Washington Huskies Game-By-Game Predictions, and This Week’s Big Ten Picks
Welcome to Week 1 of Big Ten blowouts. There will be many these first three weeks.
For Washington, it starts with a potentially lopsided Apple Cup. The Huskies most likely need to win 10 games to earn Jedd Fisch’s first career College Football Playoff berth in his third season at UW. You may not need to worry much until Game 5 at USC. Will that be the first loss of the season for the Huskies? Find out below.
Huskies Depth Chart: A Look At The Expected 2026 Starters, Backups
Eight days from now, 22 players will become official offensive or defensive starters for the Washington Huskies football team.
The Washington football program might release an official depth chart. If there is one, it will likely contain some inaccuracies and be partially incomplete. We’ll see the word “Or” multiple times for a real position battle, but more likely to make the opposition prepare for multiple players at certain spots. Let’s cut through the mystery and figure out who the starters and key backups are for the Huskies this season, and in particular for the Sept. 6 Apple Cup against Washington State.
Big Ten Picks: Can the Huskies Help Conference Overtake SEC in College Football Playoff Field?
What’s the difference between nine and 10 wins?
The simple answer is “one.”
If you’re talking about regular-season wins for a Big Ten team, however, the real answer is:
Everything.
Ten, and you’re almost certainly in the College Football Playoff. Nine means you’re out.
Ten puts a team in the heavyweight division. It’s one extra mile per hour for an airplane to break the sound barrier. It’s not the summit of Mount Everest, but it's The Balcony, a stop way up there that means you’re getting close to reaching the world’s highest mountaintop.
Can the Huskies ascend to The Balcony of the college football world this season, or will they stumble at the base camp?
Freshman Edge Ramzak Fruean Makes More Impressions at Huskies Mock Game
While it’s important to avoid reading too much into the Washington Huskies’ “mock game” on Saturday, true freshman edge Ramzak Fruean once again looked like a future star.
By future, we mean when UW kicks off the season Sept. 6 against Washington State in the Apple Cup. As has been the case for much of fall camp, Fruean once again proved difficult to contain on Saturday. He broke through for, unofficially, 2½ touch sacks against UW’s offense in a scrimmage that served as a dress rehearsal for the season.
After the mock game, head coach Jedd Fisch confirmed Fruean will become Washington’s third true freshman starter, joining defensive lineman Derek Colman-Brusa and left tackle Kodi Greene.
Defensive Front, Safeties Make Marks in Huskies Saturday Scrimmage
Creating havoc with the defensive front was one of the Huskies’ stated goals for the 2026 season.
Mission accomplished.
The defense landed the most punches — literally in one instance — during Saturday night’s scrimmage at Husky Stadium. The No. 1 offense countered with some strong moments of its own among a 125-play scrimmage, about half of which featured live tackling.
Overall, UW head coach Jedd Fisch was pleased with what he saw from his team 22 days ahead of the Sept. 6, season-opening Apple Cup against Washington State.
“Overall, though, very hard to assess because you're going against each other, going against the same schemes day in and day out,” Fisch said. “So the key really is for us to just see who makes plays, really, right? Who makes plays when the opportunity presents itself?”
Analysis: What Must Happen for the Huskies to Reach the College Football Playoff?
A week into Fall Camp, expectations are high among the Washington Huskies coaches and players.
People outside of Montlake are also buying into the team Jedd Fisch has assembled going into this third year as the head football coach. A year after finishing 9-4, the Huskies debuted 19th in the Coaches Poll. Phil Steele lists Washington 15th in his annual College Football Preview. Stewart Mandel of The Athletic placed Washington 15th, while On3’s Brett McMurphy tabbed UW 10th.
While most of those rankings suggest the Huskies will fall just outside the 12-team 2026 College Football Playoff field, it also puts them in range for Fisch’s first CFP as a head coach.
Huskies Camp Day 3: Putting on the Pads, Uiagalelei Returns
Study hall is over, and the real classes have begun.
The Huskies put on the pads for the first time on Sunday, and 2026 University of Washington football school is officially in session.
“Today just felt so good getting the pads on,” second-year offensive lineman John Mills said. “Last time was a spring game, and that was it was kind of a tempo-down practice. But now we're just getting fall camp, getting ready for the season — being able to hit people is always fun.”
Demond Williams Jr. Must Show Growth On and Off Field for Huskies to Reach Potential
Demond Williams Jr. turned 20 just a few months ago, but he’s no longer young by college football standards.
Entering his second full season as the unchallenged starting quarterback for a Washington Huskies football team with high expectations — for his play and the team’s — Williams must grow up quickly.
The “He’s young” days are over. He’s no longer the raw kid inserted into games as a true freshman before starting the final two games of the 2024 season. He’s not a first-time, full-time teenage starter behind center like he was in 2025.
Williams is a junior with 15 starts under his belt, earning $4-plus million — none of which can be used to buy excuses.
Which Washington Huskies Could Hear Their Names Called in 2027 NFL Draft?
With less than six weeks until the college football season begins, NFL scouts and talent evaluators already have started to build their preliminary draft boards for 2027.
The Washington Huskies had a remarkable seven players drafted in 2026, despite only three (Jonah Coleman, Denzel Boston, Tacario Davis) showing up in mock drafts before the season began, a testament to the progress made in year No. 2 under coach Jedd Fisch and his staff.
Seven drafted Huskies was the most since 10 had their names called in 2024, which of course came after a birth in the College Football Playoff title game. Fisch’s ability to develop his players into NFL draftees is highlighted by his mantra “Be a Pro” that is plastered all over the team facilities on Montlake.
