Washington Huskies Football: The Fate

Washington Football: The Fate

As of this very moment, there are two teams in Division I that have donuts in the wins column. One is North Texas at 0-6, the other is Washington at 0-5. And yet, even with that mark, they STILL have a chance at making it to post season…

Hey, stop LAUGHING!

I’m serious!

Theoretically speaking, Washington still has a chance to make it to a bowl, or to at least win 6 games. I realize that is only wishful thinking, but right now the focus of thinking with this school and team has to be based on much lower expectations. Right now, they have to wonder, will they have their coach after this season?

But let’s look at some factors here, based on a smaller steps that Washington has to embrace first. I mean, the National Championship is gone, and unless the world turns upside down, the Pac-10 Championship is out the window too. So what’s there left to play for?

Well, to look at this, let’s look at the season the Huskies have had thus far:

Starting the season with a conference game MIGHT not have been the wisest thing to do because there is no tune up, so the Oregon game was a bad decision. With every game being so important, and no conference championship, playing any conference foe would have been a mistake, let alone a ranked one. So losing 44-10 was not a good sign.

Then there’s the BYU game…

Any idiot could say that at 0-5 Washington was probably not going to win anyway, but that is silly to imply. Who’s to say that a win against a quality team might have given Washington some energy and confidence? That was a very close and controversial game, and losing 28-27, and to a second ranked team hurt Washington pretty bad.

So did the 33-14 thrashing by #3 Oklahoma…

And the embarrassing loss to Stanford 35-28.

It’s about this time that a team, regardless of how bad they are, has to “man up” and start playing for pride. You don’t wait until you’re 0-8 or 0-9 and start fearing going winless. Sure, you can blame Tyrone Willingham, but you better not stop there. Players have to accept responsibility too.

It’s like Clemson, who recently lost their head coach. The top brass of the university might like to blame it on the coach, and even some of the players seem to be doing the same, but tell me this…how many snaps did the head coach take so far this season? How many interceptions or fumbles did he make? How many sacks did he allow, or dropped passes? I understand that a coach is always the scape goat in college football, and stupid rich alumni with big wallets call the shots to the Athletic Directors, but let’s not forget that players make the team too.

So Washington now has a problem, not winning a game after losing to Stanford. At least they were within a possession of tying it. But what explains the loss to Arizona? Losing 48-14 could be a back-breaker to a team desperate to get at least 1 win. I mean, at least last year they were 4-9, beating Syracuse, Boise State, Stanford and California.

So now Washington has to find their heart, and fast. Nobody wants to end up 0-11 or 0-12, but right now, there are only two teams left to take that very disappointing merit. Washington has to win a few games to salvage, but can they?

Their next game is against Oregon State, a team that is 3-3 and has proven that they can beat the elite and lose to the cellar teams. If ever there was a case to make a statement, and while AT home, this is it. But Oregon State has seen the big foes, playing USC, Utah and Penn State. You’re not going to intimate them…but you still need to win.

Another home game brings in Notre Dame, a team that just got kicked out of Chapel Hill and looks to Washington for a sweet, creamy cup cake win. Notre Dame can say whatever they want, but they are coming in expecting an easy win. If Washington believes that, they have already lost the game…and the season. There needs to be a serious gut-check for the Huskies while at home to take care of some business. For Heaven’s sake, you’re one of the BCS power conferences, you can’t go out with a zero in your win column!

USC expects you to come see them in their back yard with your tails between your legs, and they’d like to see that because they need every win they can get to jump back in the National Championship hunt. Washington would be an easy neck to step on, if you allow that. Now granted, I am not giving Washington much of a chance to win either, but who thought Oregon State was gonna win that game (ok, some did…)

After that, Washington has two final home stands, against Arizona State and UCLA. A 2-4 team (at this time) could be the win you really need to pick the entire university up. See, by now the players at Washington have to realize that they play with the hopes of all those fellow students and fans in the stands. I don’t care about the rich alumni and how they so terribly make this sport into the “good ole boy network”, but I do believe that a college football team has to realize that their legacy is tied in what they do today, and whether they choose to give up, or play on.

UCLA is another team hurting (although my sentimental fav because I used to live in LA and my high school mascot name AND colors were that of the Bruins), and this is a chance for Washington to steal a win…or earn one. I know it might look hopeless now for the Huskies, but there ARE some chances for Washington to win a few games before this season ends. There IS hope.

And then there is the state rival…SURELY the Washington Huskies can get up for this one. We know that when it comes to state rivals, you throw records out the window. Neither Washington or Washington State have shown to be the top of the conference, so let’s call it even on this game, even though you are playing away. Can you “man up” and take this win?

Can you?

Finally, you end your season against currently ranked California. Make no mistake, this is a good team…but you beat them last year, didn’t you? If I remember, the score was 37-23, so you CAN do this. In the best case scenario, this could be your 7th win and a world-changing season…but in reality it may not be that way.

It is going to take everything Washington has to match the number of wins they got last year…but I think it can be done. There are some games they can win at home, and I am willing to bet there are teams that ASSUME that they can walk all over the Huskies.

It’s about pride Huskies, when you have lost any hope to the National Championship, and any hopes to the Pac-10 Championship, and the odds are heavy against you to even qualify for a bowl, can you at LEAST get that egg off the wins column?

It starts there. Then it continues with another win, and another until you can at least match your record from last year. If you can reach that goal, and if there is time, you shoot to pass it.

7 games remain for the Washington Huskies this year…almost no chance for an 8th game…but seven chances for those players to prove themselves.

We’ll see what the Washington Huskies are made of.