Big Ten Picks: It’s Desperation Time For The Huskies
It’s desperation time.
The Washington Huskies fell to 0-2 in the conference Saturday in LA, and they need a win Friday night against No. 20 Iowa to stop the downward spiral.
UW freshman running back Brian Bonner Jr. ran with confidence in the 25-21 loss at USC, and Jeff Fisch’s playcalling had its moments. The Hawkeyes are a different deal, however. Iowa has given up an average of 12.6 points per game, and will present a massive challenge up front for a Washington offensive line that has yet to establish itself. The likely return of fourth-year center Landen Hatchett should help.
The Hawkeyes have been offensively challenged for much of the decade, however, and will likely be without quarterback Hank Brown. This matchup has defensive struggle written all over it.
‘One of One': Fully Healthy Nick Emmanwori Continues to Wow as Seahawks Brace for 49ers’ Prolific Offense
RENTON, Wash. - Just in his second NFL season, Nick Emmanwori has much left to learn as he grows into one of the cornerstones of Mike Macdonald’s defense built around multiplicity, still far from a finished product for the Seattle Seahawks.
But at just 22 years of age, even as he remains a ways away from reaching his ceiling and can still be prone to an occasional unwanted penalty from time to time, Emmanwori reminded everyone why he may be the most exciting must-see attraction on a talent-laden, star-studded Seahawks defense - if not the entire league - in a 30-23 win over the Chargers last Sunday. One snap in particular highlighted the second-year defender’s one-of-a-kind versatility early in the first quarter, when he scrambled up and down the defensive line pre-snap before settling in as a defensive end in a four-point stance and all off the left side.
Rocketing out of his stance as if he heard the gun at the starting line of the 400-meter sprint at the Summer Olympics, Emmanwori slanted inside against left tackle Joe Alt, executing a lightning quick spin move back outside to force quarterback Justin Herbert to unload the ball before he wanted to, looking every bit like a capable NFL edge rusher at 230 pounds. Even though the pass netted eight yards, a completion didn’t come close to moving the sticks on 3rd and 11 with the quick pressure leading to one of five consecutive Chargers punts.
Running out of adjectives at this point to describe the equally versatile and disruptive Emmanwori, Julian Love could only marvel at the latest addition to his teammate’s growing list of roles, which already included both safety spots, nickel cornerback, and off-ball linebacker in his arsenal coming out of a sensational rookie campaign.
Potential Oozes for Gonzaga During Kraziness in the Kennel
Optimism reached peak levels for the Gonzaga Bulldogs during Kraziness in the Kennel, where a returning sophomore seems to be taking the leap to stardom, the team might legitimately be dangerous from beyond the arc, and if all goes well with the eligibility situations, this deep roster could wreak havoc this season.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Howard Woodard details the encouraging signs from the Zags' preseason event, and how significant these flashes are to Gonzaga's ceiling as a national championship contender.
Seattle Soccer Update: Are the Reign a Playoff Team? Plus, Sounders Prep for a Telling Road Trip with Postseason Hopes Alive
The Seattle Reign and Seattle Sounders share a combined +1 goal differential as each team has played 27 league games in 2026.
As such, the 12-11-4 Reign sit two points out of an NWSL playoff spot with three games remaining, while the 10-9-8 Sounders occupy the seventh spot in the MLS Western Conference with seven games remaining. The Reign return from an international break for a bout with the Chicago Stars on Oct. 18, while the Sounders start a tough road trip at New England on Saturday, with both teams hoping to turn up-and-down campaigns into postseason berths.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down the Reign’s season so far and what they need to do to get into the big dance, before previewing a key Sounders road trip.
Three Unsung Heroes Emerge in Seahawks’ Solid 3-1 Start
The Seahawks are off to a 3-1 start in their defense of their Super Bowl title. With it being a 17-game regular season, there is no round number for the quarter mark for games but most teams take stock after four contests. The Seahawks have, at times, looked every bit the Super Bowl contender they are. At times, they also have look more disjointed and undisciplined than we are accustomed to seeing.
Sure, stars like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Leonard Williams, Ernest Jones, and Julian Love are doing their part. Names most of the league knows.
