5 Keys To A Washington Victory Over Arizona State

The Huskies come into the game as heavy favorites over the Sun Devils.

Coming off a big win, the No. 5 Washington Huskies are looking to move to 7-0 against the Arizona State Sun Devils. The last time these two teams played, the short-handed Huskies lost 45-38 on the road.

That was also the last time coach Kalen DeBoer's Husky team stumbled, with the UW winning 13 consecutive games after stumbling in the desert and holding the second-longest active winning streak in college football to Georgia's 24 in a row. 

Here's how the Huskies can extend the streak to 14.

Set the Tone on Defense

Washington has an opportunity to make some improvements on the defensive side. While coach Kenny Dillingham has brought his innovative scheme to Arizona State, he doesn't have the personnel in place to run it effectively.

The Sun Devils are last in the Pac-12 in scoring average and 11th in the conference in yards per game, while the Huskies allow just under 21 points per game. As Washington continues its quest toward a conference championship, the defense will need to make more plays and it will have an opportunity to do so this week.

Get after the Quarterback

One of the easiest ways the defense can help out the offense is by recording sacks and forcing turnovers. The Huskies have collected 7 sacks through six games but could find their rhythm against Arizona State's subpar offensive line.

The Sun Devils have dealt with a lot of injuries up front and have permitted 22 sacks this season. Edge rushers Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui have combined for 3 sacks and should at the very least put a lot of pressure on quarterback Trenton Bourguet.

Keys to the Game vs Arizona State 🔐🏈#USvsUS pic.twitter.com/kLgR1C81w9

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) October 20, 2023

Establish the Run

Dillon Johnson has taken over as Washington's top running back and appears to be improving every week. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's rushing attack has gotten better with each game — and if wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Germie Bernard are unable to play because of injuries — the run game would become even more important.

Involve the Tight Ends

Even with the injury questions at receiver, the Huskies have a talented group of pass-catchers at tight end who can step in if needed. Relying on Jack Westover and Devin Culp, Grubb can line them up anywhere in the formation and create mismatches with the Sun Devils defense.

Tight end Josh Cuevas also has proven himself as an offensive weapon and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. could find a way to get him involved, too.

Tackle

Cornerback Jabbar Muhammad said the Husky defense has spent extra time this week on tackling. Moving forward, Washington needs to bring down ball carriers before they can escape for extra yards.

Against the Oregon Ducks, running backs Bucky Irving and Jordan James were able to pick up yards after contact on nearly every carry and, if the Huskies can stop some of those running plays before they get going, the defense will see major improvement in most statistics.

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