of, say, Montana.

Sept. 17: vs. Michigan StateResult: winRecord: 3-0Comment: The Spartans are loaded on defense and will attempt to exploit any physical weakness along UW’s lines of scrimmage. But the Huskies respond with a performance from a previous era (2016-18) and outmaneuver the visitors with pages from the playbook kept under wraps in Weeks One and Two.

Sept. 24: vs. StanfordResult: lossRecord: 3-1/0-1Comment: The September road takes a detour through Letdown City as Stanford, which is coming off a bye, takes full advantage of the extra prep time and UW’s lingering euphoria.

Sept. 30 (Friday): at UCLAResult: lossRecord: 3-2/0-2Comment: Knocked for a loop by Stanford, the Huskies are unable to regain their footing against an opponent that has the offensive balance to take whatever UW’s defense gives.

Oct. 8: at Arizona StateResult: lossRecord: 3-3/0-3Comment: So much for that 3-0 start. But at least receivers aren’t running six-yard patterns on third-and-nine. This skid is about personnel, not scheme.

Oct. 15: vs. ArizonaResult: winRecord: 4-3/1-3Comment: It’s not easy or clean, but the Huskies take advantage of Arizona being in a vulnerable spot following a home showdown against Oregon.

Oct. 22: at CalResult: winRecord: 5-3/2-3Comment: The past three head-to-heads have produced one-score results, and we expect the same here. First team to 18 wins.

Oct. 29: idleComment: No competitive advantage; the Beavers are also idle.

Nov. 4 (Friday): vs. Oregon StateResult: winRecord: 6-3/3-3Comment: Whether it’s a bad fourth-down spot or a busted play on special teams, something screwy in the fourth quarter will make all the difference.

Nov. 12: at OregonResult: lossRecord: 6-4/3-4Comment: The difference is speed — speed at scrimmage, speed on the perimeter, speed in the backfield, speed on special teams. The Ducks have more of it, everywhere.

Nov. 19: vs. ColoradoResult: winRecord: 7-4/4-4Comment: Remember the absolute clunker in Boulder late in the 2019 season? This is the opposite. UW rolls.

Nov. 26: at Washington StateResult: winRecord: 8-4/5-4Comment: What a difference a year makes. Also helpful: a real offense.

*** Previous installments

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