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Pac-12 Championship Game 2016: 5 most important players

By Nathaniel Reeves

Sep 24, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Budda Baker (32) warms up before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Budda Baker (32) warms up before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /
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Look for these five players to make the difference in Friday night’s Pac-12 Championship Game between the No. 4 Washington Huskies and No. 8 Colorado Buffaloes.

Levi’s Stadium will be home to one of the most intriguing matchups of championship weekend, as the No. 4 Washington Huskies will meet the No. 8 Colorado Buffaloes in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday with a potential playoff berth on the line.

Many pegged Washington as a rising power that was perhaps a year away from serious contention, but Chris Petersen’s team shattered those expectations with an 11-1 record in the regular season. The Huskies became the first team other than Stanford or Oregon to win the Pac-12 North, and should be in the College Football Playoff with a victory on Friday.

While the Huskies were a slight surprise, Pac-12 South champion Colorado was the biggest shock of the 2016 regular season with a record of 10-2. Mike MacIntyre has done a terrific job with a team that was 2-10 just two years ago, and the Buffaloes are likely headed to the Rose Bowl if they can upset Washington.

Both teams have found success behind stingy defenses that rank among the nation’s leaders in points allowed per game. The Huskies have the advantage on the other side of the ball with Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year Jake Browning leading the way, but Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau has also been terrific at times in 2016.

Beyond the two quarterbacks, look for these five players to make the biggest difference on Friday night.

5. Trey Adams, OT, Washington 

Washington’s only loss of the season came at home back on Nov. 12 to the USC Trojans. USC pushed the Huskies around in the trenches, and the constant pressure caused Browning to have his only bad game of the year with a 47.2 completion percentage and two interceptions.

Adams, a mammoth 6’8″ sophomore who has started every game at left tackle this season, will be in charge of making sure that doesn’t happen again on Friday. Colorado has a physical defense loaded with playmakers under coordinator Jim Leavitt, and pass rushers like Jordan Carrell or Jimmie Gilbert could cause some problems for Browning.

Apart from the USC game, the Washington offensive line has been a surprise strength of the team. Washington has used largely the same starting lineup all year, which features a mix of size at the tackle spots and experience on the interior.

The unit looked much better against Arizona State’s blitz-heavy defense and Washington State’s undersized yet speedy pass rush. However, Colorado is a much tougher challenge, so Adams and company will need to play their best game of the year.

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