Show notes
The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds, Chris Fetters, and Scott Eklund - got up bright and early this morning to offer their thoughts on the highly-anticipated matchup today between No. 5 Washington and No. 11 Oregon State. And we couldn't start a show featuring the Beavers without a chainsaw, just to give UW fans a taste of what they're going to be hearing all game long.
There's a lot of history in play today. It's not just the first time the two teams have played each other ranked in the AP top-10, but it's also the last Pac-12 home game for OSU and probably the last game played between the Huskies and Beavers for some time because of Washington's move to the Big Ten starting next season.
Will Oregon and Oregon State keep playing, or will their rivalry go by the wayside in the same way it's looking like the Apple Cup will? Or will there be a way to keep both rivalries going?
The talk then turns to the College Football Playoff, the perceived snub of Washington not being in the top-4 as Florida State is preferred for the final playoff spot as things stand today. There is still a lot of games to be played and Washington still holds their destiny in their hands. But could a scenario exists where a 1-loss Pac-12 team doesn't make the playoff?
And based on what the 12-game playoff format looks like starting next season, could it entice a coach like UW OC Ryan Grubb to look at maybe jumping to a head coaching opportunity at a place like Boise State or San Diego State? And could those schools pay what a coach like Grubb would require, considering he's making more as a coordinator now at UW than he would as a head coach at those schools? And are there other Washington assistant coaches that could get caught up in the coaching carousel?
Kim, Chris, and Scott also got a chance to talk to a number of Washington coaches and players this week. And it's become a bit of news when Michael Penix Jr. admitted to ESPN's Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit that the players have been paying attention to the fact that Oregon State is favored to win the game. Receivers Coach JaMarcus Shephard echoed the sentiment, saying he hopes everyone continues to discredit the Huskies. Apparently the same thing happened leading up to the game at Michigan State, and we all saw what happened then. Will all that really create a chip on the shoulder that actually makes a difference in today's game?
After a quick break to pay some bills, the guys return to discuss the game matchup, starting with Oregon State's offense versus Washington's defense. Do the Huskies have what it takes to slow down a potent Beavers run game? How much will the inclusion of Tuli Letuligasenoa matter when it comes to winning the battle at the line of scrimmage?
And then looking at the other matchup - Washington's offense versus Oregon State's defense - can Washington dictate terms with Penix running the show? How much will the atmosphere and electricity favoring the home team impact the ability of the Huskies to communicate and move the ball? And can Dillon Johnson continue to provide enough run game to keep the Oregon State defense honest?
To finish up the show, the guys all give their final thoughts, as both Kim and Scott have predicted a Washington win, while Chris believes the home team will have enough to pull off a huge win to keep their Pac-12 Championship Game hopes alive.
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