> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Big Ten Picks: Washington Huskies Head to Camp Randall to Face Struggling Wisconsin - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/big-ten-picks-washington-huskies-head-to-wisconsin/ - Published: 2025-11-07T05:34:34.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:36:14.000Z - Author: Aaron Coe - Tags: Huskies, Washington Football, Big Ten Picks, Demond Williams Jr., Jedd Fisch, College Football Playoff \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1018"\] ![ Demond Williams Jr. celebrates a play against Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Credit: David Ryder/Washington Athletics ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/demond-251106-format-original.jpg) Demond Williams Jr. celebrates a play against Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Credit: David Ryder/Washington Athletics \[/caption\] Welcome to November, the witching hour of college football. We’ve all collected two months’ worth of data on 136 FBS teams. We know who stinks and have a good idea of who the true contenders will be when the 12-team College Football Playoff begins December 19\. We still aren’t completely sure about the 2025 Washington Huskies, though, are we? UW looks like a team that is nowhere near “stink” but not quite a “true contender.” Washington seems like a borderline CFP team — one that should find a way to win a road game in a high-level venue against a bad football team. The Huskies hope to take care of that type of business at Wisconsin, 1:30 PM Saturday. Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium, a legendary venue constructed in 1917, holds 75,822 fans who have seen some awful football this season. Things have gone from bad to worse in the last two home games, when Wisconsin was outscored a combined 71-0 by Iowa and Ohio State. The Huskies have not exactly been road warriors under Jedd Fisch, though a win Saturday would mean three out of four this season after going 0-7 away from Husky Stadium in 2024\. Washington pulled away from WSU in the Apple Cup, then scored 24 straight points to close out Maryland, 24-20, in College Park. Wisconsin has the type of defense that can keep them in a game, as it did in a 21-7 loss at Oregon on October 25\. The Huskies have been chalky under Fisch, generally winning when they are expected to win and losing when the forecast calls for it. This would be a bad week to alter that trend. The Huskies will have to find a way to move the ball in Madison, on what could be a challenging weather day in front of a crowd hoping something good will happen. “It’s a good unit,” Huskies offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty said Tuesday of Wisconsin’s defense. “You watch them on tape, and you watch the last time they’re out there against Oregon. Played very hard. Physical team, physical group of guys. They’ve got defensive ends that can pose a problem — very athletic and great pass rushers, but can also play the run tough and physical, which you expect out of a Wisconsin defense.” ### Wisconsin Quarterback Situation The UW defense must prepare for several different potential Badgers quarterbacks, though sophomore Danny O’Neil has reportedly taken the majority of first-team reps this week. Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell said on Monday that true freshman Carter Smith is “in the mix.” Billy Edwards Jr. was the anointed starter for the Badgers, but the senior Maryland transfer suffered a sprained knee in the opener, and his timetable for return has not been announced. Both teams are coming off a bye, so changes are always on the table. Simmons, a grad transfer from Southern Illinois, has been forced into action due to injuries and has completed just 50 percent of his passes with five interceptions and two touchdown passes. It seems like O’Neil will start with Smith getting some opportunities to show what he’s got for the future. “They’ve had a bunch of injuries there, and we have to be prepared for multiple looks there,” Fisch said on Monday. ### CFP Hopes Now bowl-eligible, the Huskies can keep thoughts of landing one of 12 spots in the CFP alive for at least another week. The CFP committee ranked Washington 23rd in its initial rankings on Tuesday. UW is a double-digit favorite at Wisconsin, and that is likely to be the case at home against Purdue. After that is an always-dicey road game against UCLA, though that’s another game UW will be expected to win. That