The Washington Huskies are heading into Jedd Fisch’s third season with plenty of familiar pieces, but the betting markets still aren’t buying all the way in.
Most sites have Washington slotted to take a step back from last year’s 9-4 finish, even though the roster brings back a healthy amount of production. Covers.com has the Huskies’ 2026 win total set at 7.5, a number that would mark a decline from the season that ended with a 38-10 win over Boise State in the Los Angeles Bowl. That 7.5-win line appears to be the general read across most betting sites, which would put Washington in the middle of the Big Ten pack.
The reason for optimism is obvious. The Huskies return four of five starters on the offensive line, along with junior quarterback Demond Williams Jr., last season’s second-leading receiver Dezmen Roebuck and junior tight end Decker DeGraaf. That kind of continuity gives Washington a real base to build on.
There’s also reason to think the defense can hold together, even after losing starting cornerbacks Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis, both projected as 2026 NFL draft picks. Heralded sophomore Dylan Robinson and senior transfer portal addition Emmanuel Karnley are set to step in there.
The preseason buzz has not been limited to betting lines, either. In The Athletic’s preseason top 25 poll, released after most spring games were complete, Sam Khan Jr. and Austin Mock ranked Washington 14th.
Their writeup pointed directly to the returning talent as the main driver behind that placement:
"The Huskies had to fill some vacancies on offense, but they return quarterback Demond Williams and four starters along the offensive line. True freshman Kodi Greene, a five-star recruit, appears ready to start Day 1 at left tackle to fill out the front. On defense, the Huskies return their two leading tacklers, safety Alex McLaughlin and linebacker Xe’ree Alexander, their TFL leader, Jacob Lane, and an experienced middle linebacker in Jacob Manu, a one-time all-conference pick who’s fully healthy after two injury-shortened seasons."
Fisch arrived in Seattle after Washington’s College Football Playoff championship loss to Michigan, and the roster he inherited changed quickly. Wide receiver Rome Odunze and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. moved on to the NFL, while then-head coach Kalen DeBoer left for the Alabama Crimson Tide job.
Coming off a strong rebuild at Arizona, Fisch was asked to do the same at Washington. He opened with a 6-7 record in his first season and then pushed the Huskies up by three wins last year.