Wins and losses may be the only numbers that matter in the standings, but Washington’s 2-0 start looks a lot less impressive when you dig into how it got there. Jedd Fisch’s team has already slipped out of the top 25 after two uneven performances that did little to back up the preseason optimism around the program.
The Huskies opened against Washington State as more than a three-touchdown favorite and still made it far too close for comfort. What should have been a routine night turned into a messy 24-10 win, with Washington State trimming the margin to three in the fourth quarter and hanging around as a one-score game until the final 2:18.
Washington finished with a 160-yard edge in total offense and a 3-0 advantage in turnovers, but it still took until the closing minutes to put the game away. The result sent the Huskies from No. 17 in the preseason AP poll to No.
Week 2 didn’t clean up the picture much. Washington was listed as a 24.5-point favorite against Utah State, a team that had already lost by 12 at home to Idaho State in Week 1.
Instead, Utah State grabbed the lead in the second quarter before eventually falling 16-14. The Huskies again outgained their opponent, this time by 85 yards, and again won the turnover battle 3-0.
And again, they never looked fully in control.
The offense has been the biggest concern. With Demond Williams back and carrying plenty of buzz, Washington has managed only 40 points through two games against defenses that were not expected to offer much resistance.
Williams, who threw 25 touchdowns last season, has only one passing touchdown through the first two weeks. The run game hasn’t helped matters either, with Washington sitting 110th in FBS in rushing yards per game at 120.5, even before facing a power conference opponent.
Week 3 should bring another comfortable number on the betting line, with Washington a heavy favorite by around six touchdowns against FCS Eastern Washington. But that only sets up the bigger question waiting after that: conference play. Five teams ahead of the Huskies are currently ranked in the top 21 of the AP poll.
Fisch drew plenty of offseason buzz as a possible fit for some of the sport’s biggest openings. After the way Washington has started 2026, he might have been better off taking one of those chances when it was there. Right now, the 2-0 record looks like the kind that could disappear fast once the schedule tightens.
In Other News...
Washington May Finally Get The O-Line Boost It Desperately Needs
Washingtons offensive line has spent the early part of the season trying to find its footing without one of its most experienced pieces. Landen Hatchett, a fourth-year center, has been working back from a broken wrist that sidelined him since last season, and his absence has shown up in the middle of the line, where Kolt Dieterich has been starting while the Huskies have dealt with some early issues up front.
The good news is that help may be close. In a news conference, Jedd Fisch said Hatchett is expected to be back for the Big Ten opener against Minnesota on Sept. 26, giving Washington a chance to stabilize the unit before conference play really gets going. For a line that has already been asked to absorb a lot of change, getting a veteran center back in the fold could be a meaningful step, even if the bigger question is how quickly the whole group can settle in once he returns. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Gets A Timely Offensive Boost Before Eastern Washington
Washingtons final nonconference game of the regular season arrives with a small but meaningful lift on offense. Ahead of the matchup with Eastern Washington, wide receiver Rashid Williams is back in the mix after missing time, giving the Huskies another option as they try to keep the passing game moving in the right direction before Big Ten play settles in for the long haul.
Williams had been viewed as a week-to-week case after getting hurt early in the Utah State game, but Jedd Fisch said a strong week of practice earned him clearance to play. The sophomore has only a modest body of work this season, with 4 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, but for a Washington offense that can use reliable depth at receiver, getting him back now is a timely bit of business. [Read more 🡒]