If Washington’s season still had any College Football Playoff smoke left in it, Minnesota blew it out in a hurry.
The Huskies had spent the last three weeks stacking up warning signs, and the Gophers turned those hints into a 27-24 loss at Husky Stadium. Washington was talented enough to avoid getting run out of its own building, and it even clawed back when the game started tilting hard in Minnesota’s favor. But the bigger picture was impossible to miss: this looked like a team that had been flirting with trouble for weeks, and Minnesota made the reality official.
Some of the issues have been easy to spot. Washington’s run game has been stuck in neutral because of heavy injuries and a lack of top-end talent.
Demond Williams, after a controversial offseason, was always going to be judged one way or the other; so far, it’s been more struggle than shine. And in year three under Jedd Fisch, the preparation still doesn’t look where it needs to be.
Williams actually finished with more passing yards than Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey, though that didn’t feel like the story for most of the night. The two quarterbacks did share one ugly trait: interceptions.
Lindsey’s pick helped spark a Husky rally, but he was otherwise the cleaner operator, especially against a Washington defense that has generally held up well against the pass over the last three seasons. Lindsey threw three touchdowns, all before halftime, and completed 21 of 29 passes for 204 yards.
Minnesota also controlled the line of scrimmage in a way Washington simply couldn’t. The Gophers ran for 125 yards on 33 carries, giving Lindsey the kind of support the Huskies haven’t been able to count on this season. Washington managed just 40 rushing yards on 27 carries, and that number was dragged down further by the seven sacks Minnesota piled up on Williams and company.
The start was exactly what Washington didn’t need. The Huskies were trying to erase the memory of their previous three games, but Minnesota jumped ahead 14-0 after the first quarter. Washington’s first score came right after Williams threw the first of his two interceptions.
That’s the frustrating part with Williams. When he’s rolling, the ceiling looks enormous.
When he isn’t, the flaws show up fast. Against Minnesota, he finished with three total touchdowns, but the night also included missed throws, bad sacks, and two turnovers.
For Washington to take a step forward, he has to take one too.
The defense wasn’t as crisp as expected early, but it did settle in some as the game moved along. Minnesota still hit on enough big plays to stay in control, yet those explosive moments came less often in the second half than they had in the first three quarters, when the Gophers were pushing UW around on the ground and striking through the air.
And now the schedule gets even less forgiving. Washington’s next two opponents are ranked, starting with a road trip to USC before Iowa comes to Montlake in a Friday night game. After that comes a stretch that includes Purdue, Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan State, Indiana, and a road finale against Oregon.
Fisch has done plenty of good work on the recruiting trail. The problem is what happens if that talent never turns into enough wins.
The answer isn’t here yet. What is clear is that Washington still has a long way to go before it belongs with the Big Ten’s best, and this loss was a blunt reminder that preseason expectations don’t automatically move you up the league ladder.
In Other News...
Former Huskies Linebacker Now Has A Chance To Haunt Washington
Deven Bryant spent last season as a key piece of Washingtons defense, logging 12 games and starting 10 of them while finishing with 62 total tackles in 2025. Now the former Huskies linebacker has moved on to USC, setting up the kind of transfer-portal storyline that always lingers a little longer when a player ends up on the other side of a rivalry.
Washingtons linebacker room became crowded enough that Bryant no longer projected as a starter, and the change opened the door for a fresh opportunity elsewhere. Head coach Kyle Whittingham confirmed Bryants decision and praised him, with Bryant making it clear he wanted a chance to start, so the Huskies will now have to prepare for a familiar face in a different jersey. [Read more 🡒]
USC Must Rework Its Linebackers At The Worst Possible Time
USCs linebacker room is suddenly in a tougher spot after the Trojans had to absorb the fallout from a recent game that also forced coach Lincoln Riley to revisit how he wants that unit arranged. Riley, speaking Sept. 28 on Trojans Live, said the group will need to be reworked and that the staff is looking closely at both the depth chart and the way key moments were handled against Oregon.
The timing is less than ideal because the Trojans are trying to steady their defense while also sorting through who fits where next. Riley stressed the importance of depth and better execution in the games ahead, and the coming week will give USC a chance to sort out different linebacker combinations before deciding on a more permanent answer. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Just Lost A Receiver It Could Struggle To Replace
Christian Moss had worked his way into a starting role after transferring from Kennesaw State, giving Washington a veteran presence at receiver just as the Huskies were trying to stabilize an offense already dealing with a rash of injuries. Instead, the sixth-year wideout is now out after quad surgery, leaving a unit that has already absorbed multiple blows, including several running backs lost for the season.
For Washington, the loss stings because Moss had become the kind of experienced target that can help ease pressure on a young offense and settle things down in key moments. There is at least some hope he could return later in the season, but with NCAA eligibility rules tightening the path to an extra year, the Huskies may be looking at this as more than a temporary setback. [Read more 🡒]