> ## 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. # Huskies, Demond Williams Jr. Return From Dead, Stun Nebraska - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/washington-huskies-demond-williams-jr-chris-lawson-alex-mclaughlin-nebraska/ - Published: 2026-11-01T05:09:04.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-01T05:10:27.000Z - Description: Looking lifeless for three quarters, the Washington Huskies turned to benched starting quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to lead a go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive in a 17-10 win at Nebraska. How was UW able to come away with the improbable victory? - Author: Aaron Coe - Tags: Game Day, Huskies Football, Elijah Brown, Jedd Fisch, Chris Lawson, Demond Williams Jr., Alex McLaughlin An offense left for dead, led by a quarterback suddenly buried on the depth chart, dug itself out of a Memorial Stadium grave for a 17- 10 comeback win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday. In front of a lively Nebraska crowd donned in black for the Halloween blackout game, Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch turned to benched starter Demond Williams Jr. in the fourth quarter with his team unable to move the ball but still in the game, trailing 7-3\. "I thought we needed a spark," Jeff Fisch told the Big Ten Network after arguably his biggest win in his three years as Washington's head coach. "We were getting a lot of man coverage. His ability to do things with his feet – his ability to do things with his arm – I couldn't be more proud of him. "Just amazing. Amazing job." Williams' results were mixed before the third-year passer decided that throwing the football to second-year receiver Chris Lawson was a good idea. Lawson caught two Williams passes for 47 yards on the 81-yard go-ahead drive, including a spectacultar fourth-and-18 grab on the sideline. He dazzled in a different fashion two plays later, using a spin move at the 20 on his way to a 25-yard TD for 10-7 edge with 1:30 to go. Lawson, who was not in the starting lineup to begin the season, later salted victory away by recovering Nebraska's onside kick for the Huskies' (5-3 overall, 2-3 Big Ten) second straight conference win. Any questions about whether a defense that kept the Huskies in contention all night long could get one more stop were quickly answered by fourth-year safety Alex McLaughlin. On the second play of Nebraska's drive following Lawson's TD, McLaughlin stepped in front of an Anthony Colandrea pass intended for Luke Lindenmeyer. The UW defensive captain caught Washington's third interception of the game and returned it 48 yards to put the game out of reach. McLaughlin, in coverage during Colandrea's 24-yard TD pass to Carter Nelseon with 1:46 remaining in the opening quarter, more than atoned for Nebraska's lone trip to the end zone. "I gave them a touchdown there in the first quarter," McLaughlin told the Big Ten Network after finishing with eight tackles and two pass breakups. "\[The UW defense\] picked my head up right away. So I think just for us is we don't want to be a bend-don't-break team. We want to go attack the football. We want to take the ball away. "So, just shout out to \[defensive coordinator Ryan\] Walters and \[safeties coach Taylor\] Mays for keeping me happy." It was the third straight fourth-quarter loss for Nebraska, which started 5-0 (2-0 in conference) before losses to Indiana, Oregon and Washington. For 45 minutes of game time, victory seemed improbable for the Huskies. Quarterback Elijah Brown, who dazzled in six quarters of play that included UW's first Big Ten win at Purdue on Oct. 16, could not find the magic that led to six passing touchdowns in his previous six quarters of play. Against a strong Nebraska front that held Washington's running backs to a total of 29 yards rushing, Brown threw for just 136 yards while completing 19 of 30 passes. Williams entered the game with 10:01 to go. The first drive ended when Fisch called on Hunter Green for his eighth punt of the night with the Huskies facing fourth-and-5 at the Nebraska 42\. Needing one more stop for a chance, UW safety Alex McLaughlin crushed Cornhuskers receiver Jacory Barney Jr. on a third-down incompletion, and was initially called for targeting. It was waived off, and Nebraska punted with 4:29 to go. **Drive Out of Nowhere** The Huskies got the full Demond Williams Jr. experience on that possession. Washington began the drive with its sixth false start of the game, and Williams misfired twice to set up third-and-15\. Williams, who left the Oct. 9 Iowa game with a rib injury just before halftime trailing 27-3, gave UW the boost it needed with a 17-yard sprint to pick up the first down. He took an inexplicable sack on third-and-14 before finding Lawson on fourth-and-18 to give UW a chance. Two plays later, he connected with Lawson again for a short pass, and Lawson spun his way for the offense's only trip to the end zone. Lawson finished with a game-high 12 catches for 155 yards and the TD. Williams completed seven of 13 attempts for 99 yards and four carries for 28 yards in under a quarter of work. **Defensive Battle** Though the offense put together the late drive, the defense gave the Huskies chance after chance to seize a win. Washington picked off Colandrea three times, including first-quarter picks by Rylon Dillard Allen and Emmanuel Karnley between Washington punts. Second-year linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale led the Huskies with 10 tackles, including one of Washington's two sacks to join freshman defensive tackle Derek Colman-Brusa. Nebraska outgained the Huskies 224 yards to 118 in the first half, but stalled in UW territory. The game featured 13 total punts, including eight boots for 391 yards by Green, five of which were downed inside Nebraska's 20\. The Huskies punted after their first four drives, before Tyler Robles capped a nine-play, 56-yard drive with a season-long 50-yard field goal to cut Nebraska's lead to 7-3 with 41 seconds to go before half. "Our guys kept battling," Fisch told the Big Ten Network. "We said the last play never met the next play, and they proved that right today. Our guys kept battling, battling, battling, finding a way, making some amazing plays. How about the defense? How about Chris Lawson? I mean, just so awesome for our whole team. Our whole team, amazing job."