The players internalize and buy into this philosophy as noted by fourth-round draft pick Carver Willis, who said, “Playing for Washington was the best decision I ever made. I will forever love my time here. It absolutely helped. And my time here is something I hold in great regard... the people I’ve met here and the things I’ve learned here, we all preach ‘Be a Pro,’ how to be a pro.”
Jedd Fisch Believes 2026 ‘Trenches-Based’ Huskies are Ready to Win in Big Ten
Jedd Fisch arrived at Washington in 2024 to take over a former Pac-12 football team with remnants of a 2023 College Football Playoff championship game participant.
Heading into Year 3 in a new conference and a rebuilt roster, Fisch believes he’s got a Big Ten team.
The Washington Huskies Mid-Season Stretch Could Determine 2026 College Football Fate
It’s easy to look at the Washington Huskies 2026 football schedule and skip to the end.
While the last two games — home against defending national champion Indiana and on the road at nemesis Oregon — could determine UW’s College Football Playoff fate, the Huskies have to get there first.
Washington begins the football season with three non-conference snoozers, and ends with the types of games UW has been unable to compete in under Fisch through two seasons. The seven games in the middle are all winnable — Washington could well be favored in six of them — but Big Ten games are rarely easy.
The bottom line is Washington must go 6-1 during that stretch to have any hope at its first CFP berth of head coach Jedd Fisch’s tenure.
Defense Rules Huskies ‘Dawgs After Dark’ Spring Game
It was a beautiful night for some football, even if the football itself wasn’t always a potential pageant winner.
That’s the nature of spring football when a team is expected to have a good defense, as the Washington Huskies plan to roll out when the season begins against Washington State in the Apple Cup on Sept. 5.
With Corgi races, head coach Jedd Fisch playing emcee at times, a few guest kickers and some big plays on defense and offense, Purple got the better of Gold in Friday’s “Dawgs After Dark” spring game, 27-10 at Husky Stadium.
Most importantly, there was some actual football in Friday’s culmination of five weeks of spring football, and no apparent injuries.
‘No Ceiling’ for Huskies Sophomore Cornerback Dylan Robinson
Dylan Robinson’s first start was quite a Big Ten baptism last year.
With senior cornerback Tacario Davis sidelined by injury, it was up to the true freshman to start against No. 1 Ohio State in a sold-out Husky Stadium. It wouldn’t be accurate to call it a baptism by fire, though, because he never really got burned by the Buckeyes and their receiving corps of first-round picks.
“I knew that my plan was to come in freshman year, and everyone's dream is to play the biggest game,” said Robinson after UW’s 10th spring ball practice on Tuesday. “Ohio State was the number one in the nation at that time. So I was just really blessed and grateful to be in those shoes, and I was just trying to keep football football.”
The Montlake Report: Biggest Storylines for the Huskies Heading Into Spring Football
Looking to improve on last year's 9-4 season, the Washington Huskies will open spring football on Tuesday, March 31. What are some of the biggest storylines heading into spring ball?
We also wrap up the end of the UW women's and men's basketball seasons.
7 Questions Facing Huskies Heading into Spring Football
The Cherry blossoms emerging in the University of Washington quad are a sign of spring for most around campus. For UW football fans, however, spring will truly begin on March 31 when spring ball begins for the Huskies.
Practices for the 2026 season begin in just 10 days as Washington starts preparing for the season-opening Apple Cup on Sept. 5, still 168 days away. The Huskies will welcome 32 new players to practice, including 20 of the expected 25 Class of 2026 and 12 scholarship transfers.
What are some of the key storylines heading into spring ball?
Jedd Fisch Will Replace Departed Offensive Coordinator Jimmie Dougherty with… Jedd Fisch
During an appearance on the On3 Andy & Ari podcast on Wednesday, Washington Huskies head football coach Jedd Fisch offered some clarity about the offensive coordinator position.
The new OC will essentially be Jedd Fisch.
Washington Huskies to Make Abrupt Change at Offensive Coordinator
The Washington Huskies will have a new offensive coordinator for the 2026 season.
The UW football team and Jimmie Dougherty have parted ways, according to reports early on Tuesday, while NFL veteran offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh emerged as a potential replacement. Dougherty confirmed his departure from the Washington football program with a social media post later on Tuesday.
Analysis: Breaking Down Washington State’s 2026 Football Schedule
Washington State has officially released its 2026 football schedule, marking the first season of the rebranded Pac-12 era with seven conference opponents. In year one under head coach Kirby Moore, the Cougars will face a challenging and intriguing slate filled with the Apple Cup, Power Four opponents, and newly-minted conference matchups.
Who will the Cougs play and which games stand out as their toughest draws entering the Moore era? Starting with their biggest state rivals, there won’t be an easing in period for Wazzu.
The Montlake Report: Did Demond Williams Win Back Huskies’ Supporters After Transfer Attempt?
For the first time since his attempted transfer and ultimate change of heart, Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. met with the media, looking to put the story behind him.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Aaron Coe shares his thoughts on Williams' remarks and whether or not he did enough for everyone to move forward along with examining an increasingly dire situation for the Huskies' men's basketball team after a loss at Iowa.
Can Demond Williams Jr. Repair Damage Done by Brief UW Departure?
Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. announced that he’s returning to UW just two days after preparing to break his contract and enter the portal. Will the team and fans welcome him back to Montlake, and can he and coach Jedd Fisch repair the damage?
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