UW opener a BIG deal for a number of reasons

Let’s go ahead and put this in all caps, just to make it seem even bigger:

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OPENER IN UW FOOTBALL HISTORY!

Too much, you say? Yeah, probably.

Hyperbole aside, however, it’s difficult to overstate just how much is at stake when the Huskies open their 2008 season tonight against Oregon. Though come to think of it, I might have succeeded two paragraphs ago.

According to some experts, the Huskies — and by extension, their coach — are already doomed. Just look at that brutal schedule.

At Oregon? Loss. Home games against BYU and Oklahoma? Loss and loss. From there, Washington will be lucky to win five games. A bowl game? No way. Time to start looking for a new coach, right?

Well, let’s not go that far just yet. Even though it’s just one of 12 games in 2008, tonight’s contest in Eugene can change that thinking in a hurry.

It could also reaffirm it.

Let’s imagine for a second (Husky fans might want to skip ahead a bit) that things go something like they did in Seattle last season.

What if the Huskies’ defense is just as hopeless as it was in 2007 when it gave up 55 points and 465 passing yards to the Ducks? What if the inexperienced players succumb to nerves and make costly mistakes? What if Washington’s fifth straight loss to the Ducks looks just as bad as the past four, all by 20 or more points?

Well then, wouldn’t the fans already unhappy with Tyrone Willingham be ready to add a new head coach to their back-to-school shopping lists? Isn’t it feasible that a team that has so much confidence heading into tonight’s game could get a little rattled. Could those young players suddenly doubt if they’re ready to play at this level, and could the older players get hit with feelings of, “Here we go again”? Could the Huskies possibly bounce back to play well against BYU and Oklahoma?

On the other hand, what if the Huskies win? Sure Vegas doesn’t think they can do it, making Oregon a 13.5-point favorite. Heck, most everybody not associated with the UW doesn’t give the Huskies much of a chance.

But here’s where the beauty of college football comes in. We don’t really have a clue what’ll happen tonight. We don’t know how Oregon quarterback Justin Roper will handle filling Dennis Dixon’s shoes. We have no idea what Ed Donatell’s new defense will look like, or what tricks he has up his sleeve for Oregon’s spread option.

And what if all those Washington freshmen are as good as the coaches keep telling us? What if Chris Polk handles his nerves (after his pregame regurgitation, of course) and has a debut to remember running behind Washington’s veteran offensive line? What if Kavario Middleton and the freshmen receivers make the catches UW receivers dropped last year?

One thing that seemed evident last year, even in a 4-9 season, is that quarterback Jake Locker will keep the Huskies in games. If he’s more accurate and makes smarter decisions, that could be the difference between a tough loss and a victory.

Sure the odds are stacked against the Huskies, but what if they win? Crazier things have happened (see Appalachian State vs. Michigan, or Stanford at USC).

So what if Washington wins? Doesn’t that change everything? A young team would head back to Seattle for three straight home games feeling confident. Willingham would have his biggest win as Washington’s coach, a road win over a ranked team. It also would be his first win over the Huskies’ hated rival to the south. For a little while anyway, his scorching hot seat might cool to a manageable pretty-darned-warm.

That’s what makes this game so big. A bad loss could start the Huskies down a dangerous path, but a win could change perceptions about the team and its head coach in a little over three hours.

“We need a W to start the season off right, so it’s just as important as any other game,” said linebacker Donald Butler, before eventually smiling and acknowledging that it’s a little different than any other game. “OK, it is the Ducks, I’ll give you that. You definitely give that little extra oomph when you take a guy down.”

Just about any opener against a quality opponent would be important given what’s at stake this season for the Huskies, but this one is magnified by the fact that it’s against one of the school’s two biggest rivals.

Other than sixth-year senior Juan Garcia, no current Huskies were around for Washington’s last win over Oregon — 42-10 in 2003. That doesn’t cut it for fans, and certainly not players who have grown to despise the Ducks.

For the freshmen, at least those not from the Northwest, a strong distaste for Oregon is one of the first things they’re taught.

“They told how much they hate them and nothing would be better than beating them,” said Polk.

All of this gets back to the question of just how big this game is. When have the Huskies started a season with a game that combined so much meaning and bitter feelings toward an opponent?

“We’ve been preparing since winter for this game, and it’s Oregon, so that makes it that much more exciting,” receiver D’Andre Goodwin said. “It’s a rival game, it’s the opener.

“This is big.”

John Boyle can be reached at jboyle@heraldnet.com.