Washington Huskies come up short 31-26 against Stanford – 6 Takeaways
5. Running game disappeared
The Washington Huskies feature a massive offensive line and four good running backs. Yet after two possessions, UW backs had five carries for 12 yards. The only “runner” making any headway was Morris, who had three rushes for 22 yards.
It wasn’t until the 6:28 mark of the second half, with Stanford defending an 18-point lead, that a Washington running back had a gain of over five yards. For the game, Huskies running backs carried 25 times for 91 yards.
6. un-Special Teams
Last week, Stanford’s game ended when the Cardinal blocked a game-tying extra point with no time on the clock. One would think the Huskies might be ready, but they still had an extra point blocked.
It wasn’t just the field goal unit. Washington’s kick coverage left much to be desired. After kickoffs, Stanford started at their own 35, 36, 31, 30, and 43-yard line. Their final drive started at the 12 because the Cardinal was called for a holding penalty. Even with the penalty, Stanford’s average starting position was the 31-yard line.
Extra point blocked, because that's just the kind of game it's been for UW.
Stanford 31, UW 16 with 2:33 left in the third.
— Lauren Kirschman (@laurenkirschman) December 5, 2020
The Washington Huskies caught one break yesterday. Oregon was upset 21-17 by Cal. The winner of next week’s UO-UW showdown next Saturday takes the Pac-12 North Division. Let’s go, Dawgs!