could set up quite a finale November 29 against Oregon at Husky Stadium, which could end up being essentially a playoff game for the Playoff. ### Carver Willis Heals Quickly UW starting left tackle Carver Willis revealed on Tuesday that he completely tore an MCL in his knee against Ohio State. Four weeks later, he returned to help Washington knock off then-No. 23 Illinois. Willis felt a pop when he went down against the Buckeyes, and was pretty sure something was torn. He asked the trainers to allow him to walk off and go through the testing on the sidelines. Fortunately, it was the MCL, which can heal on its own without season-ending surgery. “I did some pass blocking drills and run-blocking drills to show that I could go back in after half,” Willis said. “And it became pretty clear after that that the decision was not up to me — which I’m grateful for, because they certainly had my best interests at heart.” True freshman left guard John Mills, injured a week later, also returned against Illinois. Wide receiver Rashid Williams, who was set to return after missing six games with a collarbone injury, suffered a hand injury in practice last week. Fisch said the sophomore is expected to miss “at least a few weeks.” Other than Williams, Fisch said the team was as healthy as it has been in a while. ### Big 10 Picks We’ll use the CFP Rankings the rest of the way. Spreads via BetMGM. **Northwestern (5-3 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) at No. 19 USC (6-2, 4-1) -14.5** 6 PM Friday, FOX The Wildcats have played teams tough this season, but can they put up a fight in the dreaded Friday night road game? No. USC 34-17 **No. 2 Indiana (9-0, 6-0) -14.5 at Penn State (3-5, 0-5)** 9 AM, FOX Circled this as a key game before the season started, but then the season started without the Nittany Lions. Indiana 34-13 **No. 1 Ohio State (8-0, 5-0) -29.5 at Purdue (2-7, 0-6)** 10 AM, BTN It’s really just a question of how many points the Buckeyes want to score, and how long the subs are in. Ohio State 31-3 **Maryland (4-4, 1-4) at Rutgers (4-5, 1-5) -1.5** 11:30 AM, FS1 Welcome to the “Why did the Big Ten add these teams in 2014?” Bowl. I’m sure those New York and Washington, D.C. viewers will be glued to their televisions for this one. Maryland 24-20 **No. 9 Oregon (7-1, 4-1) -6.5 at No. 20 Iowa (6-2, 4-1)** 12:30 PM, CBS This is a sneaky tough spot for the Ducks, who will not be wearing Iowa Caucus-themed uniforms for this one. As I said in [last week’s Hater Guide](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/huskies-fans-hate-guide-during-washington-bye), the Huskies would benefit from Oregon being highly ranked for the Nov. 29 matchup. The Hawkeyes would be all but eliminated from CFP consideration with a loss. This sets up as an ugly game that may well be won or lost by Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. I think he throws a pick or two. Iowa 19-17 **Nebraska (6-3, 3-3) at UCLA (3-5, 3-2)** 6 PM, FOX Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola is out for the season, and Matt Rhule doesn’t exactly have Patrick Mahomes as his backup. Nebraska gets the cross-country trip, where they’ll play in front of tens of Bruins fans. UCLA 17-14 ### The Pick **No. 23 Washington (6-2, 3-2) -11.5 at Wisconsin (2-6, 0-5)** 1:30 PM, BTN Prior to the season, I picked Wisconsin to win this one. That, however, was a different Wisconsin. This one went 14 quarters without scoring a touchdown while being outscored 116-17 during four games. Three Badgers quarterbacks have combined to throw seven TDs and 10 interceptions. Unless the freshman Carter Smith comes in wearing a cape, UW’s corners should prevent significant damage. Wisconsin has been mostly non-competitive against a brutal slate since starting 2-0 with home wins over Miami (OH) and Middle Tennessee. The Badgers defense is solid, though, and this game could get sloppy with some help from the weather. The Huskies have not been at their best on the road, and quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has not put together a complete effort in a Big Ten road game yet. This sets up as an ugly game that will be in doubt until late. Williams’ late playmaking ability is enough to get it done. **Washington 20-13** Byes: Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota **Records** **Last week:** 5-1 straight up, 4-2 against the spread **Season:** 87-14, 61-50 ATS **Huskies picks** (weekly): 6-2, 5-3 ATS **Huskies picks** (from preseason): 7-1, 5-3 ATS