Trice to Naysayers: 'No One Can Say We're Not the Best Team in Pac-12'
As winds buffeted Husky Stadium, almost making conversation inaudible at times, a soft-spoken Bralen Trice easily could have been drowned out when he met with media members following Tuesday's practice.
However, the highly decorated University of Washington edge rusher made sure he was heard loud and clear when addressing those people who suddenly were casting doubt on his unbeaten and fifth-ranked football team.
Following the Huskies' hard-pressed 15-7 victory over Arizona State on Saturday night, analysts on ESPN and even the Pac-12 Network were heard questioning whether Trice's team deserved its place in the conference pecking order — on top of the heap.
"I don't think anybody can say we're not the best team in the Pac-12," Trice said. "It's pretty evident right now that we are. You can't really take that away from us."
Bralen Trice and the Husky defense held Arizona State to a lone touchdown.
Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports
Those outside opinions were offered after the Pac-12's first-place UW (7-0 overall, 4-0 league) trailed most of the game against the last-place team (1-6, 0-4) and failed to score an offensive touchdown for the first time in the Kalen DeBoer era of instant point-making in Seattle.
"Obviously, there's going to be games where we deal with adversity and grind through to the end — that was one of those games," Trice said. "We just wanted to show that our defense could go out there and finish the game if our offense needs help."
Bralen Trice (8) celebrates a big play at Arizona with Ulumoo Ale (68) and Edefuan Ulofoshio (5).
Zachary BonDurant/USA TODAY Sports
In this case, the Huskies limited ASU to a lone touchdown and used an 89-yard interception return for a score by junior nickelback Mishael Powell with 8:11 left in the game to exert its will and take the lead for the first time and for good at 12-7.
Typically, nothing bothers Trice, a returning first-team, All-Pac-12 selection and a preseason All-America candidate, whenever he takes part in the weekly question-and-answer exchange, when the probing inquiries are fairly laidback. Yet he seemed a little annoyed that others would question the Huskies and who they are over style points.
"I don't think that anybody can really say that about our team because our guys work so hard to get where they're at," the Husky defender said. "We deserve to be here and we're just going to keep on going up and really grind through to the end."
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