The Washington Huskies and the Baylor Bears are headed to San Antonio on curious trajectories. UW had a great start to their season, only to see it go all up in smoke down the stretch--thanks to good fortune among the top Pac-12 teams (and sanctions for another), they end up in the Alamo, the best of the non-conference matchups overall.
Still, this situation could be as much a blessing as it is a curse, because UW now has to turn around and face a Baylor team that couldn't be playing any better. Baylor beat Oklahoma and Texas, something that happens probably once every turn of Halley's Comet. Robert Griffin III has had a spectacular season. It's hard to think of a more appropriate send-off for the Heisman Trophy finalist than providing what could be a 60 minute firework exhibition against one of the most paper-thin defenses in the Pac-12.
Not to say that Washington won't have their way either. They have a quarterback and plenty of playmakers and perhaps boast a team that has greater talent than the Baylor defense. Steve Sarkisian is also one of the best playcallers in the conference, and with weeks to prepare for this contest, he should be able to pull out a gameplan that gives his Huskies the best chance to win. The Bears defense isn't too great itself, so the UW offense should have their chances to exploit mismatches and keep the ball moving.
There's a lot to like for both of these teams. There's a lot of touchdowns that could be scored. Prepare to light up the scoreboard.