Man, this stings. The Huskies, after all that hype coming out of a 9-4 season, are sitting at a rough 0-2 in the Big Ten, 3-2 overall, and it feels like we just lost back-to-back gut punches to Minnesota and then USC. That 25-21 defeat to the Trojans? Ouch. It looked like Washington was ready to make some real noise in the conference, maybe even push for a Big Ten championship, but right now, those hopes have been derailed quickly in the Emerald City.
What Happened to the Hype?
Remember last season? Jedd Fisch and Demond Williams Jr. had us believing again. Third year for that duo, nine wins, and all the talk was about how Washington was a dark horse contender in the Big Ten. Fast forward to today, and that momentum has just evaporated. The million-dollar question for Fisch and the squad is why they haven’t been able to build on that nine-win campaign. Williams Jr. was supposed to be one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten, the guy who’d lead the charge even with some key losses on offense. Instead, he’s just plateaued. Seriously, against tougher competition this year, he just hasn’t been able to elevate his game, and you can see it in those tough losses.
That Schedule Ain’t Foolin’ Anyone Anymore
Alright, Huskies faithful, let’s be real with ourselves. Maybe that 2025 nine-win season wasn’t quite what we thought it was. ESPN FPI had Washington with the third-easiest schedule in the Big Ten last year, only Nebraska and Maryland had it softer. Washington deserves credit for taking advantage, yeah, but looking back, that resume is pretty easy to pick apart. Against conference teams with winning records, we were 1-3. Against teams with losing records? A cushy 4-1. We beat Maryland, Rutgers, Purdue, and UCLA, and those teams combined for a brutal 12-34 record. Now? Life is way harder. We’ve seen it with Minnesota and USC, teams that are gonna finish at or above .500. And guess what? The road ahead isn’t getting any smoother. This team faces the fifth-toughest remaining strength of schedule.
Seven games left, but it’s an uphill battle. This weekend, No. 20 Iowa visits Seattle, and that’s just the start. Washington still has to go through Nebraska, Penn State, Indiana, and Oregon down the stretch. With Williams Jr.’s struggles and this gauntlet of a schedule, we’re staring down a serious fight just to get bowl eligible. Forget those nine-win aspirations for now, it’s about getting back on track, starting with Iowa on October 9. Let’s show them what the Seattle crowd can do!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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