College football鈥檚 top 5 matchups of Week 12
1. No. 5 Washington vs. No. 11 Oregon State – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Washington and Oregon State will renew a longtime rivalry this weekend that dates back to 1897, and this will be one of the biggest matchups ever between the two programs. Washington has historically dominated the series, winning 68 of the 107 games played. That鈥檚 thanks in large part to a dominant stretch from 1975-2000 where Washington won 23 of 24 games. The Huskies have also won 10 of the last 11 in the series, with the Beavers鈥� lone win in that stretch coming in 2021.
Washington will again likely come into this matchup expected to win, but playing in Corvallis will be a tough test. The Huskies are a perfect 10-0 and are in the driver’s seat for a Pac-12 championship and College Football Playoff berth. Washington features a prolific offense that leads the nation in passing thanks to Michael Penix Jr. who has made a Heisman case with 3,533 yards and 28 touchdowns this season, while wideout Rome Odunze has also been tremendous with 1,100 receiving yards. Washington has survived a couple of tests in recent weeks against USC and Utah, but Saturday night could be the biggest one yet.
Oregon State has surprised many by going 8-2 so far in 2023, losing only to what was a ranked Washington State team in September, and a surging Arizona squad in late October. The Beavers have impressed with nice wins over UCLA and Utah, but their season may ultimately be judged by this matchup, and a contest at Oregon next week. Oregon State can score in its own right, putting up nearly 38 points per game, and has a top-20 total offense in the nation. That鈥檚 thanks in large part to 1,000-yard rusher Damien Martinez and transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who might be able to match Penix Jr. and the Huskies to give the Beavers an upset chance on Saturday.
