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Washington-Arizona Preview

Oct 22, 2010 - 3:45 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Washington (3-3) at No. 18 Arizona (5-1), 10:15 p.m. EDT

A top 10 defense combined with one of the Pac-10's leading passers has spurred Arizona's surprising start.

The 15th-ranked Wildcats may have to rely on their defense more with quarterback Nick Foles expected to miss Saturday night's game against a Washington team coming off a dramatic win.

Foles was injured less than a minute into the second quarter in last Saturday's 24-7 victory at Washington State when the Cougars' Travis Long rolled into his right leg after a completed pass. Wildcats coach Mike Stoops called the injury a knee sprain, and the junior's status will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

"He'll be back when he's ready," Stoops said. "It's not a season-ending injury. We anticipate him back."

This is a big blow for Arizona (5-1, 2-1), as Foles ranks second nationally in completion percentage (75.3) and entered last week's game leading the Pac-10 with an average of 305.8 yards passing.

The Wildcats now turn to backup Matt Scott, known more for his running ability than his throwing. The junior, who started the first three games last season before Foles took over, completed 14 of 20 passes for 139 yards with an interception against Washington State.

"There is nothing he can't do," Stoops said. "He has a great arm, great feet, and has gotten to where he can make the right decisions. And that is a credit to him. We feel very comfortable with Matt and are excited to watch him play. ... Matt is a guy who I said all along we can win at the highest level with."

With Scott running the offense, Arizona might depend more on the ground game after finding success with running backs Keola Antolin and Nic Grigsby last week. Antolin rushed for a season-best 92 yards with two touchdowns on 21 attempts, while Grigsby had 66 yards and a TD on 14 carries.

Regardless of the quarterback situation, the Wildcats should still be able to move the ball against a Washington team that ranks 98th in the FBS in total defense, permitting an average of 416.8 yards. The Huskies (3-3, 2-1) have also allowed an average of 36.3 points in their last four games.

Arizona has been much stingier on defense. The Wildcats, who limited the Cougars to 257 total yards and forced four turnovers, rank 10th in the nation in total defense at 284.3 yards per game and seventh in scoring defense at 13.3 points a contest.

Arizona has allowed six passing touchdowns on the year, and will be facing its toughest test in trying to keep Washington's Jake Locker in check.

Locker threw for a career-best five touchdowns in last Saturday's 35-34 double overtime win over then-No. 24 Oregon State, which had upset then-No. 9 Arizona 29-27 the week before. The senior was slowed by a bruised thigh most of last week, but it didn't seem to bother him against the Beavers.

"He is continuing to grow and mature every time we go out and that's what you want out of your players," Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian said.

Locker, who has 13 touchdowns and four interceptions on the year, passed for 140 yards with three TDs and one pick in last season's 36-33 comeback win over Arizona.

Washington rallied from 12 points down with less than 4 minutes to go in the fourth quarter and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:37 left on a 37-yard interception return from Mason Foster, who caught a deflected pass off the foot of Arizona's Delashaun Dean.

This will be the first time the Huskies are facing the Wildcats as a ranked team since 1998, and they're unlikely to be intimidated.

Washington defeated then-No. 18 Southern California 32-31 on Oct. 2, and is in the midst of playing four straight ranked opponents. This stretch started against Oregon State and continues next Saturday against No. 12 Stanford and concludes at top-ranked Oregon the following week.

"It doesn't really affect me if they are ranked or not," Washington safety Nate Williams said. "We still have to go out and execute no matter what."