COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Huskies Sniffing for National Title

The Rose Bowl-bound Washington Huskies are thinking about winning their first national championship.

They’ve got a lot of support.

“They’ve got all the elements,” Arizona Coach Dick Tomey said. “They made a believer out of me. If there’s a better team in the country, I’m anxious to see them. They deserve the credit.”

Seventh-ranked Washington on Saturday earned its first trip to a New Year’s Day game in nine years by defeating No. 23 Arizona, 54-10, at Husky Stadium.

“We’ve got the Rose Bowl sewed up and now we can win the national championship,” sophomore quarterback Mark Brunell said.

“The national championship is in the backs of our minds,” said sophomore tailback Beno Bryant. “It’s a dream season.”

“I don’t see our guys letting down the last two weeks,” Washington Coach Don James said.

The Huskies clinched a Rose Bowl berth because No. 22 Oregon beat UCLA, 28-24, in Eugene, Ore., Saturday.

“It’s a great feeling to have it happen so early,” James said.

When Georgia Tech’s 41-38 upset of No. 1 Virginia was announced during the third quarter, Washington’s players reacted emotionally. Cornerback Charles Mincy jumped up and down wildly and thrust his index finger into the air.

In addition, No. 3 Nebraska, No. 4 Auburn and No. 5 Illinois were beaten Saturday.

Washington (8-1 overall and 6-0 in the Pacific-10 Conference) will wind up its home schedule against UCLA on Saturday. The Huskies will play Washington State in Pullman, Wash., on Nov. 17 in their regular-season finale.

“I think we can play better,” linebacker Chico Fraley said.

This is Washington’s fourth Rose Bowl team in 16 seasons under James.

This team is showing evidence of being his best Huskies’ team, too--better even than the 1984 team that went 11-1, beat Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl and finished second to Brigham Young for the national championship. That was Washington’s previous highest national finish.

Washington is scoring an average 43.8 points against six Pac-10 foes and is giving up just 10.6 points a game.

“These guys have posted some numbers that are absolutely incredible,” James said.

Brunell’s improvement has been an enormous factor for the success of Washington’s offense. In his first season as a starter, he has gone five games without throwing an interception, a span of 96 pass attempts.

James, 57, has brought back to national prominence a program that seemed headed in a different direction just two years ago.