Q&A with TheDawgReport.com

1. Washington is the talk of the Pac-12 with how well they've been playing this year. Washington ending up in the College Football Playoff a reasonable expectation right now?

Yes, the College Football Playoffs is definitely attainable for Washington due to the Pac-12 being down across the board outside of Washington State. That is now the only legitimate game on their schedule that is a road block for UW to run the table and make it to the CFP. Don't expect Washington to slip up again and overlook Oregon State or any other opponent, given what happened on the road against Arizona. UW learned its lesson vs UA and haven't looked back since.

2. The Huskies have destroyed every team that they've faced this year, except for Arizona. Washington won 35-28. What did Arizona do in that game to keep it close?

Arizona went up tempo from the beginning, and it didn't hurt the game was in Tucson with the temperature around 70 degrees. Washington is an athletic, deep and hard hitting defense but if you can use tempo and get results - the obvious key - and get results early both in the first and second quarter, and more importantly on first and second down.

Washington is allowing just 38 percent of third-down attempts on defense which is good for 19th in the country. The other key stat is Washington doesn't allow big plays. They're 8th in the FBS in plays of 10-plus yards along with Ohio State, allowing just 62. UW is No. 2 in plays of 20-plus yards behind just Michigan. Arizona was able to get the big play, mainly through Brandon Dawkins' legs, and that's something UW has improved on is containing he quarterback from breaking for a long-gain on the ground.

3. Who are the top performers on offense and defense that Beaver fans need to know about?

Chico McClatcher will return this weekend and rejoin John Ross as the two main big-play threats both in the passing game and in the screen game or through trick plays. Browning has used the play-action pass to find Ross deep often this season and use Dante Pettis, and any of the four tight ends in the short to intermediate pass game.

Defensively, Joe Mathis has really made the BUCK spot his own this season leading the defense with five sacks and tied for second in tackles for loss with Greg Gaines at 7.5. Mathis is one player that always has to be taken into account for an opposing offense and then cornerback Sidney Jones is the other. Jones has been able to take away almost an entire half of the field, almost Richard Sherman-esq, and that takes away a lot of an opponents pass game. If OSU can contain Mathis and find ways to get receivers open and not blanketed by Jones and Co., there's a slight chance.

4. Are there any injuries to players at key positions heading into the game?

Not at this point. Both McClatcher and right guard Shane Brostek are expected to be back this weekend and those are the only two players who have been questionable the past two weeks. McClatcher could have started vs Oregon but Washington didn't want to take a chance and risk further injury.

5. Washington is listed as a 31 point favorite. Do you think the Huskies cover that spread? What is your score prediction?

I believe the spread grew up to 34 shortly after and I believe Washington will again cover an enormous point spread. I don't see OSU getting better from last season, when UW walked out of Reser Stadium with a 52-7 victory, and Washington has gotten insurmountably better since then. It's at home. I don't see this game ending remotely well for OSU.

Oregon State 10, Washington 52