With Seattle dealing with a host of injuries yet winning three of their first four games, several players have had to step up. Who are the three biggest unsung heroes for the Seahawks so far?
Analysis: Kraken Could Make Two Big Simon Edvinsson Offers
The Seattle Kraken have tried desperately to make impact additions to their roster. Unfortunately, general manager Jason Botterill’s attempted trades for Artemi Panarin and Jason Robertson did not come to fruition.
But, there’s a new big fish available on the market. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Freidman reported that restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson “prefers” a trade from the Detroit Red Wings. That’s a little softer than the explicit trade request that their former captain Dylan Larkin made in the offseason. Both are still with the organization, as of now.
According to all reports, Edvinsson has been a good soldier throughout this situation. The restricted free agent reported to training camp without team-supplied insurance or a contract extension. The 23-year-old waited out Detroit’s laborious and ultimately unsuccessful general manager search. He is now in Sweden practicing with his former SHL team, Frolunda HC.
The Kraken have started the season 2-2-0 and have a solid top-four defense group in Vince Dunn, Adam Larsson, Brandon Montour, and Ryker Evans. But when a player of Edvinsson’s ilk–a young, 6-6, and defensively sound blueliner who’s averaged over 20-minutes a night the last two seasons–become available, you have to check-in.
Robert Henry Jr. Blessed for ‘Great Opportunity’ Joining Seahawks’ Backfield
RENTON, Wash. - Switching teams during the middle of an NFL season always creates chaos, with quickly finding a place to live in a new city to rapidly learning a new playbook in a matter of days being only two of the many challenges facing players under such circumstances.
But those challenges become further magnified for rookies, who already find themselves swimming trying to acclimate to the league. That’s especially the case for an undrafted player such as running back Robert Henry Jr., who as of only two days earlier on Monday remained on the Washington Commanders’ practice squad and hadn’t even appeared in a regular season game yet before learning that the Seattle Seahawks would be signing him to their active roster.
Booking a flight to the Emerald City in a moment’s notice, Henry arrived on Tuesday for his physical and by Wednesday afternoon, he was suiting up for his first practice as a Seahawk, giving him just three days to dive headfirst into offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s playbook with hopes of positioning himself to play on Sunday against the 49ers.
“It’s different, you know what I’m saying?” Henry smiled as he started to suit up at his locker for his first practice with his new team. “It’s a great opportunity for me and my family. I’m just taking it day by day, but it’s been a great process.”
50 in 50: What Do M’s Manager Failures Say About Future Skipper Needs?
Though he made clear that the process would extend “as long as it takes”, Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto set out a checklist of sorts when he described his ideal manager hire for 2027 during his end-of-season interview in late September.
“Generally speaking, we're just looking for someone who has high character, growth mindset, has the ability to think strategically in the context of a major league game,” Dipoto said.
While the front office head said it would be preferred for the incoming skipper to have big league experience, he made explicit that it was not an out-and-out requirement.
Dipoto has overseen two skippers in his long tenure as first the Mariners’ general manager and then the POBO, and neither was someone who really fit these criteria. Scott Servais was probably closer from an analytical standpoint, but he came in as Dipoto’s in-house guy rather than as someone to both understand and challenge him. Dan Wilson was hired - it’s still not clear at whose request - due to his long tenure with the Mariners, rather than an interview process to find the best candidate, and he had evident issues with understanding and applying principles of modern analytics.
Neither of those managers were people outside the Mariners’ or Dipoto’s general remit. Perhaps the most significant of the promises the POBO made was that the new skipper would come from the outside.
“There are a lot of good people out there, and most of what we've done, in recent years especially, has been insular,” Dipoto said. “And I think this year's failure requires that we look outside to find someone who might be able to poke holes in what we're doing and help us see something that perhaps we're blind to.”
Analysis: How Can Seattle U Star Will Heimbrodt Build Off Breakout Season?
