Pac-12 Championship Game: 5 reasons Colorado beats Washington
By Brad Weiss
3. The Huskies have not played on grass
The playing surface at Levi’s Stadium is one of the worst in the NFL. Since the stadium opened, the grass has had to be replaced numerous times, and it has even caused coaches to pull their teams off the field at times. The Pac-12 Championship Game is going to be played at this venue, and for the Colorado Buffaloes, it will actually be an advantage thanks to the fact that the Washington Huskies have not played on grass this season.
A playing surface can hinder what a team likes to do, and in the Huskies case, it may play a factor in the passing game. Wide receivers John Ross and Dante Pettis are used to playing on nice artificial turf, which can help a receiver make cleaner cuts. While the weather is supposed to be dry on Friday night, it is going to be in the 40s, which means the unpredictable Levi’s Stadium grass could absolutely play a factor.
Colorado likes to run everything through their quarterback, who has been playing on grass his entire career. While Folsom Field is not Levi’s Stadium, the ability to play 12 games on the same kind of surface is an advantage in itself. Washington is going to have to get used to running their plays on a foreign surface, and it could take a couple possessions before the receivers are able to judge their cuts the right way.
The Buffaloes are going to have to play flawless football on Friday if they want to pull out the victory, and they could use the Huskies getting off to a slow start due to the playing surface. Obviously, the talented skill players on the Huskies offense are going to make an adjustment, and it will be up to Colorado to get out to a lead before they can do so. Sometimes something like going from turf to grass can be just enough to disrupt a team who is playing for a shot at the College Football Playoff.