5 Keys To A Washington Victory Over Utah

The fifth-ranked Washington Huskies have a big test in front of them in the No. 13 Utah Utes. Coach Kyle Whittingham's team has one of the best defenses in the Pac-12 and will pose a different challenge in comparison to the other teams Washington has faced this season.

Here's how coach Kalen DeBoer's team can move to 10-0 in front of a sold-out Husky Stadium on Saturday.

Stop the Run

Utah's offense is fully committed to running the ball whenever it can, logging a conference-high 394 rushing attempts this season. Quarterback Bryson Barnes has struggled as a passer in his first year as the team's starting quarterback, averaging just 116.3 yards over the 8 games he's played in.

If Washington can keep Utah from running the ball effectively, it will force Barnes into obvious passing situations where he has shown a tendency to turn the ball over. He has thrown 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions this season, and could be forced into more bad throws if the Huskies can find a way to put pressure on him.

Rush the Passer

The Huskies recently have done a very good job in getting after the quarterback. The pass rush put USC's Caleb Williams on the ground three times and edge rusher Bralen Trice has recorded 25 pressures in Washington's past two games.

The inexperienced Barnes isn't as mobile as Williams, and if the Huskies are able to get in the backfield at the same rate that they did against USC, Washington will have an opportunity to turn more of those pressures into sacks.

Get Off the Field

The Husky defense has allowed a nearly 42 percent conversion rate on third down and can't enable Utah to extend drives. Cutting down on missed tackles and not allowing ball carriers to escape for extra yards after contact will go a long way towards getting the Utes off the field.

Protect Michael Penix Jr.

Spurred by Pac-12 sack leader Jonah Elliss, Utah's pass rush has taken down the quarterback 29 times this season. But the Utes coaching staff knows its defensive line will have its hands full with Washington's offensive line.

"They have probably the best offensive line we've faced to this point," Whittingham said.

Penix has been sacked just 6 times this season. With UW right guard Julius Buelow closer to playing at 100 percent healthy, the Huskies are better equipped to deal with the interior pressure that Arizona State and Stanford used to overwhelm the offensive line.

Attack the secondary

Utah has the best pass defense in the Pac-12, allowing just 201 yards per game this season. However, Washington's aerial attack provides a different challenge for even the stingiest defenses.

Wide receivers Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk are both ranked in the top 10 in the nation in yards per game. With an added complement of receivers Germie Bernard and Giles Jackson, plus Washington's tight ends and running backs, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's scheme could overwhelm Utah's defense.

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