31-23 isn't exactly a bad outcome in the opening game against a perenial top ten program like LSU. if you look at the final stats you might find it stunning that Washington lost this game. UW outgained LSU 478 to 321 yards! The difference in this one was big plays and penalties. The Pac 10 refs did their best SEC imitiation by questionably penalizing the Huskies for 11 penalties for 85 yards in comparison to 3 for 35 for the Tigers. The ofifciating as usual in the Pac 10 was bad and had a anti UW slant.
The keys to the game were a couple big plays by LSU and crucial UW turnovers. UW was in this one almost the entire game but the last LSU drive was a gamebreaker. LSU looked tired in the fourth quarter but the bottomline is they are a team that knows how to win and UW isn't quite there yet.
I think UW did better than anyone expected, We outplayed LSU most of the night and based on other Pac 10 games I saw this weekend we have a very good chance of finishing in the first division. Make no mistatke about it Husky football has turned the corner despite the loss.
The difference on the sidelines was obvious. The Husky staff was ready for this game and was very much involved and working with its players throughout the game. it was night and day in comparison the what we saw from Oregon on Thursday.
Washington is goiing to win more games then they lose this season...you can count on it.