SEATTLE (AP) — Perhaps it's just the nature of playing the first game on the road, but those games have not come easily for No. 8 Washington in the four seasons under Chris Petersen.

The latest example was last Friday's 30-14 win at Rutgers to open the 2017 campaign. What was expected to be a romp for the Huskies in their first game since losing to Alabama in the national semifinals was instead far closer than expected for a half before Washington pulled away in the final 30 minutes.

It was the fourth time under Petersen that the road opener has been more of a slog than scintillating. His first game at Washington four seasons ago was a 17-16 win at Hawaii. A year later, the Huskies opened the season at Boise State and lost 16-13 in Petersen's return to where his head coaching career started.

And last year, even after a 3-0 start at home, Washington needed overtime to outlast Arizona 35-28 in the desert.

The Huskies host Montana on Saturday and face Fresno State on Sept. 16 before opening Pac-12 play on Sept. 23 at Colorado.

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