There are a couple of conferences across the country that have shown much improvement this season, and the Pac-12 is one of them. The conference has four teams in the AP Top 25 and another handful that are still very competitive each week.
This matchup on Saturday features the Arizona Wildcats going on the road to take on the Washington Huskies. Washington is coming off of back-to-back losses, while Arizona is 3-3 and looking to steal a big win on the road. This is going to be a huge matchup, as a loss here for either program would put them in a serious hole for the rest of the season.
Arizona vs. Washington Predictions and Betting Picks
Wildcats Show Growth
After Arizona’s 1-11 season in 2021, a 3-3 record is already much improvement. Aside from their loss to Oregon last week, the Wildcats have been competitive in every game. Quarterback Jayden De Laura has been lighting up the stat sheet for this Arizona offense and currently is eighth in the FBS in yards passing with 1,874. Defensively, the Wildcats are still in need of playmakers. Arizona has only forced two interceptions, and the Wildcats are 10th in the Pac-12 in total defense. Washington has dynamic athletes on offense, and Arizona is going to need to step their play up on the defensive side of the ball to hang in this game.
Washington’s Must Win Situation
Just two weeks ago, it was looking like Washington could’ve been a possible playoff contender. The Huskies were firing on all cylinders, and Michael Penix Jr. was looking like he could compete for a Heisman. The past two weeks have not nearly been the same story, as the Huskies have fallen to UCLA and a very mediocre Arizona State team.
Even with the midseason struggles for the Huskies, they have not gotten away from their identity. Penix is currently second in the FBS in yards passing, and running back Cameron Davis has provided seven touchdowns on the ground. With these losses for the Huskies, there are still dynamic playmakers on the field who can light up the scoreboard, and they will be coming in hungry for a win.
Defensively, the Huskies are third in the Pac-12 and safety Asa Turner has been a leader in the secondary, with two interceptions on the year. This is a unit that is going to need to step up on Saturday. The offense has proven they can score, even in the losses, so the Huskies are going to still need some defensive stops to pull away from Arizona.
Arizona vs. Washington Prediction
This is an absolutely massive conference game for both teams trying to get their seasons going in the right direction. Aside from their two losses, Washington has looked impressive, and they come into this game as 14-point home favorites. There is no doubt that Penix can put points up, but the question will be if the Huskies can get some stops on defense. Washington should get a win here and cover this 14-point spread against a less talented Arizona team.
Based on how these two defenses have been playing the past couple of weeks, this game’s high total of 73 comes as no surprise. Arizona moves the ball with pretty swift pace, and Washington has been able to air the ball out with great success. Both of these teams play offense in a way that is designed for a shootout, but the bet here is the under on 73 total points.