The biggest domino to fall in Seattle U’s favor over the offseason was retaining junior Will Heimbrodt. The rising forward broke out last season, becoming a full-time starter, emerging as the Redhawks’ second leading scorer, and earning WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Redhawks’ head coach Chris Victor already knows what he’s getting out of Heimbrodt on the defensive end, but there’s reason to believe there is still untapped ability on the offensive end as a playmaker.
Following a season in which Seattle finished 21-14, the program retained only six players, with only Heimbrodt and Junseok Yeo being the two noteworthy returnees. If the Redhawks were to take a step forward, Heimbrodt will have to be one of many that needs to step up and fill the void in talent left this offseason.
What does Heimbrodt reaching his ceiling look like, and what does he have to do to reach it?
Analysis: Catton, Wright Showing Development for Kraken Early
The Seattle Kraken’s success this season is dependent on Berkly Catton and Shane Wright. If the Kraken, despite their low playoff odds, can make the postseason: it will probably be because Wright and Catton took steps forward. If the Kraken miss the playoffs, but these two youngsters improve, that gives Seattle something to build on for the future.
So far, the 2-1 Kraken have gotten exactly what they needed from Wright and Catton. They started the season with youngster Ryan Winterton, but practiced most of training camp with Kaapo Kakko who rejoined them on the third line yesterday. Regardless the third forward, this third line has been impactful for head coach Lane Lambert.
“They're both using their speed for sure,” Lambert said after yesterday’s 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames. “They seem to be getting into more of a rhythm of reading off each other. It was real nice play they made on Shane’s goal. We just want to keep that going, keep that trend going… Kaapo was good with those kids in training camp.”
What Do Joe Mixon, Robert Henry Jr. Additions Mean for Seahawks’ Backfield?
Bouncing back from a difficult road trip cross country in a loss to the Washington Commanders, the Seattle Seahawks re-established a potent rushing attack to lead the way in a 30-23 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, managing just fine in their first game without rookie Jadarian Price.
With the first round pick out of Notre Dame sidelined for at least four games after landing on injured reserve with a chest injury and Zach Charbonnet still a few weeks away from making his 2026 debut coming off a torn ACL, the Seahawks rushed for nearly 150 yards with Emanuel Wilson bruising his way to 81 hard-earned yards and a touchdown and receiver Rashid Shaheed making a splash with a 28-yard touchdown run on a rare carry out of the backfield. Given that production, the team appeared to be in decent shape heading into the toughest stretch of the schedule, especially knowing Charbonnet could return as early as a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Broncos later this month.
However, on the heels of Sunday’s victory, Seattle didn’t rest on its laurels in the backfield. Instead, the team brought veteran Joe Mixon in for a workout on Monday and promptly signed him to the practice squad after passing his physical. Hours later, per a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Seahawks signed rookie Robert Henry Jr. off of the Commanders’ practice squad to their active roster, a move that should be announced by the team on Tuesday.
Though Mixon and Henry offer plenty of talent to varying degrees, the pair of signings casts significant questions for the Seahawks, starting with immediate fit. The former did not play at all in 2025 due to a bizarre foot injury that led to the Texans cutting him and hasn’t logged an NFL carry in over 600 days, while the latter has yet to receive a regular season carry after signing with Washington as an undrafted free agent out of UTSA.
Cougars’ Offense Punch-less Once Again in 26-6 Loss to Bulldogs
Washington State’s offensive struggles reached a new low Saturday night. The Cougars opened Pac-12 play at home against Fresno State but were unable to generate any fireworks on offense in a 26-6 loss at Gesa Field.
Washington State fell to 1-4 on the season and 0-4 against FBS opponents. More concerning than the record, however, is the state of an offense that is currently ranked 125th in the country in Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings.
The Cougars managed just 182 total yards, failed to score a touchdown, and converted only 3-of-14 third downs. Fresno State also recorded five sacks and held Washington State to just 30 rushing yards.
Questions remain about what the Cougars will do to move forward. As boos rained down several times at Gesa Field, there are plenty of questions about how the offense can turn around for the final seven games of the year.
Kraken Off to Most ‘Prolific’ Start in Franchise's Short History
The NHL is playing an 84-game schedule this year. It’s going to feel more like a marathon than ever before. Yet, for a three-game stretch, things feel different for the Seattle Kraken. That’s a dangerous feeling of course. Those good vibes could float away and disappear like an ember from a campfire caught in an updraft. But for now, this is all we have to go on.
