The Washington Huskies hired Chris Petersen two years ago with hopes of making the program elite just as he did with the Boise State Broncos. Playing against a team in Southern Miss that hasn’t been this successful in years, the Huskies have a chance to prove to the country that they’re more than just a middle-of-the-pack Pac-12 squad.
Southern Miss is also looking to prove that it’s not just a once-in-a-decade type of solid team at 9-4 this season and a loss to Western Kentucky in the Conference-USA title game. After starting the season 3-3, the Golden Eagles had won six in a row before the conference championship and that has given Southern Miss hope for the future.