For the upcoming season I still like Washington more than I like USC. I never said USC was bad, so do not comment and complain. I simply think that Chris Petersen is a better coach than Clay Helton. I believe that Sam Darnold can take USC a long way, but I can see Petersen doing a better coaching job during the course of the season.
Washington is a bit more developed as a program because Petersen has been there a bit longer, and he has a ton of experience that Helton does not have. Please remember that Christ Petersen won a million games at Boise State before he even thought of going to Washington, ands we never thought he would leave Boise.
Petersen is clever
I must remind you of something very important. Boise State beat Oklahoma in a BCS bowl game on the Statue Of Liberty play. That is impossible in the modern era. The Statue of Liberty play is what you see Pluto and Mickey trying to run in a cartoon. It is not something that is actually supposed to work against a team with 85 guys with scholarships. Petersen was so good that he made a team with a blue turf field into a relevant name in college football. That is nearly impossible to do. His track record speaks for itself.
The team is more seasoned
I am more apt to believe that Washington has the experience on the team needed to get past USC in the PAC 10 title game. I know that they have not gotten there yet, but I am anticipating that matchup.
The only way for these two teams to not meet in those games is sloppy play. There are plenty of places where these two programs could screw up, but I still believe they are the class of the PAC 10.
What about Oregon, Stanford, and UCLA?
They are not as good as Washington and USC. However, that will not stop them from beating Washington or USC in their rivalry games.
Washington and Oregon is a serious matchup, and UCLA hates USC. I can see both of these teams dropping a game during the season, but they will not lose their division in the process. There in lies the difference between Washington, USC, and everyone else. They would enter the title game with one loss, but the others will lose multiple times.
This is their conference to win, and it would be shocking if they did not play for the crown.
Washington moves on
I still expect to see Washington in the College Football Playoff. Why? Because they are good enough to garner the attention that is required. SEC, Big 10, ACC, and PAC 10. There is your final four for this season.
