GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Washington State matches its top-rated offense in the conference (482.3 yards per game) against a Washington defense that has been traditionally strong and is No. 2 in the conference, allowing only 318.0 yards per game. The Huskies’ pass defense will be put to the test by the nation’s top passer, Washington State QB Gardner Minshew II (393.2 yards a game). Washington is equipped to handle that task, ranking No. 2 in the conference in pass defense, allowing only 192.8 yards per game.
DRAFT SLANT
–QB Gardner Minshew II, a graduate transfer from East Carolina, has emerged this season from nowhere to be a Heisman Trophy candidate and an NFL prospect. Minshew, 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, leads the nation with 393.2 passing yards per game while completing 70.4 percent of his passes (407 of 578) with 36 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
ROSTER REPORT:
–DE Nnamdi Oguayo has seen limited duty since suffering an undisclosed injury last month. He has recorded only two tackles in the last two games against Colorado and Arizona.
–LB Derek Moore is out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury. He is questionable to return against Washington this week.
–CB Sean Harper Jr., who started the first six games of the season, was held out of the game the last five weeks because of an undisclosed lower-body injury. How long Harper will be out is uncertain.