The College Football Playoff is expanding, and with it comes a new postseason roadmap - one the Washington Huskies are hoping to navigate for a third time in program history.
Washington, fresh off a dramatic few seasons that included a national title game appearance and a major coaching turnover, finds itself back in the preseason spotlight. The Huskies have landed in multiple early Top 25 rankings, including nods from the NCAA, ESPN, and On3. That kind of national attention is no accident - it's a nod to the resilience of a program that, despite losing key players and head coach Kalen DeBoer after the 2024 title game loss to Michigan, is still very much in the playoff conversation.
And now, if the Huskies do punch their ticket to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, they know exactly what the path looks like.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel released the full slate of quarterfinal and semifinal dates for the next two CFP seasons, giving programs like Washington a clear picture of what’s at stake - and when.
For the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, the quarterfinals will begin with the Fiesta Bowl on December 30. That will be followed by a New Year’s Day triple-header featuring the Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Rose Bowl on January 1, 2027. The semifinal round will then take place two weeks later, with the Orange Bowl set for January 14 and the Sugar Bowl on January 15.
Looking ahead to the 2027-28 season, the schedule flips slightly. The Sugar Bowl will kick off the quarterfinals on December 31, 2027, with the Fiesta, Peach, and Rose Bowls following on January 1, 2028. The semifinals will be held on January 13 and 14 of 2028, hosted by the Orange and Cotton Bowls, respectively.
One notable change this year: the CFP is moving to a two-week break between the quarterfinals and semifinals. That’s a shift from the previous one-week turnaround - and it’s a big deal for teams that make deep runs. More rest, more prep time, and more opportunity to get healthy and game-plan.
As for Washington, the Huskies are no strangers to the CFP - but it’s been under the old four-team format. They’ve made the field twice: first in the 2016-17 season, then again in 2023-24, both times as Pac-12 champions. That second appearance came in their final year in the Pac-12 before jumping to the Big Ten, a move that’s already reshaping the program’s identity and competitive landscape.
Since joining the Big Ten, Washington has stepped into one of the most competitive conferences in college football - and last season proved it. Three Big Ten teams made the playoff: Indiana, who stunned the nation by winning it all, along with perennial powerhouses Ohio State and Oregon.
But the Huskies aren’t backing down. They return one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country in junior Demond Williams Jr., who led the Big Ten in total yards last season with 3,676. That kind of production gives Washington a legitimate shot to contend again, even in a conference as deep and physical as the Big Ten.
Another subtle advantage this season? No East Coast road trips. That might not sound like much, but in a grueling schedule where every extra hour of rest counts, avoiding those long travel days could pay dividends down the stretch.
Washington has already proven it can reload, not just rebuild. With a new playoff format, a seasoned quarterback, and a clear postseason roadmap, the Huskies are setting their sights on another run - and this time, they’ll be aiming to go even further.