Losses on defense starting to expose No. 7 Washington

The bigger question is where Washington will land when the College Football Playoff rankings are released Tuesday and whether there remains a viable path for the Huskies to find their way into the top four without major upsets.

[...] the playoff positioning was secondary for the Huskies in the aftermath of the loss to the Trojans.

Washington's defense — which had been regarded as maybe the best in the Pac-12 — was exposed by USC because Darnold was rarely pressured, and it suffered another big loss with linebacker Azeem Victor expected out for the season after a leg injury.

Darnold threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns, showing poise and playmaking in a hostile atmosphere.

The Huskies thrived for most of the season by being able to get pressure in the pass game without having to bring extra defenders.

USC's defensive line was excellent at stemming the pressure and when defenders got to the backfield, Darnold used his athleticism to slip tacklers and extend plays with his feet.

D.J. Beavers took over for Victor and finished with six tackles but also had his inexperience exposed at times, especially on USC's final touchdown, when tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe slipped behind Beavers and caught an 8-yard TD at the back of the end zone.