Colorado-Washington set for Pac-12 title showdown: Four things to know
The Buffs completed its transformation and will play Washington for the Pac-12 title
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2 min read
The Pac-12 Championship Game has been set and it will be Washington, a realistic playoff hopeful, vs. Colorado, one of the best turnaround stories in college football.
Washington wrapped up the Pac-12 North in a 45-17 rout over Washington State in the Apple Cup while Colorado locked up the South in a 27-22 win over Utah. The Buffaloes have been a doormat for the past decade and never finished above last place in the South until this year. That's quite the turnaround.
The Pac-12 title won't be a rematch between the Huskies and USC, but this game should be every bit as fun. This is a game featuring excellent quarterback play, excellent skill players and stiff, physical defenses. With the game set, here's what you should know...
1. Washington shouldn't (and won't) look past the Buffs: On one hand, Washington could breathe a sigh of relief that it doesn't have to face USC again. The Trojans have three losses and are out of the playoff race, but there aren't many teams playing better at the moment than them. Still, this is not a matchup Washington should take lightly. Knowing Huskies coach Chris Petersen, it won't. Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre didn't turn a corner in 2016 because he was lucky. This is a complete football team on both sides of the ball worthy of its 10-win record.
2. Colorado got to this point much the same way Washington did: It took a longer time and the rebuild was far greater in Boulder, but Colorado's path to the Pac-12 Championship Game isn't too dissimilar from Washington's path under Petersen. Like Washington with Jake Browning, this is a Colorado team that features great quarterback play from Sefo Liufau, who has hurt teams with arm and legs. The senior dropped some beautiful dimes against the Utes, despite some red zone woes to start. The Buffaloes also regularly receive great play from their secondary which, like Washington, is fast, physical and disruptive. Defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt has done an outstanding job. Speaking of which...
3. Colorado could have a national Coach of the Year and Broyles Award winner: Colorado got to this point because it has good players, but MacIntyre and Leavitt have done a phenomenal job. The Buffs lead the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed per attempt and had more interceptions than passing touchdowns allowed heading into Saturday. There were some lean years when MacIntyre took over and the transformation didn't happen overnight, but credit Colorado for seeing it through with its coach, and the dividends have paid off. Leavitt might win the Broyles award and MacIntyre is sure to bring home a national Coach of the Year award somewhere.
4. This eliminates any chatter of USC and the playoff: There was a trendy topic developing that USC could sneak into the playoff under the right situation. ESPN's College Football Playoff show spent a substantial time exploring this possibility last week and it caught some traction. No more. The Trojans are 9-3 and scary, but without a conference or divisional title, there's no way they sniff the playoff conversation. There's something to be said for a team playing its best football now, but we can't ignore the early losses to Alabama, Stanford and Utah, either.
