5 reasons Washington makes the College Football Playoff

SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 04: Washington's (8) Dante Pettis (WR) pumps up receivers and running backs before the game between the Washington Huskies and the Oregon Ducks on November 04, 2017 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Jesse Beals/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images /

2. Senior leadership on offense

As mentioned above, one of the most challenging aspects of the Huskies 2018 season is the fact that they have several big games on the road. Home field advantage traditionally swings outcomes in college football more than any other sport/league. The one counter teams can have to playing in hostile road environments is experience.

Washington is as experienced as any team at key positions on offense as any team in the country. Quarterback Jake Browning will be a fourth-year starter in 2018. He has started 39 games coming into the season, thrown for over 9,000 yards and 78 touchdown passes.

At running back, Myles Gaskin has also been a starter for three straight seasons. He’s accumulated over 4,000 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns and is looking for a fourth 1,300-plus yard season in 2018.

Wide receiver Chico McClatcher is returning after missing most of last year. As a versatile weapon, he’ll big-play potential and reliability to the young corps of receivers. Along the offensive line, there will likely be three senior starters. Preseason All-American Trey Adams (6-feet-8, 316 pounds) is the leader up front at left tackle. Matt James (6-feet-5, 300 pounds) is competing for the starting job at right guard and Kaleb McGary (6-feet-8, 325) will anchor the other side of the line at right tackle.

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