Illinois v Washington
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A pair of Pacific Northwest foes will meet in postseason play Saturday when Washington and Boise State duel in the LA Bowl. Despite their close proximity in bordering states, it is just the seventh all-time meeting between the programs, and it marks their third bowl game matchup. A 10-win season is on the line for the Broncos, who also seek the first win over a Big Ten program in their storied history. The Huskies, meanwhile, could end the second year of the Jedd Fisch era with a ninth win and build momentum towards what should be a highly anticipated Year 3.

Boise State fell short of its quest for a repeat College Football Playoff berth, but it did secure a spot in the LA Bowl by way of winning the Mountain West Championship Game. The Broncos became the first team to ever win the conference three years in a row, and their seventh title is the most in league history. They closed their Mountain West membership on top and will join the new-look Pac-12 next season.

Washington was a CFP hopeful, as well, but had its chances dashed when it lost to rival Oregon in the regular-season finale. It is more than a touchdown favorite, per FanDuel, to bounce back with a victory in bowl season.

Washington vs. Boise State: Need to know

Three-headed monster: Boise State this season faced the impossible task of replacing Ashton Jeanty. Instead of putting the onus on one player, it nearly matched the former Heisman Trophy finalist's 2024 production with three prolific running backs. Dylan Riley, Sire Gaines and Malik Sherrod each racked up at least 400 rushing yards and six total touchdowns and modernized the Broncos' backfield as reliable receivers, as well. That trio combined for 2,752 yards from scrimmage in the regular season and conference championship game.

Coleman does it all: Washington features a versatile running back of its own. Jonah Coleman, a CBS Sports Midseason All-American, scored a Big Ten-best 16 total touchdowns across 11 games in what has been the best campaign of his career. A knee injury limited him for all of November, but if he is closer to full strength for the LA Bowl, the senior is a sure bet to handle 15-20 touches and to find the end zone at least once.

MVP Madsen: Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen missed three games and nearly all of a fourth with a lower leg injury but returned in grand fashion for the Mountain West title game. The second-year starter passed for three touchdowns and ran for another in one of his most productive games of the season and earned the conference championship game MVP award for his efforts. He should be in the lineup again on Saturday.

Husky defense flexes down the stretch: Washington boasts the more consistent defense of the two in this matchup, and it closed the regular season on a hot streak. While they did surrender 26 points to Oregon in the finale, none of the Huskies' three prior opponents put more than 14 points on the scoreboard. And not a single team this season -- yes, that includes Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan and Oregon -- notched more than three touchdowns in a game against the nation's No. 22 scoring defense.

Where to watch Washington vs. Boise State live

Date: Saturday, Dec. 13 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: SoFi Stadium -- Inglewood, California
TV: ABC | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)

Washington vs. Boise State prediction, pick

The Mountain West is 3-1 straight-up in the LA Bowl, and Boise State is catching 9.5 points. Conventional wisdom says to take the Broncos against the spread. This is not, however, the same caliber of Boise State team that made the CFP a year ago. The Broncos scored just seven total points in four different games this season, including in their lone matchup with a Power Four team (a 28-7 loss to Notre Dame). Washington, on the other hand, made light work of all of its non-Big Ten opponents and scored at least 38 points in the process. The star trio of Demond Willliams Jr., Denzel Boston and Coleman should lead the Huskies to a win by double digits. Pick: Washington -9.5