Washington has enjoyed a full-circle ascent to the College Football Playoff. When the Huskies square off against No. 1 Alabama in Atlanta on Dec. 31st in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, they'll also reunite with former head coach Steve Sarkisian -- who is now part of Nick Saban's Crimson Tide staff.
Let's take a chronological look back at the key steps the Huskies took on their path to college football's promised land:
1. Washington hires Sarkisian, who delivers the 2013 recruiting class: The Huskies went 0-12 in a dreadful 2008 season, leading to the termination of Tyrone Willingham. Sarkisian took his spot at the helm. Though Washington didn't morph into an elite program under Sarkisian's leadership, it improved into a consistent winning team. This set the foundation for an eventual conference championship.
In hindsight, Sarkisian's greatest contribution was his final recruiting class. The Huskies' 2013 haul included receiver John Ross, running back Lavon Coleman, linebackers Azeem Victor and Keishawn Bierria, pass-rush specialist Joe Mathis, cornerback Kevin King, defensive linemen Connor O'Brien and Elijah Qualls, offensive linemen Andrew Kirkland and Coleman Shelton, and kicker Cameron Van Winkle -- all key 2016 contributors.
It also featured quarterback Troy Williams, who transferred and is now starting at Utah.
Sarkisian struck gold with his last Washington recruiting class, and it ended up fueling this version of the Huskies with veteran speed and power capable of winning a Pac-12 championship.
2. Sarkisian heads to USC: The Huskies won seven regular season games in three straight years under Sarkisian before winning eight in 2013. Despite consistent finishes above .500, unrest materialized because of Washington's inability to surpass Oregon and Stanford in the Pac-12 North. "Seven-win Sark" became a popular complaint in Seattle.
When Sarkisian left for USC following the 2013 season, the Huskies had an opportunity to infuse the program with fresh blood that could catapult them to the next level.
3. Washington hires Chris Petersen: In December 2013, the Huskies turned to a coach whose name was synonymous with 11-plus win seasons at Boise State. Washington hoped that Petersen could successfully mesh the lethal efficiency he had established in the Broncos with some of the top-level talent that the Huskies were attracting.
Petersen presided over seven and eight wins over his first two years. On paper, that wasn't an improvement over the Sarkisian era. But some key moments within those two years set the table for Washington's 2016 explosion.
4. Beaten in Boise: Petersen opened 2015 with his own quarterback, Jake Browning, in charge of Washington's offense. This was a critical part of the plan in the Huskies' effort to successfully leverage their bevy of emerging talent at the skill positions. Petersen, returning to his own stomping grounds at Boise State, opted to start Browning as a true freshman on the blue turf in the season opener. The Huskies lost 16-13, but this trial by fire spurred the growth of Browning and the rest of the young offense.
5. Big win at the Coliseum: Washington's first reunion with Sarkisian was a sweet one. The Huskies beat USC 17-12 on the road. This was a coming out party of sorts for true freshman running back Myles Gaskin, who rushed for 134 yards. The Washington defense, which would go on to lead the Pac-12 over the next two seasons, also announced its presence here. The Huskies held the Trojans out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.
6. Setback in Tempe: Many Washington players point to this November 2015 loss as the final motivational fuel they needed to enter the realm of the elite. The Huskies blew a 17-0 lead at Arizona State, eventually losing 27-17. After that point, Washington won three straight to close 2015 with a bowl win. The Huskies have won 15 of 16 games since that meltdown in the desert.
7. John Ross' triumphant return: On paper, the Huskies were loaded with the league's best defense, an offensive line returning four of five starters and maturing talent at both quarterback and running back entering 2016. The remaining question mark waited at receiver, but Washington answered it when Ross returned even faster than his pre-ACL tear self. Ross ran a hand-timed 4.25 40-yard dash in spring before returning his first kick-off back for a touchdown -- just as he had envisioned in a dream. Ross leads all Power 5 receivers with 16 touchdown catches in 2016.
8. Changing of the Pac-12 North guard: Entering 2016, the Huskies had gone 1-11 against Oregon and Stanford this decade. They finally reversed that troubling hex in a two-week stretch. It began with a 44-6 Friday night spanking of Stanford and finished with a 70-21 obliteration of Oregon at Autzen Stadium eight days later. Suddenly, Washington was the Pac-12 North's new top dog -- and it wasn't even close.
9. The goal line stands: One final regular season test awaited Washington in Pullman. That's where the Huskies muscled up and stuffed rival Washington State twice at the 1-yard line. Those rugged stops paved the way to a 45-17 Apple Cup victory and a spot in the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings.
10. Dominating ugly: Colorado's nation-leading secondary stymied Browning's normally sensational efficiency in the Pac-12 championship game, holding him to only nine completions for 118 yards. But the Huskies proved they could win in a bar fight, too. Both Gaskins and Coleman rushed for over 100 yards, and Washington's defense -- especially its elite secondary -- absolutely smothered the Buffs in a 41-10 victory.
This finished the journey to the playoff, where a reunion with Sarkisian -- now an offensive analyst on Alabama's staff -- awaits. Now, we'll see how this story ends.