There were, and still are, legitimate concerns about the 2026-27 Kraken. Scoring has been a major concern for most of this franchise’s existence, dating back to its inaugural season of 2021-22. For at least the first three games, those concerns have been addressed.
Gonzaga Women's Soccer Falls 3-0 to Boise State in Pac-12 Opener
In its first-ever Pac-12 game, Gonzaga women’s soccer (5-5-2, 0-1-0) battled Boise State (10-1-1, 2-0-0), a consensus top-two team in the conference. The game was a grudge match for the first half and a change, before the Broncos made several crucial open-field plays. Meanwhile, the Zags struggled to manufacture scoring chances in their first game in eight days and fell 3-0 on the road.
The final result doesn’t reflect how close the two teams played, as BSU’s last two goals came in the final five minutes. But they do represent the performance difference in high-leverage moments, which is why Boise State now has a program-record eight straight victories while GU has been fairly inconsistent so far this season.
After this win, the Broncos extended their incredible stretch, now notching a sixth shutout in seven games and 14 consecutive home victories. So the Zags shouldn’t be too beat on their play, even though it was a tough way to introduce themselves to a new league.
50 in 50: Mariners Cannot Unimaginatively Wallow in Past
Nostalgia is an odd thing. In sports, it typically revolves around something good: a championship, a dynasty, something in the record books for all time. When a team goes a long while without one of those, their fans’ nostalgia becomes somewhere between quaint and delusional (the position along that line determined by the loudness of the fanbase).
But for a team without any championship glory? A team whose most famous moment was not a World Series or even a pennant, but instead a narrow avoidance of relocation? Nostalgia is something else entirely for the Seattle Mariners. At best, it is a way to find meaning in one great gray mass; at worst, it is an anchor holding it all under the waves.
The Mariners’ 50-season celebration on Aug. 9 was remarkably depressing from a certain point of view. The team was and is the only one who has never been to the World Series, yet speakers extolled their history while simultaneously calling upon the players to find that as yet unseen land. There was no hint of irony in any of their voices.
No hint of turning the page, or doing something new, or a recognition that though there were many good things in the first half century, none of it was ever enough.
This isn’t true from a statistical or scientific perspective, but from a certain sense of cosmic order - the hierarchical, humiliating kind that abhors hubris and self-pity above all other purported vices (perhaps we may in materialist terms call it some subconscious element of human psychology) - the Mariners can never overcome the final hurdle until they recognize that doing so would be something utterly unrooted in their past.
Rapid Reaction: Seahawks Survive Chargers Comeback Attempt, Own Mistakes in 30-23 Victory
SEATTLE, Wash. - Though the home team made things far more interesting late than they would have preferred, the Seattle Seahawks sealed a 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers with a Uchenna Nwosu strip sack on Justin Herbert, improving to 3-1 on the season.
Recovering from an interception on his first pass attempt, Sam Darnold threw for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Emanuel Wilson and Tory Horton, while Wilson and Rashid Shaheed each scored touchdowns on the ground to pace Seattle’s offense. Linebackers Drake Thomas and Ernest Jones each intercepted Herbert once and four different players sacked the quarterback as the defense coaxed three turnovers and held off a late comeback by Los Angeles in the closing minute with Nwosu’s critical sack.
Here are five takeaways from a bizarre, flag-filled victory for the Seahawks at Lumen Field:
1. Flurry of early turnovers in frenzied first half ends up favoring Seahawks to build commanding advantage.
The first minute of action on Sunday made history, though not necessarily the kind of history Sam Darnold or Justin Herbert would like to have their names linked to. On the first play from scrimmage, Herbert locked in on a receiver and didn’t see Thomas dropping back into his zone hook, and after initially not catching the ball cleanly, he regathered it off the deflection for a crowd-satisfying interception in L.A. territory. But before the defenders could even get their helmets off, Darnold turned the ball immediately back to the visitors as he and Wilson weren’t on the same page and his first pass sailed into the hands of defensive end Tuli Tuipolotu for the interception. The Chargers used two first down conversions to get into field goal range and took a 3-0 lead on Cameron Dicker’s 40-yard kick.
