How was year two under Jedd Fisch? Well, it wasn't like Kalen DeBoer's sophomore season, but it also wasn't like Jimmy Lake's. Sometimes consistent, competent coaching matters. You know what they say: the Fisch rots from the Jedd.
With that idiotic joke out of the way, let's revisit last year's AWOOOOHUSKIES season, shall we?
What were the expectations?
Transient Buckeye: Washington was just two seasons removed from an appearance in the national title game entering the 2025 season. They drew a Big Ten slate that was challenging, but not as daunting as it could've been. The Huskies looked to be in line for a solid season, though I don't remember anyone being so bold as to suggest that they were legitimate Big Ten title contenders. They had some exciting playmakers on offense, which suggested they'd be quite watchable. They were also helmed by Jedd Fisch, which suggested that those playmakers would have to overcome not only their opponents, but also their own coaching staff.
Kind of...: My recollection was that Washington could be a darkhorse CFP contender, but a lot would have to go right. They weren't going to be a powerhouse, but the schedule was intriguing and there was reasonable talent present. The visit from Illinois seemed especially crucial.
Biff: I‘d be lying if I said I came into the season “expectations” for Washington but it was a team that seemed like it had Strong 8-4 Energy and the schedule seemed favorable for that to be the floor rather than the ceiling.
So, how'd it go?
Transient Buckeye: Washington was mostly decent in 2025. They went 8-4 in the regular season, and waxed Boise State in their bowl game. Three of their four losses came to teams that were solidly better than they were. So no real black marks there. The fourth loss? We'll get to that one in a minute....
Kind of...: Let's get to the fourth loss right now! They lost to a putrid Wisconsin team on a very rainy and dreary night. As I've noted at least half a dozen times, Wisconsin won that game despite their punter being their leading passer. And it's not like there was an 80 yard fake punt TD. For the evening, Wisconsin was 6-18-48 yards in the air. You should feel really bad, Washington.
Otherwise, yeah, 9-4 with losses to Ohio State and Oregon isn't shameful. There weren't really competitive in a loss at Ann Arbor, and maybe that indicates something. But they still are clearly in the top half of the conference.
Biff: In the end Washington did exactly what it said on the tin. 8-4, could and should have been 9-3 except for * gestures wildly at the Wisconsin game *
Bielema’s Revenge after the defeat of ranked Illinois? Listen I’m not saying Bert has a wizard of some kind in his phone that he met during a Caribbean bender but I’m not NOT saying that.
Transient Buckeye: I think technically Wisconsin beat Washington a couple of weeks before their ambush of Illinois. Although if Bielema has a wizard phone, there's no reason he couldn't have engaged in a bit of time-bending. Honestly, it's more fun to think that he did, so let's go with that.
What were the highlights?
Transient Buckeye: In Week 2, Washington obliterated former Pac-12 rival Washington State in the Apple Cup 59-24. Yes, Wazzou was awful last year, but a second-degree Mollywhopping of a rival is cause for celebration no matter how bad the rival is. They whipped up on a ranked Illinois team in late October, and curb-stomped Boise State in their bowl game. As a highlight list, that feels a little light, but for a team that won 9 games, Washington didn't really stock the shelf with a lot of quality scalps.
Kind of...: Yeah, they really handled Illinois. In the season finale, the were trailing Oregon by 5 midway through the fourth. Given the bitterness of the rivalry, you can't count that as a highlight, but it does show that Washington was a reasonably good team, even if the quality of the victories overall was a bit thin.
Biff: I’m with Transient Buckeye. Rivalry games are rivalry games and weird stuff happens. Just ask Iowa and Iowa State. And given the peripherals that have happened around the Apple Cup with the demise of the old PAC-12, this was a situation where I felt an angry Wazzu might have a puncher’s chance. Credit to the Huskies for coming in doing a professional dismantling of them, plenty of teams have done far worse in similar situations.
And the lowlights?
Transient Buckeye: Home losses to Ohio State and Oregon weren't that shameful, because Washington wasn't expected to beat either of those teams, and they managed to hang around in both contests before folding late. Losing to Michigan on the road wasn't surprising, either, but Washington self-destructed to a truly impressive degree in the second half, obliterating any possibility of a comeback.
But the real shit sundae was the Wisconsin game. The Badgers looked to be headed for an 0-fer in conference play, but then they had the good fortune to encounter Road Washington. In their defense, Washington was very beat up going into that game, with most of their top offensive players either out of the game, or playing at far less than 100%. But the Badgers only put up 13 points. A team of Washington's stature really should've been able to find two touchdowns in their sock drawer, injuries or no injuries. That game has to have been one of the biggest upsets in last season's Big Ten (not the biggest, UCLA over Penn State has that one on lockdown, but this one was definitely a contender for the silver).
Kind of...: Again, WISCONSIN'S LEADING PASSER THREW FOR 24 YARDS! AND IT WAS THE PUNTER!!
Washington entered that game 7-2, and, with Oregon still on the schedule, could reasonably feel like going 10-2 would've earned them a CFP spot. (I think that probably would've happened had they won out.) But, Huskie injuries notwithstanding, Desmond Williams played the whole game. It's just that Wisconsin's defense really showed out (helped by the weather), holding the Huskies to 250 yards of offense, with five sacks and two force turnovers.
Biff: Washington was lucky to get October Maryland on 10/4 rather than September Maryland because that 24-20 result could have been the other way.
Washington was losing 20-0 when they kicked what appears to be a Sad Field Goal in the 3rd Quarter. After generating no offense all game, on their last five drives they assembled 45 plays, 298 yards, and 24 points to Maryland’s 19-55-0.
If Mike Locksley hadn‘t glanced at a calendar in the 3rd Quarter break it could have been a very different season for Washington.
Any memorable and or absurd moments?
Transient Buckeye: You know how we have about a million memes here relating to September Maryland vs. October/November Maryland? Washington is well on the way to making themselves the object of a similar dichotomy, but this one is rooted in location rather than the calendar. Home Washington is a formidable opponent deserving of respect even from the conference's elite teams. Road Washington lost to a dreadful Wisconsin team, and trailed October Maryland by three scores in the second half before the Terps remembered what month it was. I don't think any team in the Big Ten has such a pronounced delta between their home performances and their road performances.
Kind of...: @TransientBuckeye has it nailed. The road win over Maryland was the only game Washington won last year outside the Pacific time zone. That said, 10 of their 13 games were played in that time zone. Still, besides Maryland, there was the really bad loss to Wisconsin, and a no show against Michigan, so, yeah, the Huskies struggle when they head east.
Biff: I presume Washington’s road woes are due to their confusion at playing in so many non-amphibious venues. At home, they’re Al Czervik driving a giant yacht recklessly around the marina. On the road they trade it out for the Flying Wasp.
