2016 PAC-12 Championship: Colorado vs. Washington

“Tale Of The Tape”
 
Colorado:
The Buffs are averaging 34 points per game and are rushing for 201 yards per game along with passing for 268 yards per game through the air this season.
Quarterback Sefo Liufau has completed 64% of his passes for 2,150 yards with 11 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Liufau is a mobile quarterback that has great feet and has rushed for 483 yards averaging 3.3 yards per carry with 7 rushing touchdowns. He has shown a tendency to force balls into coverage and must be able to take with the Huskies defense gives him on underneath routes throughout the game.
The offensive line will be tested by a physical group of athletic Washington defenders and must be able to pick up blitz packages from the Huskies defensive scheme. Entering this game, the Buffs offensive line has allowed 27 sacks on the season (2.25 sacks per game).
Running back Phillip Lindsey leads the team with 1,136 yards averaging 5.3 yards per carry with 15 touchdowns and must be able to run between the tackles this coming Friday. This will allow the offense to control the time of possession and keep Washington quarterback Jake Browning on the sideline.
Colorado enters this game converting 45% of their third down conversions and must be able to stay in third and short situations which will take pressure off of the jumpers for sale offensive line. Over the past four games, Colorado has rushed for 171 yards per game which is 30 yards less than their season average.
Defensively, the Buffs are a very underrated group of defenders that has allowed 18 points per game. They are very solid in support giving up 135 rushing yards per game to opposing offenses and enter this yielding 187 passing yards per game. However, on the road or on a neutral field site, the defense has allowed 211 passing yards per game.
The Buffs have been very opportunistic in creating turnovers and are +10 in turnover margin. On the road the team is +9 this season.
Colorado has recorded 33 sacks and has held opposing offenses to 30% on their third down conversions. Only two teams this season have been able to completed more than 60% of their passes against the Buffs secondary- Oregon (66%) and USC (63%).
Over the last four games, Colorado has allowed 191 rushing yards per game against Arizona, Washington State and Utah which is 24 yards more than season average.
 
Washington:
The Huskies are averaging 44 points per game and are rushing for 205 yards per game along with passing for 279 yards per game.
Sophmore quarterback Jake Browning leads the offense and has completed 65% of his passes for 3,162 yards with 40 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Browning has shown great accuracy with his throws and has shown poise in locating receivers in the intermediate to deep passing game. He has progressed significantly from last year and is a confident quarterback entering this game with Colorado.
Washington will look to run the football early on to test the middle of the Buffaloes defense. Running back Myles Gaskin leads the team with 1,180 yards averaging 5.9 yards per carry with 10 touchdowns. Gaskin runs bigger than his frame and is not afraid of contact between the tackles.
The Huskies offensive line has allowed 19 sacks entering this game and must protect Browning to allow him to locate big play wide receivers John Ross and Dante Pettis. Both mechanical bull for sale players have combined for 121 receptions for 1,858 yards with 30 receiving touchdowns. They have the speed to take the top off of the Buffaloes defensive secondary and are smooth route runners that are not afraid to go over the middle of the field.
Washington has converted 49% of their third down offensive attempts in 2016.
Defensively, Washington is allowing 17 points per game and are very good at stopping the run giving up 127 yards per game to opposing offenses. The secondary has allowed 201 passing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks and will look to force Liufau into mistakes this Friday night.
The defensive front seven has recorded 36 total sacks and is +18 in turnover margin entering this game. They are a very fast defense that can run sideline to sideline and are very good at anticipating plays.
 
 
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