Here are three things to watch in tonight’s Arizona-Washington game at Arizona Stadium (7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks), plus a score prediction and some pertinent preview links:
1. CAN THEY DO IT AGAIN?
Quarterback Brandon Dawkins and tailback J.J. Taylor were terrific last week. The two had a hand in 539 of Arizona’s 582 yards against Hawaii. Assuming they’re the main characters in the backfield again, the big question is: Can they do it against a bigger, faster, stronger, better defense? The Wildcats are going from facing one of the worst defenses in FBS to one of the best. The Huskies have superior talent, and they’re well-coached by Chris Petersen and his staff. Nothing Dawkins or Taylor do will catch them by surprise. So let’s say Washington at least slows down Arizona’s two-pronged rushing attack. Will Dawkins be able to make plays with his arm against a defense full of NFL prospects? He definitely showed signs of progress in that area last week, regardless of the competition. Doing it against this defense would represent a significant step forward in Dawkins’ development. With a strong performance, the job is his.
2. PUTTING IT ON THE LINE
No one ever has accused Rich Rodriguez of being subtle. Several times this week he praised the size and ability of Washington’s defensive line. That’s another way of saying the Arizona offensive line has to step up. I would take it even further than that: The line needs to play its best game for Arizona to win. We’ve seen spurts of good play from that unit, and you could argue the line has gotten better each week. What’s interesting is that last week’s best performance to date came with a shuffled crew. Cody Creason and Christian Boettcher started in place of Gerhard de Beer and Freddie Tagaloa at right tackle and left guard, respectively. Boettcher later shifted to right guard. No offensive lineman appeared on this week’s injury report, so apparently all of them are healthy. Will de Beer and Tagaloa regain their starting spots? Will Arizona rotate up front? The latter wouldn’t be a bad idea against what might be the biggest defensive front the Wildcats face this season.
3. WHO WILL STEP UP ON D?
It didn’t get much attention during the week until the injury report came out Thursday. Linebacker DeAndre’ Miller (ankle) and nose tackle Parker Zellers (knee) got hurt in the second half against Hawaii. Both are out tonight. They won’t be easy to replace. Arizona doesn’t have another pass rusher of Miller’s caliber. The Wildcats are going to have to make up for his absence via committee and scheme. John Kenny subbed for Miller last week, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Paul Magloire Jr. shifted over there at times. Or if safety Tellas Jones, who should be back from his ankle injury, spent more time buzzing around the line of scrimmage. Whoever it is, and however it’s done, Arizona must make QB Jake Browning uncomfortable. He entered this weekend as the nation’s most efficient passer. It helps when you’re constantly playing from ahead and have a clean pocket. Marcel Yates hasn’t hesitated to take chances through three games. I’d expect him to throw everything he has at UW, no matter who’s available.
FINAL SCORE: Washington 34, Arizona 24
PREVIEW LINKS:
Can Arizona overcome talent gap vs. No. 9 Washington?
Greg Hansen: Too much shared blood for Cats, Dawgs to have bad blood
UA-UW Hot Sheet: On Taylor's balance, (not) dropping the ball, Yates' reunion