Halftime Observations: Seahawks Take Control in Wacky First Half, Build 20-6 Lead vs. Chargers
SEATTLE, Wash. - In the aftermath of arguably the longest first quarter in the history of football, the Seattle Seahawks used 20-plus yard touchdowns from Emanuel Wilson and Rashid Shaheed along with suffocating defense to take a 13-3 halftime lead over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Three quick observations from a wild, wild first two quarters at Lumen Field:
1. A wild start features two interceptions in two plays as Seahawks failed to capitalize on their turnover…
Protecting the football remains paramount for every NFL team, but Sunday’s battle featured a historic start that both quarterbacks quickly will want to forget. A sellout crowd erupted mere seconds into the action, as Justin Herbert telegraphed a throw over the middle and Thomas initially bobbled the ball off a deflection, managing to re-secure it for an interception before toppling to the ground. This set up the Seahawks with fantastic starting field position in opposing territory past midfield, providing a chance to score quick take an early lead.
Seahawks Inactives: Ty Okada Remains Sidelined, Rodney Thomas II to Start Again vs. Chargers
Despite returning to the practice field earlier in the week and being a full participant on Friday, the Seattle Seahawks will hold veteran safety Ty Okada out for a fourth straight game as he works his way back from a significant hamstring strain.
Okada has been sidelined since the week of practice leading up to Seattle’s season opener against New England, missing each of the previous three games before finally practicing on Thursday in limited fashion. Returning from a touchy soft tissue injury, the team clearly felt he needed a bit more time on the practice field before making his season debut, likely pegging him for a return next weekend against San Francisco in Week 5.
As he has for the first three weeks of the 2026 season, Rodney Thomas II will start for the Seahawks, looking to continue building on a strong start to his first season with the franchise. Along with six tackles, he has produced three pass breakups and allowed just five catches on eight targets for 22 yards and no touchdowns in coverage, performing at a high level so far in coach Mike Macdonald’s scheme.
Washington Lets Late Lead Slip Away in 25-21 Loss to USC
Following a deflating loss at the hands of Minnesota, the Huskies needed a win to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Also coming off a frustrating loss, USC looked to get back on track at home after Oregon beat the Trojans with backup quarterback Dylan Raiola.
The Coliseum played host to the Huskies in 98-degree heat at kickoff, one of the hottest games in team history. That would be the only record set that day, as Washington fell to West Coast rival USC 25-21, leaving the Huskies to lick their wounds on the flight back to Montlake.
How did the Huskies own self-inflicted mistakes lead to a tough loss in Pasadena?
Takeaways from Kraziness in the Kennel, Gonzaga's Full Roster on Display
Xaivian Lee, Javon Bennett, Chauncey Wiggins, and Izan Almansa might not be eligible for the Gonzaga Bulldogs’ season opener against Purdue on November 2, but they joined their 11 other teammates on the court at the McCarthey Athletic Center for Kraziness in the Kennel.
In front of a sold-out crowd – including four-star 2027 recruit Gene Roebuck – the Zags, with a full roster, put on a show to electrify their fans, whether it was Mark Few being honored for his recent induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Davis Fogle looking all the part of a superstar, or GU lighting it up from beyond the arc.
What were the takeaways from an exciting day in Spokane?
Davis Fogle Might Have Arrived
After his strong play down the stretch last season as a freshman, Fogle has been on breakout watch for much of the offseason. And the 6-7 guard only fueled the hype with his performance on Saturday.
Instead of a three-point competition, Gonzaga held its first dunk contest in two years, featuring Fogle, Lee, and freshman Juwan Ekanga. The first-year Frenchman kicked things off, smoothly throwing down a reverse. But Lee’s 360 one-hand jam and Fogle’s between-the-legs one-hander each earned 10s from the judges (former Zags Zach Norvell Jr., Dan Dickau, Mike Nilson, and Johnathan Williams), advancing them to the final round.
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