No. 5 Washington Rolling Halfway Through Season

SEATTLE (AP) — Before the season began, Washington coach Chris Petersen was emphatic that despite any early hype, his team's place in the national landscape shouldn't be judged until at least after the sixth game.

So, with six weeks of the season in the books, the Huskies remain undefeated and seemingly on a path for a spot in the College Football Playoff should they keep winning.

The past six weeks have vaulted Washington (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) from a preseason conference contender to a legitimate part of the playoff discussion. If Washington's 44-6 dismantling of Stanford didn't prove the Huskies' legitimacy, then the 70-21 beating placed on Oregon last Saturday certainly did.

The Huskies' start has been so impressive that the fact they are bowl eligible is a complete afterthought just a year after Washington had to win its final two games to qualify for a bowl. It's also created buzz about quarterback Jake Browning as a Heisman Trophy contender. Browning accounted for 8 total touchdowns in the win over Oregon to tie a Pac-12 single game record.