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SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Sophomore Cody Pickett will get a quick baptism by fire on Saturday when the 15th-ranked Huskies open their season against No. 10 Michigan. Pickett, a native of Idaho, is the first Washington quarterback not to go to high school in the state since 1993. The Huskies enter the season with their least amount of experience at quarterback since 1958. Pickett has thrown just six career passes and no other quarterback on the Washington roster has thrown a pass for the Huskies. In addition, Pickett has the unenviable task of following Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Marques Tuiasosopo, who led Washington to 11 wins last season and a share of the conference title. Pickett's first test will come against a Michigan team that struggled to get past Miami of Ohio, 31-13, in its opener last week. Taking over for Drew Henson, who signed a contract with the New York Yankees, John Navarre completed 19-of-32 yards for the Wolverines (1-0). Michigan scored 21 points off three interceptions before putting away the contest with a pair of long scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Washington and Michigan are facing each other for the first time since back-to-back meetings in the Rose Bowl in 1992 and 1993. Washington posted a 34-14 victory in 1992 before Tyrone Wheatley and Elvis Grbac led the Wolverines to a 38-31 win the following year. It marked the third straight Rose Bowl appearance for the Huskies, who are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 1991 national championship. Washington enters the season riding an eight-game winning streak and is looking to become the first team to win consecutive Pac-10 titles sinces the Huskies won three in a row in the early 1990s. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr is seeking his 60th win at Michigan. He has a mark of 59-16, making him the fifth-winningest coach in school history. Two of those wins came over Washington coach Rick Neuheisel when Neuheisel was at Colorado. The Wolverines posted a 20-13 victory in 1996 and opened their 1997 national championship campaign with a 27-3 win. Neuheisel, who has a 18-6 two-year record at Washington, received a $200,000 raise on Monday. Michigan leads the all-time series with Washington, 6-4. The schools last met in the regular season in 1984, with the Huskies posting a 20-11 victory at Michigan Stadium.
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