Washington’s first Big Ten test in 2026 may not come with the sizzle of the USC trip, but it could tell the Huskies almost everything they need to know about the season ahead.
The opener against Minnesota on Sept. 26 sits in a dangerous spot on the schedule. It arrives one week before Washington heads to Los Angeles for an Oct. 3 matchup with USC, and that timing is exactly why CBS Sports college football analyst Brad Crawford labeled the Golden Gophers the Huskies’ biggest trap game.
“The Golden Gophers should have Washington’s full attention in both teams’ Big Ten opener, but USC looms the following week,” Crawford wrote.
That sets up the kind of look-ahead situation teams hate. Minnesota does not carry the same national shine as USC, but that is part of the problem for Washington. It is easy to imagine the Trojans getting the bulk of the attention while the Huskies try to avoid letting a quieter conference opener slip away.
P.J. Fleck’s team brings the kind of style that can make life miserable for anyone not locked in.
Minnesota wants to drag games into a grind, lean on possession, and force opponents into uncomfortable stretches. That is a tricky assignment for a Washington team still trying to find consistency under Jedd Fisch.
Demond Williams Jr. gives the Huskies a quarterback with real upside, but conference play rarely offers much breathing room. A loss at home to open Big Ten play would instantly drain some of the drama from the USC game and put Washington in a tough spot early.
“Realistically, if Demond Williams and Washington lose this one at home, the trip to Los Angeles loses much of its intrigue and leaves the Huskies with virtually no margin for error the rest of the season,” Crawford wrote.
That is what makes Minnesota such an important game. It is not just the first conference matchup on the calendar.
It is a pressure check, right out of the gate. And if Washington wants any real traction in the national conversation, it cannot afford to stumble before the schedule even gets to its headline act.
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