Knowing the opponent's potential worries the Oregon State football team.

The Beavers play their final home game of the season Saturday against Pacific-10 Conference rival Washington, and are favored by 11 points.

The Huskies (3-6, 2-4) have lost three straight to Arizona State, Oregon and UCLA. Arizona State and UCLA are near the bottom of the conference and already lost to the Beavers (6-3, 4-2).

An initial thought is this should be an easy win. Not so.

Washington owns upset victories over No. 11 Southern California and No. 18 Arizona, teams that defeated the Beavers.

"They get after you on defense and have a lot of weapons on offense, and of course (quarterback) Jake Locker," coach Mike Riley said.

So what team will show up in Reser Stadium? Either way, the Beavers have to be ready for Washington's best shot.

"It's a remarkable difference in this team from the past few years," Riley said. "It's a confident, hard-playing, fast football team. It's a good looking team that moved into a competitive spot in our conference."

The Huskies need to win their last three games to become bowl eligible for first-year coach Steve Sarkisian. If they can overcome OSU there's last-place Washington State and California left on the schedule.

Sarkisian took what he had on the roster and proved Washington possess the ability to defeat the top teams in the Pac-10, but the consistency to win week after week is still being developed.

"I notice the difference in the teams," Riley said. "Not to talk negatively of the previous staff since they were using young players and didn't have Jake Locker a lot (due to injury), but obviously Steve and his staff made an impact on that program."

Locker remains Washington's focal point. He's showing more as a pocket passer after years of being a mobile quarterback.

His scrambling ability gave defenses fits, but it also opened him up to extra hits. Injuries have slowed him during his career.

With Sarkisian's tutelage Locker is second in the Pac-10 in passing, averaging 244.8 yards a game. He still runs with an average of 25.6 yards a game.

"Jake Locker is a new quarterback with all his ability intact," Riley said. "They lead the conference in third-down conversion (49.6 percent). That is from efficiency quarterbacking, throwing or with his legs. It's been a good picture of development of an overall quarterback. Jake uses his feet, but he's a dangerous passer."

The offense isn't all Locker. Chris Polk has come on as a running back and a trio of receivers emerged with James Johnson, Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar.

The defense doesn't have gaudy numbers being ranked ninth in the Pac-10 for total defenses, but plays aggressively. Time in the system and experience will make a difference.

While the Huskies sort themselves out, the Beavers don't want to be one of those teams that falls victim the few times Washington puts together a complete game.

The Beavers are on a two-game winning streak and hope to move up the conference standings, where they are tied for fourth with USC.

OSU can still reach the Rose Bowl with the help of other teams beating the right teams. It starts with taking care of games it's expected to win.

"It will be a big game for us," quarterback Sean Canfield said. "It will be senior night. My last game in Reser is going to be a big deal."