Washington (7-5, 4-5) vs. #19 Boise State (12-1, 8-0)
Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl
Saturday, December 21st @ 4:30 p.m. PT
Sam Boyd Stadium (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Line: Washington -3.0
TV: ABC
Radio: KOMO AM-1000/FM-97.7
The Washington Huskies will face off against the Boise State Broncos at Sam Boyd Stadium, as they look to finish out the season with a bowl victory.
During their last game, the Husky defense stymied the Washington State Cougars “Air Raid” attack en route to a 31-13 victory in the Apple Cup.
This week, the Huskies are facing a Mountain West Conference opponent, who recently beat the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 31-10 in the conference championship game.
“I know he is a mobile guy that can make plays with his feet and those guys always give you problems,” Petersen said about Boise State quarterback Jaylon Henderson.
During the last three seasons, the Huskies have an 0-3 record in bowl games during New Years Six Bowl game appearances. The Huskies are looking to end that drought this year.
Defensively, the Huskies will have to stop the Broncos from scoring in the red zone and putting up lots of points on the scoreboard.
Offensively, the Broncos will look to move the ball down the field and score touchdowns when the opportunity presents itself.
Something has to give, in this contest between the stingy and improved Huskies defense and the “high octane” Broncos offense.
KEY PLAYERS: WASHINGTON
QB – Jacob Eason
The junior quarterback transferred from Georgia a couple years ago and possesses one of the strongest arms in the nation for any quarterback. His ability to fit balls into tight passing windows is what makes Eason a threat at all times when the Huskies have the ball.
RB – Salvon Ahmed
The junior running back has had a breakout season for the Huskies and has provided a consistent running attack for the offense. Ahmed finished the season with exactly 1,000 yards off the ground and earned an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection.
DB – Myles Bryant
The senior defensive back was converted to safety during the offseason. He is the unquestioned heart and soul of the Husky defense. He was named to the preseason All-Pac-12 first team and was also named to the preseason watch lists for the Nagurski, Thorpe and Bednarik awards.
KEY PLAYERS: BOISE STATE
QB – Jaylon Henderson
Redshirt Senior Jaylon Henderson has recently played well and was named the starting quarterback in early December. He is a dual threat quarterback that can beat you with his legs and his arm. Henderson was recently named Offensive MVP of the Mountain West Championship Game.
RB – George Holani
Freshman George Holani leads Boise State in rushing yards (979), rushing touchdowns (seven), and total touchdowns (nine). Holani was voted Mountain West Freshman of the Year and to the All-Mountain West Second Team.
DE – Curtis Weaver
Redshirt Junior Curtis Weaver is a Ted Hendricks Award finalist and Bednarik Award semifinalist. Weaver has recorded at least a share of a sack in eight of Boise State’s 13 games, along with three multi-sack performances.
ESPN MATCHUP PREDICTOR
GAME NOTES
– HUSKIES vs. BRONCOS HISTORY: Odd as it may seem at first glance, Washington and Boise State have faced one another only four times in the two schools’ history, with those meetings coming in the second game of the 2007 season, the 2012 Las Vegas Bowl, and the 2013 and 2015 season openers. It’s odd because the two campuses are located only about 500 miles from one another. The only other Division I-FBS colleges located inside a 500-mile radius of the UW are Washington State, Idaho, Oregon and Oregon State. However, all four of those other schools are (or were) in the same conference as Washington for many years, whereas Boise State only began playing football as a four-year institution in 1968 and only moved up to Division I-A prior to the 1996 season. Here’s a recap of the four UW-Boise State games in history:
– HUSKIES’ BOWL HISTORY: Washington will be making its 40th bowl game appearance in Las Vegas. The Huskies enter the game with an 18-20-1 overall record in bowl games, dating back to the 1924 Rose Bowl, where the UW tied Navy, 14-14. This game vs. Boise State marks the Huskies’ second trip to the Las Vegas Bowl and the UW’s 10th straight season going to a bowl game, the longest current streak in the Pac-12.
– DAWGS VS. THE MWC: Washington has a pretty fair amount of history with the current (2019 season) members of the Mountain West Conference. Washington has played all but three (Colorado State, New Mexico and UNLV) of the 12 schools that comprise the MWC. All totaled, the Huskies are 30-12 against current MWC members, Here’s the breakdown: 2-6 vs. Air Force; 2-2 vs. Boise State; 3-1 vs. Fresno State; 4-2 vs. Hawai’i; 1-1 vs. Nevada; 3-0 vs. San Diego State; 10-0 vs. San Jose State; 3-0 vs. Utah State; and 2-0 vs. Wyoming.
– The Broncos will be making their fifth appearance at the Las Vegas Bowl, and are a perfect 4-0 in the game . Boise State has defeated Utah (2010), Arizona State (2011), Washington (2012) and Oregon (2017) in the Las Vegas Bowl.
– THE NATION’S WINNINGEST PROGRAM
With Boise State’s win over Colorado State and Michigan’s loss to Ohio State during the final week of the regular season, the Broncos took over as the winningest team in college football history in terms of percentage. Since becoming a four-year school in 1968, Boise State is now 460-169-2, a winning percentage of .7306. Ohio State is now second (.7300; 924-325-53), while Michigan is third (.7297; 962-345-36).
– The Broncos have posted eight come-from-behind wins this season, tied with Memphis for the most in FBS.
PREDICTIONS
Tysen Allumbaugh [“Dawg Thoughts” Show Host] (7-4)
It’s the final game for the 2019 Huskies and Chris Petersen’s career.
It’s unfortunate and also sort of poetic that it’s in Las Vegas against the Boise State Broncos. A place where he went 92-12 and won 3 Las Vegas Bowls.
I’m usually loathe to emphasize motivation as a significant factor in football… Except in bowl games. How will Boise State come out after their head coach essentially said he didn’t want to be playing in this game? What about the Huskies, who will be playing for CP one last time, will they have that extra something?
I’m not sure on the answer but all I hope is that the Huskies play fast and physical but most importantly: HAVE FUN. This season has been a slog and it’s an opportunity to go out with a BANG.
Washington 28 – Boise State 27
Jeff Wright (7-5)
Since the Huskies last took the field, a lot has transpired within the Husky Football program to say the least. Their “Built For Life” leader and father figure stepped down as head football coach and is headed into retirement. Defensive Coordinator Jimmy Lake was anointed the new sheriff in town on Montlake, and the Huskies have their plan set for the future. Amongst the chaos the last few weeks, the Huskies still have a bowl game to prepare for. Dubbed the “Chris Petersen Legacy Bowl” by some Husky fans, this game is extremely intriguing with Petersen coaching his last game against the Boise State Broncos! On paper, the Broncos sport a 12-1 record on the season, but as we all know, that is in the Mountain West Conference. I see the Huskies coming out in this game being ultra-inspired and wanting to win this game very badly for their beloved coach. I believe the Huskies physicality, coupled with their swag of not wanting to be pushed around the field by a Mountain West team takes the cake here! I don’t believe that the Huskies will run away with the victory, but they will gain just enough separation at the end of the game to distance themselves from the Broncos. In an ironic twist of fate…Coach “Elite Pete” rides off into the Spring Mountain Range sunset on a Bronco horse with a cowboy hat on! An iconic moment in Husky history! 😂
Washington 31 – Boise State 24
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