Saturday will answer whether or not Washington understands the assignment.
In what is expected to be an emotional senior day the Huskies (8-2, 5-2) host Colorado for the final home game of the season with several implications at stake.
“All the things I will walk away with is just all hitting me at once. I think you might see some emotions coming out of me walking out of that tunnel during senior night,” UW senior safety Alex Cook said Tuesday.
After upsetting top 10 ranked Oregon on the road last Saturday the opening for a subsequent letdown against a Buffaloes team that has won just one game in 2022.
With a victory Saturday UW would clinch its first season undefeated at home since 2018, and the chance at the first 10 win season – also since ’18.
Kalen DeBoer has already delivered in his first season as the Huskies head coach, but finishing off the final layup at Husky Stadium is just as pivotal as last weekends upset.
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“We’ve got to be ready,” DeBoer said Monday. “We’ve got a lot riding on the season as far as the opportunities that could present themselves. Before we think about the last week of the season, we’ve got to make sure we’re focused on Colorado.”
The Buffaloes haven’t won a road game this season and have lost their last three contests away from Boulder by an average of 31 points.
UW is favored by 30.5 against CU, the second largest spread of the season for the Huskies, half a point behind the line against Portland State in week two.
Not only is an undefeated home season on the line Saturday. Several players could make a significant leap up the record books with two games remaining – at Washington State next weekend and a bowl game.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is more than likely going to finish with the single season school record for passing yards per game.
Penix enters Saturday averaging 364 yards per game after his second 400-plus yard passing game of the season against the Ducks.
He could add a third against the Buffs who rank third to last in the Pac-12 giving up an average of 260 yards through the air in 10 games this season.
Penix has thrown for 3,640 yards this season which ranks second most in a single season, 818 yards behind Cody Pickett who holds the record (4,458 yards; 2002).
One of his favorite targets, sophomore receiver Rome Odunze, is 86 yards shy from 1,000 yards.
Odunze is tied with Dante Pettis and Jermaine Kearse for 10th most receptions in a single season entering Saturday with 63.
If the duo can connect early and allow UW’s defense to keep CU off the scoreboard it should pave the way for a positive result Saturday night.
