Cal Football 2021 Opponent Preview: Game 4 -- Pac-12 Opener at Washington

How much will the injury to standout OLB Zion Tupuola-Fetui hurt the Huskies' Pac-12 title chances?

* Fourth in a series of stories taking an early look at Cal's 2021 football opponents

GAME 4: CAL AT WASHINGTON

Date: Saturday, Sept.25

Washington 2020 record: 3-1 overall, 3-1/first in Pac-12 North. The Huskies had the best record in the North based on winning percentage, but did not play in the Pac-12 championship game because positive COVID-19 tests within the program prevented the Huskies from having the minimum number of players available.

Series record: Washington leads the series 54-41-4. Cal beat the Huskies in their most recent meeting, 20-19, in 2019 in Seattle. The teams were scheduled to meet last season in Berkeley on Nov. 7, 2020, but the game was canceled because of COVID-19 contact-tracing issues within the Cal program. This year's meeting will be the Pac-12 opener for both teams.

Huskies coach: Jimmy Lake (3-1, 2nd season)

Top players: Junior OLB Zion Tupuola-Fetui (first-team all-Pac-12, may miss part or all of 2021 season, 7.0 sacks in 2020, average of 1.75 sacks per game led nation); senior TE Cade Otton (first-team all-Pac-12 in 2020, 18 receptions, 258 yards, 3 TDs); junior LB Edefuan Ulofoshio (second-team all-Pac-12, rated best returning linebacker in the country by Pro Football Focus); junior DB Trent McDuffie (two-year starter, second-team all-Pac-12 in 2020: senior OT Jaxson Kirkland (first-team all-Pac-12 in 2020);

Strengths: The Huskies may have the best offensive line in the Pac-12 in 2021, and that will solve a lot of shortcomings. Always strong on defense, the Huskies should be solid on that side of the ball in 2021 despite the injury to Zion Tupuola-Fetui, an all-conference outside linebacker who will miss part or all of the 2021 season after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in April. His absence downgrades Washington’s defense from “outstanding” to “solid.” Most of the other key players return from a defense that led the Pac-12 in both scoring defense and total defense in 2020. Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio provide a big-play defender. The Huskies lost all-conference cornerback Elijah Molden, but cornerback Kyler Gordon, safety Asa Turner and cornerback Trent McDuffie return from a secondary that led the conference in pass defense a year ago.

Weaknesses: The void left by Tupuola-Fetui will be difficult to fill, but the bigger problem is the Huskies' lack of offensive standouts at the skill positions. Tight end Cade Otton is the only one in that category who could be considered a star. Quarterback Dylan Morris was adequate as a redshirt freshman last season, and he performed well under pressure, but he was far from a standout, ranking sixth in the conference in passer rating with a mediocre 4-to-3 TD-to-interception ratio. There has been speculation that Colorado State transfer Patrick O’Brien or true freshman Sam Huard might challenge Morris for the starting job this fall. Washington has no proven wide receivers with its two most productive wideouts from last year gone, and the Huskies still lack a breakaway running back. No Washington player ranked among the Pac-12’s top 10 in rushing last season. The Huskies are hoping Richard Newton can be the standout running back that was predicted a few years ago.

What you should know about Washington: The Huskies have had 11 straight winning seasons, and their run of 10 straight bowls berths ended in 2020 because Washington opted not to play in the postseason despite finishing first in the Pac-12 North. The 2020 season was the fifth time in the past six years that Washington led the Pac-12 in both scoring defense and total defense. The only exception was 2019, when Huskies were third in both categories. The Huskies have finished no worse than second in the North in any of the past five seasons. Washington has lost its last two meetings against Cal, and in both cases Washington was nationally ranked and the Bears were not. Their most recent meeting, in 2019, did not end until 1:22 a.m. because lightning warnings interrupted the game. Washington has won 17 conference championships, tied with UCLA for the second most in the conference, behind only USC. Washington inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon is the son of Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon. Quarterback Ethan Garbers, the brother of Cal quarterback Chase Garbers, transferred from Washington to UCLA in the offseason.

Washington spring football status: The Huskies played their spring game on May 1, and the most impressive player may have been running back Richard Newton. He had 49 yards on eight carries and may be the productive starting tailback the Huskies had hoped all along. He did not play in the Huskies’ final two games of 2020 for reasons that were never entirely explained. Dylan Morris has played well enough to hang onto the starting quarterback job, at least for now, while Colorado State transfer Patrick O’Brien looks to be the backup going into the fall. Highly touted freshman Sam Huard participated in spring ball, and though he has displayed plenty of talent, his inexperience at the college level is also evident. Outside linebacker Bralen Trice reportedly performed well during the spring, and he may be critical with the injury to Tupuola-Fetui.

Washington 2021 season projection: Washington and Oregon were considered co-favorites to win the Pac-12 North until the injury to Tupuola-Fetui knocked the Huskies down to second choice behind the Ducks. Nonetheless, the Huskies have enough talent to win a conference title if Morris progresses sufficiently as a quarterback and Newton becomes a consistent ground-gainer.

Cal-Washington game prediction: Cal 24, Washington 20

Click here for preview of Game 1: Nevada

Click here for preview of Game 2: TCU

Click here for preview of Game 3: Sacramento State

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Cover photo of Washington running back Richard Newton is by Jennifer Buchanan, USA TODAY Sports

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