The Alabama Crimson Tide generally looked unbeatable this season. They’ve dominated the opposition nearly every game and looked to be in a different league than the rest of the college football landscape. The Washington Huskies will be their next challenger in the Peach Bowl, looking to surprise the nation and do something nobody else could, but the odds are stacked against Chris Petersen’s team who’ll need to do better in the air than they did in their Pac-12 win over Colorado in their last game.
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Peach Bowl Odds at BookMaker.eu
Alabama -15
Washington +15
Over/Under 54
When Washington Has the Ball…
Without much of a debate, it’s pretty clear that Jake Browning is the most important player on the gridiron for the Huskies and, arguably, on either side.
Browning is a talented quarterback with a diverse skill set that could challenge what is an elite Tide defense. If the Huskies have any shot an upset—or even covering the spread—they’ll need a big game from Browning. He’s been hit or miss and when he’s off, Washington has been able to compensate by leaning heavily on their running attack. That running game will not be able to dominant Alabama as it did its Pac-12 foes.
Browning completed just 37.5-percent of his passes in the Pac-12 title game and just 47.2-percent last month against USC. That will not cut it against Alabama. He’ll need to play more like he’s done the rest of the year when he’s completed 63.2-percent of his passes and thrown for 3,280 yards and 42 scores. While the accuracy has been an issue against some of the better defenses, interceptions haven’t plagued Browning. He’s allowed just seven.
As for the running game, that’s on Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman. Gaskin is the lead back, but Coleman could be the difference maker as a very strong number two and change of pace option. The two have 1,339 and 836 yards respectively with 17 combined rushing scores.
If either Gaskin or Coleman are able to do anything, they’ll have to beat a terrific front seven headed by Jonathan Allen.
Allen is a possible No. 1 pick and the unit as a whole can stop even the best and deepest of backfields behind the line.
When Alabama Has the Ball…
While the Tide have the best defense in the sport and are just giving up 11.8 PPG, it’s easy to overlook the offense, chalking up their unparalleled success to their defensive dominance, but the truth is, the offense is elite, too.
This is a team that’s outscoring the opposition by 28.7 points per game. They’re racking up 471.3 yards per game and have don’t that with a solid passing attack and a top-tier running game.
Keep an eye on Jalen Hurts both in the air and on the ground, but his ability to run with the ball is probably his strongest attribute as he’s been prone to turnovers. That’s his sole weakness and the one thing the Washington defense may be able to capitalize on to keep this game within striking distance.
Hurts’ undoubtedly has worked on the passing game over the last month and whether or not he took a step forward could be the difference in him being the focal point of the game or being just a cog in the wheel. Even if it’s the later, this team can still win. After all, Hurt looked like a freshman on against the Gators and while he’s got elite level talent and amazing skills, he’s still rather raw, particularly for a team as strong as Alabama.
The X Factor
Not that Alabama needs any more advantages, but with linebacker Azeem Victor out of the picture for Washington, O.J. Howard could have a big game at the tight end position for the Tide.
The Huskies will have to turn to freshman D.J. Beavers. He’s played in just three games and he’s going to have some coverage issues which Howard could exploit. The mismatch for Howard could also help out Hurt, giving him a nice short pass option at times.
On the other side, Washington’s offensive line could be the X-Factor, too. The line will need to find answers for Allen and Reuben Foster. This is the best front seven not only in the SEC, but in all of college football. It’s also probably the best line we’ve seen in the last few years. Browning struggled against the USC Trojans and while they have a good defensive front, they’re not close to Alabama’s level.
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