Washington is heading back to the Midwest again, and this time the trip comes with a little extra weight attached.
The Huskies are making their third Midwest trip in the last four weeks, and the hope inside the program is that the road has been kind enough to them already. The same theme runs through the week: adversity, travel, and another chance to handle business away from home.
There’s also a major future scheduling note. Washington and Notre Dame have agreed to a home-and-home series, with the Huskies set to play in South Bend on September 27, 2031, and the Irish scheduled to come to Seattle on November 11, 2034.
As Andy Yamashita noted in his story on the agreement, UW hasn’t faced Notre Dame since 2009, and the Huskies have never beaten Notre Dame in eight meetings. Christian Caple also pointed out that a Husky coach was fired the Monday after the last time the Irish visited Husky Stadium in 2008.
The timing of the deal also lines up with the College Football Playoffs announcing that teams need to play at least 10 Power-4, or Notre Dame, opponents as part of the expanded playoff format.
Washington is also in talks about keeping the Apple Cup on the schedule beyond the 2028 season, when the current agreement expires.
On the media front, the coaching staff and players gave a clearer picture of where things stand after the Penn State game. Coach Walters spoke for the defensive staff and walked through the 12-men-on-the-field penalty late in that game, taking responsibility for it and saying he and the other coaches need to be more detailed so it doesn’t happen again. He also repeated what Coach Fisch had already said: there weren’t really halftime adjustments, just a reminder to the players to stick to their assignments.
Coach Switzer handled the offensive side and talked about the growth of Kodi Greene and Kolt Dietrich, while also stressing the importance of getting the run game going early so the offense can open up.
Derek Colman-Brusa and Darin Conley met with reporters for the defense. Conley discussed heading back to the Midwest, close to home, and Colman-Brusa talked about what it has meant to play in the Big Ten in his first season.
On offense, Demond Williams, Geirean Hatchett, and Jayden Limar spoke with the media. Geirean said he had hoped to “play side by side with” his brother in his final season of college football.
There was also a note on Limar’s progress. Lars Hanson highlighted the way Jayden Limar flashed against Penn State, though Coach Fisch said he remains limited as he continues working back from the injury he suffered in the Apple Cup. The expectation is that Limar can handle more snaps this weekend and for the rest of the season.
A special teams milestone also landed this week. Hunter Green set a Washington record with seven punts of 60 or more yards in a single season.
And on the honors side, Husky great Olin Kreutz was recognized as the 13th Washington player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Around the athletic department, several members of the women’s tennis team will be in the NCAA tournament beginning November 17, and UW men’s soccer has a Big Ten semifinal showdown with Rutgers tonight at 6 PM at Husky Soccer Stadium. The Huskies beat Rutgers 4-1 there back in September, and if they win again, they’ll move on to the conference title game on Sunday, either at home or at Indiana depending on the other semifinal.
In Other News...
Ryan Walters Owns Costly Huskies Mistake With Bowl Hopes Still Alive
Washingtons loss to Penn State on Nov. 7 still had one sequence lingering long after the final whistle, because a late defensive miscue helped swing the closing minutes of a game the Huskies needed to have. With bowl eligibility still in reach, every detail matters now, and the kind of mistake that extends a drive and burns precious time can loom even larger in November.
Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters owned the breakdown, taking responsibility for the miscommunication that put Washington in that spot. The Huskies now have three games left to get to bowl eligibility, which leaves little margin for the sort of lapse that can turn a winnable finish into another missed opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Lawson Is Becoming A Bigger Deal For Washington At The Right Time
Chris Lawsons rise has given Washington a timely boost on offense, and the recognition is starting to match the production. The second-year wide receiver was added to the Biletnikoff Award watchlist, a sign that his season is drawing attention well beyond Seattle as he continues to lead the Huskies in receiving yards and serve as one of the most reliable pieces in the passing game.
For a team still chasing bowl eligibility, Lawsons emergence matters in more than one way. Washington needs one more win to get there, and having a receiver who has become a central part of the offense gives the Huskies a better chance to finish strong while also putting Lawson in the conversation with the nations top pass catchers. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Brings Washington A Familiar Offense With One Big Catch
Michigan States offense has a familiar feel for Washington fans because of Nick Sheridan, whose quarterback-friendly passing approach has roots in his time in Seattle before he moved on to Alabama. The Spartans brought in Pat Fitzgerald after Jonathan Smiths unsuccessful run, and even with the coaching change, the bigger issue has been getting enough healthy bodies on the field to make the system hum.
The results have reflected that reality. Michigan State spent much of the season buried in a six-game skid before snapping it with a 15-6 win over Michigan, a game that still came with plenty of offensive frustration and a roster missing key pieces. Sheridans scheme can create answers for a quarterback, but the current personnel has limited how much of it the Spartans can actually show. [Read more 🡒]