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College football Week 1 schedule and predictions

By Nicholas Ian Allen

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Head Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide team take the field during the 2016 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome on December 31, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Head Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide team take the field during the 2016 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome on December 31, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 03: Quarterback Jake Browning (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 03: Quarterback Jake Browning (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

No. 8 Washington Huskies at Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Kickoff: Friday, Sept. 1, 8:00 p.m., FS1

Overshadowed by USC this offseason, the defending Pac-12 Conference champion Washington Huskies have an opportunity to make an statement Friday night against Rutgers.

Washington at Rutgers: Three Things to Watch

1. The Talent Gap

Rutgers was a Big Ten team in name only in 2016. The Scarlet Knights lost by an average of 30 points in conference play last season, and were also blasted by the Huskies 48-13 in Seattle.

The Scarlet Knights produced a steady stream of NFL talent under Greg Schiano and Kyle Flood, but the roster Chris Ash inherited prior to the 2016 season was paper-thin. Ash has made some strides, but the talent gap between Washington (which boasts eight of the Top 247 players in the country according to 247Sports) and Rutgers is still huge in 2017.2

2. Washington QB Jake Browning

Perhaps the most noticeable talent gap on the field is at quarterback. Louisville grad transfer Kyle Bolin should give the Scarlet Knights a boost offensively, but Washington QB Jake Browning is a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Browning threw for 3,430 yards and 43 touchdowns last season while leading the Huskies to the College Football Playoff. The junior lost his explosive leading receiver John Ross, but Dante Pettis and Chico McClatcher are also capable of making big plays, as is running back Myles Gaskin, who gained 1,373 rushing yards and scored 10 TDs a year ago.

3. Can Rutgers Score?

Bolin and new offensive coordinator Jerry Kill have a tough task ahead of them going up against the likes of Azeem Victor, Vita Vea, Jojo McIntosh and what could be one of the best defenses in the nation. Last season, Rutgers ranked dead last in the Big Ten in total offense (283.2 total yards per game), passing offense (138.3 passing yards per game) and scoring offense (15.7 points per game). Washington led the Pac-10 in all three categories defensively and ranked among the top 15 nationally in each.

Prediction:

We should never underestimate the difficulty of travelling the length of the continental United States to play a football game, which is why it shouldn’t be a shock if Washington looks sluggish early. However, by halftime, the Huskies should be in control.

Washington 42, Rutgers 10

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