Demond Williams Jr. didn’t need long to flip the game.
The Washington backup quarterback, back in action after being sidelined with fractured ribs since Oct. 9 against Iowa, entered in the fourth quarter and immediately sparked a comeback that sent Nebraska home with a 17-10 Big Ten loss on Saturday night. Williams capped the rally with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Chris Lawson with 1:30 left, then watched the Huskies slam the door moments later.
Just 15 seconds after that go-ahead strike, Alex McLaughlin stepped in front of an Anthony Colandrea pass and raced 48 yards for a touchdown, stretching Washington’s lead to 17-7 and putting the game out of reach. Lawson also came up huge throughout the final drive, finishing with a career-best 12 catches for 155 yards.
On fourth-and-18, he kept the possession alive with a twisting 24-yard catch while falling backward near the sideline. Two plays later, Williams found him streaking down the left boundary, where Lawson shook off a tackle and dove into the end zone for the lead.
Washington (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) had started Elijah Brown at quarterback in place of Williams. Brown went 19 of 30 for 136 yards before Williams took over in the fourth quarter and completed 7 of 13 passes for 99 yards. Williams also led the Huskies on the ground with 28 rushing yards on four carries.
Nebraska’s slide continued with its third straight defeat, all of them marked by fourth-quarter leads slipping away. The Cornhuskers are now 5-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
Colandrea finished 24 of 44 for 255 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Jamal Rule handled 13 carries for a team-high 72 rushing yards, and Jacory Barney Jr. added six receptions for 65 yards.
Nebraska’s quarterback opened the game with two interceptions on the first two drives, but the Cornhuskers steadied themselves late in the first quarter with a 10-play, 95-yard drive. That march ended with a 24-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Carter Nelson on third-and-2.
From there, the game settled into a defensive grind. Neither team reached the red zone until Nebraska finally drove inside the Washington 20 with 11:07 left in regulation.
The Huskies held, though, and Kyle Cunanan pushed a 36-yard field goal wide right, leaving Nebraska ahead 7-3. Washington’s only points before the fourth quarter came on Tyler Robles’ career-long 50-yard field goal with 41 seconds left in the first half.
Nebraska got a late 42-yard field goal from John Hohl with 31 seconds remaining to trim the margin to 17-10, but Lawson recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal it for Washington.
In Other News...
Washington Is Suddenly Chasing A Recruiting Win Fans Will Notice
Washingtons push to sharpen its recruiting operation is starting to show up in a place fans will notice. The Huskies have been making moves behind the scenes, including hiring Alex Kline as general manager to help strengthen recruiting and NIL efforts, and now they are in the mix for a Class of 2027 shooting guard whose decision could say something about where the program is headed.
Jimmie Haywood will announce his college commitment on Nov. 3, with Washington among the schools still in the running alongside Nevada and Loyola Marymount. For a program looking to build momentum as it prepares for the 2026-27 regular season opener against Colgate at Alaska Airlines Arena, landing a player like Haywood would be a meaningful sign that the Huskies can compete for talent in a crowded field. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Recruiting Just Took A Hit In A Critical Pipeline
Washingtons grip on a key recruiting target in the 2027 class loosened this week when four-star wide receiver Dontay Tyson Jr. reopened his recruitment and moved on from the Huskies. Tyson, a Peoria High School standout in Arizona, had been part of Washingtons early work on the trail after committing in June, a notable win in a pipeline the staff clearly wanted to protect.
His decision leaves the Huskies back at square one with a prospect ranked among the nations top 400 players, and it comes at a time when every high-end receiver commitment matters for a program trying to build momentum in the West. Tysons move to Wisconsin is another reminder that early pledges can be fragile, especially when other programs keep pushing after a player has already made an initial call. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Will Learn Fast If Danny Sprinkles Roster Is Really Ready
The Huskies will get an immediate early test when they open the 2026-27 season against Colgate at Alaska Airlines Arena, a matchup that should tell Danny Sprinkle plenty about where his roster stands right away. Sprinkle pointed to the Red Raiders discipline and offensive punch during a news conference, and with USC also on the schedule later in the year, Washington is stepping into a nonconference slate that should reveal plenty about how quickly this group can settle in.
For Washington, the opener also comes with the benefit of having key players available, which should at least give the Huskies a cleaner read on their first real game together. The bigger question is how well they handle a Colgate team that can make opponents work for every possession, especially this early in the season when chemistry and communication are still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]