College Football Playoff: How a 16-team bracket would play out

8. UCF Knights vs. 9. Washington Huskies

The Washington Huskies have certainly turned the Pac-12 on its head a bit this season. In many recent years, the conference has largely been known for high-scoring offenses and shooutouts, much akin to the Big 12 brand of football that we see. However, Washington reversed that without warning this season, winning with hard-nosed defense and an offense that, though quality, isn’t explosive. Hence how they won the conference title game by a meager score of 10-3 over Utah.

Interestingly enough, this 16-team College Football Playoff bracket puts that Washington defense up against the explosive offense of the UCF Knights. Of course, the Knights would come into this game having won 25-straight games, even capturing the AAC Championship Game over Memphis with quarterback McKenzie Milton out for the rest of the year with a gruesome and horrific knee injury.

In Milton’s absence, Darrell Mack Jr. stepped in and, though he struggled early, he came through down the stretch with a monster performance that led the Knights to the win. Thus, even with the backup quarterback in the fold, it would be an explosive UCF offense trying to topple this stout Washington defense.

This one would certainly end up as a lower-scoring affair than the Knights have been accustomed to over their winning streak as they aren’t going to blow out the Huskies. Furthermore, the inexperience of Mack would have to be a factor against a defense of this caliber. In fact, it would be the deciding factor. Though the Knights would keep it close, their winning streak would come to an end as Washington’s defense led the way to victory.

Prediction: UCF 17, Washington 21