Washington is back at home Saturday looking for a cleaner, more convincing showing against Eastern Washington after two narrow wins pushed the Huskies out of the Top 25.
The early results have left little room for celebration. Washington opened with a 24-10 win over visiting Washington State, then followed it with a 16-14 escape against Utah State - enough to stay unbeaten, but not enough to keep its preseason No. 17 ranking intact. Now the Huskies get one more tune-up before Big Ten Conference play begins.
Coach Jedd Fisch made the message plain at his weekly news conference.
"If we keep winning we'll get back in the Top 25, that's what I know. I know that they can't keep you out of it if you win games," Huskies coach Jedd Fisch said at his weekly news conference. "We're 2-0, we've got to find a way to get to 3-0 and then go from there."
Washington’s offense has been operating without its top two running backs and best receiver because of injuries, and the group looked sluggish in last weekend’s win over Utah State, which had lost its opener 29-17 at home to Idaho State of the FCS. Demond Williams Jr. did what he could, finishing 26 of 41 for 249 yards while also leading the team on the ground with 56 yards on 11 carries.
Even so, the Huskies needed a little of everything to avoid the upset. Tyler Robles drilled three field goals, Ansu Sanoe punched in a 1-yard touchdown run and the defense held firm when it mattered most.
Eastern Washington arrives in Seattle at 1-2 after a 41-23 loss at South Dakota last weekend. The Eagles were hanging around late in the second quarter, down 10-3, before a 66-yard touchdown pass opened the game up. South Dakota then came out of the break and struck quickly, hitting a 72-yard run and a 48-yard pass on its first two possessions of the second half to build a 31-3 lead.
EWU running back Malik Dotson said the Eagles are ready to move on.
"I am excited to flush this loss ... and get ready for the University of Washington," EWU running back Malik Dotson told The Spokesman-Review. "We're going to make major strides."
In Other News...
Washington Fans Can Finally Map Out A Big Ten Season That Ends Big
The Big Ten has finally given Washington mens basketball fans something concrete to circle for 2026-27, releasing the Huskies conference schedule with dates and opponents for every league matchup. It is the first full roadmap of what the Huskies will face in their second season of Big Ten play, and it comes with the kind of symmetry coaches and fans alike can appreciate.
Washington will spend the league slate going back and forth across the conference footprint, with the dates now set from opening night through the final stretch. The late-season picture is especially interesting because the Huskies finish at home in a matchup that should carry plenty of weight when the standings tighten, giving their regular-season finale a built-in edge even before the rest of the schedule is sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Offensive Line Problems Have One Huskies Leader Stepping Up
Washingtons offensive line has been leaning on a lot of young pieces, and the early returns have left room for improvement as the Huskies get ready for Eastern Washington in a non-conference matchup. With Big Ten scheduling once again drawing debate about opponent strength and how it fits into College Football Playoff conversations, Washington is trying to steady one of the most important parts of its roster before the schedule gets any harder.
John Mills has been one of the voices pushing that reset, with the units underperformance falling on his shoulders as the group looks to clean up its play. Across campus, Washington also made a basketball staff addition, bringing longtime Oregon assistant Mike Mennenga onto Danny Sprinkles staff, a move that adds another familiar name to the programs broader offseason reshaping. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Faces A Trickier Week 3 Test Than Fans Might Expect
Eastern Washington arrives in Seattle with enough intrigue to make this Week 3 matchup worth a closer look, and the Huskies would be wise not to treat it like a routine nonconference tune-up. In a Q&A with Dan Thompson of the Spokesman-Review, the conversation around the Eagles touched on Aaron Bests steady run as head coach, Marc Andersons offensive direction, Nate Bells role at quarterback and the broader shape of a team trying to position itself in the Big Sky Conference.
For Washington, the interesting part is how much uncertainty still surrounds what Eastern Washington can actually put on the field. Thompson pointed to the impact of injuries, the strengths that remain on both sides of the ball and how first-year defensive coordinator Zach Bruce has changed the feel of that unit, all of which makes this a little more than a standard Week 3 checklist game. The result is a matchup with more variables than fans might expect, and a ceiling for the Eagles that could still shift depending on how quickly those moving pieces come together. [Read more 🡒]