ASU Football: Washington Players to Watch

Torn and distraught over their 26-13 defeat to the USC Trojans, the once undefeated No. 6 Washington Huskies (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) look to rejuvenate their playoff chances this Saturday night against Arizona State (5-5, 2-5).

All 72,362 fans (2,279 over capacity) in attendance for the USC game should be back for the show Washington will put forth at Husky Stadium.

The Huskies were held 35 points below their season average (48.3) and totaled just over 200 fewer total yards than their season average (477.1) against USC, but Washington is a clear 27-point favorite against the Maroon and Gold.

They will come in angry and hungry to dominate in a game they are predicted a 94 percent chance at winning.

Players to Watch

QB Jake Browning 6-foot-2, 209 pounds

The sophomore that stands in deeply in the Heisman race is coming off easily his worst performance of the season. Browning threw his first multi-interception game of the season and was sacked three times carrying the ball for minus-36 yards against the Trojans.

What he did prior to the game though, was considered video game-like statistics. His 34 touchdowns and three interceptions in the first 10 weeks of football is what led Washington to a perfect 9-0. In high school, the sophomore set a national prep record with 220 career touchdown passes.

Browning and his talented receiving core have torn apart nearly every opponent’s secondary and pose a huge threat to ASU’s pass defense which still ranks 128^th and last in the nation.

WR/KR John Ross 5-foot-11, 190 pounds

Rewind back to 2015 when Arizona State beat Washington 27-17 on its home turf to bump the Huskies down to 4-6 on the season and 2-5 in Pac-12 play. Junior John Ross was nowhere to be found on the field.

This season, back from a knee injury, he has evolved into the most elite receiver in the conference. He leads the Pac-12 in points scored with 102 on 17 touchdowns and has returned kicks for an average of 28.6 yards. Ross is fast. Watch out for him because he might just do this.

DB Budda Baker 5-foot-10, 180 pounds

Not only can this junior defensive back lockdown top-notch wide receivers, he can be proficient tackling up front. Baker’s two tackles for loss last game added to his five on the season and 47 tackles total.

He was named a Midseason All-American by ESPN and is key part of a pass defense that ranks second-best in the Pac-12, holding opposing quarterbacks under 200 yards per game.

DT Vita Vea 6-foot-5, 332 pounds

As a sophomore, Vea has already earned interest from NFL teams, ranking as the second-best defensive tackle in the nation in his class by nfldraftscout.com.

Just by his size, he poses a threat on the sideline weighing more than an ASU player or Washington teammate. Vea, who’s accumulated three and a half sacks and a forced fumble, will be all after sophomore Manny Wilkins and the Sun Devils’ run game.