Boise State’s reign of terror over the Pac-12 has come to a resounding end.
Washington got 324 passing yards from Keith Price and 161 rushing yards from Bishop Sankey as the Huskies dominated the No. 19 Broncos, 38-6, before a jacked-up crowd in the newly-renovated Husky Stadium.
The victory snapped BSU’s five-game win streak over Pac-12 teams that dated back to 2007, when the Huskies beat the Broncos, 24-10. It was easily the worst loss of the Chris Petersen era at Boise and the program’s largest margin of defeat since Georgia pounded BSU, 48-13, in the 2005 opener.
Big credit to the Huskies for looking sharp and well-prepared. For the first time in a while, Washington displayed the kind of speed and athleticism needed to dominate a quality opponent. The Huskies piled up 592 yards of total offense and limited the usually-proficient Broncos offense to just 346 total yards. UW was strongest in the second half, outscoring BSU, 28-3.
For the first time in a while, Boise State looked overmatched against a Pac-12 team. The Broncos passing game was anemic, netting just 175 yards on 46 attempts. The run game wasn’t much better, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. The defense couldn’t keep up with the quick Husky receivers and often found itself confounded by Washington’s multiple, up-tempo scheme.
In other words, the Broncos looked a lot like Washington circa four years ago. Could this loss signal the end of Boise State’s dominant run as the preeminent non-BCS power? Will this Broncos squad be able to turn it around in time to stretch Petersen’s streak of 10-win seasons to eight? Based on how BSU played against Washington, it might not happen.
Bigger questions remain for Washington. Does this win indicate that Steve Sarkisian‘s program is finally ready to break out from its 7-6 gulag of the past three seasons? Will it finally reclaim its traditional place among the powers of the Pac-12 North?
Based on how Washington looked against Boise, it could happen.
