5 Keys to a Washington Victory Over Stanford

The Huskies need to bring their own energy to Palo Alto on Saturday.

After the Washington Huskies avoided an upset at home to Arizona State, winning 15-7, coach Kalen DeBoer's team is a heavy favorite once again as it takes to the road to face the Stanford Cardinal.

The Huskies are looking to get back on a dominant track in Palo Alto and here's how they can do it.

Set the Tone Early

The environment at Stanford has been lackluster for many years, which requires the visiting team to provide its own energy instead of feeding off the crowd. Whether it comes from an explosive play, turnover or  big hit on special teams, the Huskies have to find a way to pump themselves up in the first quarter.

Rush the Passer

The Washington defense played arguably its best game against Arizona State but still needs to find a way to record more sacks. The Huskies have collected 7 sacks through seven games and have an opportunity to exploit a weak Stanford offensive line.

The Cardinal have given up 25 sacks this season, the second-most in the Pac-12. If Washington can figure out its pass rush against Stanford, the defense could have a big day.

Solidify the Offensive Line

After struggling mightily up front against Arizona State, the Huskies are in line to add depth to the rotation against Stanford. According to offensive-line coach Scott Huff, guard Julius Buelow practiced all week and could return against the Cardinal after suiting up for Washington's last two games but didn't take a snap.

"This is as healthy as we've been in a while," Huff said.

Returning Buelow to the starting lineup solidifies quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s blind side when he's dropping back to pass as well as provides another massive body to clear out room for running back Dillon Johnson in the middle of the defense.

"If Washington is unbeaten, Michael Penix is likely going to win this award."@JoelKlatt makes a case for Michael Penix Jr winning the Heisman trophy ⬇️🏆 pic.twitter.com/YlQooKeyvW

— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) October 25, 2023

Get Michael Penix Back in Rhythm

Penix had one of the lowest outputs of his Husky career against the Sun Devils and the senior quarterback could make up for it against Stanford's defense. Also, junior wide receiver Jalen McMillan could return from his knee injury on a limited basis, which would provide Penix with an extra pass-catching threat who's also highly reliable on third down.

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said he wants to help the offense get its swagger back and having the nation's leading passer in a groove early is a great way to do that.

Don't Let Stanford Hang Around

Washington is favored by 26.5 points and, if the Huskies can get rolling early on offense, they could find themselves with a significant advantage in this game. Yet they can't get complacent against a team that believes anything is possible. 

At Colorado, the Cardinal recovered from a 29-0 deficit and pulled off a 46-43 victory in double overtime on the road. If the Huskies get a comfortable lead in this game, they need to keep that comeback win in mind.

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