Washington is coming off a 6-7 season under first-year head coach Jedd Fisch, a year marked by roster turnover and growing pains.
After a strong offseason on the recruiting trail, the pieces are starting to fall into place. With first-year starting quarterback Demond Williams Jr. now leading the offense, national optimism is quietly building.
At least that’s what Fox Sports’ College Football Analyst Joel Klatt believes.
“Washington should pop this year,” Klatt said. “This is an under-the-radar one. I don’t feel like enough are paying attention to what’s going on in Seattle. I really like what Jedd Fisch is doing at Seattle. If you look at their trio at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, it’s up there with anybody in the Big Ten. So can they move forward, progress and develop and capitalize on their ability from last season to beat USC and beat Michigan? Can they continue to play at that level?”
Klatt isn’t just impressed by Washington’s upside — he’s intrigued by how quickly the new core has come together. For a team that underwent such significant transition, the Huskies already look more complete than most expected.
“Demond Williams showed that he could be special,” Klatt said. “Just second start in the Sun Bowl against Louisville, 400 total yards, five touchdowns. He’s a dual threat guy. Jonah Coleman is one of the best running backs in the Big Ten. And then Denzel Boston, he’s a true number one on the outside. Those three guys give you a chance.”
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It’s not just the offensive firepower that has Klatt buying into Washington’s trajectory — it’s the changes on defense, too.
“I love what they did on defense,” Klatt said. “Love what they did, because, granted, he’s an old teammate of mine, but I think Ryan Walters is a terrific coach and a great defensive mind. They hired Ryan Walters (this offseason). Remember, he was the defensive coordinator for Illinois under Brett Bielema when they had that great run with some of those NFL players.”
That move could be huge in a Big Ten filled with physical, run-heavy teams. With Walters running the defense, Washington’s hoping to pair its offensive firepower with more grit and structure on the other side of the ball.
Klatt also pointed to Washington’s schedule as a reason for optimism.
“They get three of their four toughest games at home,” Klatt said. “Think about what they’ve done at home in Husky Stadium. They’ve won 20 straight home games, 20. That’s the second longest streak right now behind Georgia. Their last home loss in Seattle was 2021. You look at the games they have, and it’s like, OK, you bet.”
That home-field advantage could play a big role as the Huskies continue to establish themselves in the Big Ten.
“I think they win at least one, maybe two, of those games,” Klatt said. “They also have to travel to Michigan. So of those four games, I think they can win at least two of them. The question is, just which two? Again, Jedd Fisch has done this before. He has built programs. He did this at Arizona. He’s in the process of doing it at Washington.”
Klatt's confidence in Washington stems from more than just talent — he sees a program on the rise, led by a coach who has already proven he can turn things around. With the pieces in place and momentum building, the Huskies are quickly becoming one of the Big Ten's most intriguing wildcards.