The Washington Huskies are being eyed as a potential dark horse to make significant noise in the Big Ten conference during the 2026 college football season. Despite being picked to finish fourth by the media, the Huskies, currently projected seventh, are generating buzz as a sleeper team under head coach Jedd Fisch.
Fisch has a track record of program turnaround, notably with the Arizona Wildcats. After inheriting a struggling team that went 1-11 in his first year, he led them to a 10-3 record in his third season, developing players like quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. His success at Arizona led him to Washington, where he faced the challenge of replacing nearly all 22 starters from the team that reached the national championship game in the previous season. Despite this, Fisch guided the Huskies to a 6-7 record and a Sun Bowl appearance in his first year, followed by a 9-4 season and a bowl win in 2025.
The Huskies are positioned well due to returning production, ranking in the top 15 nationally with 65% of their production back. This stability is seen as a positive sign, especially considering they did not heavily rely on the transfer portal. A key figure for Washington is quarterback Demond Williams Jr. After seeing limited action in 2024, Williams emerged as a dual-threat player and opted to return to Washington for his junior year. Other notable returning starters include offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi and safety Alex McLaughlin.
The team's schedule also presents an opportunity. Washington will play five of its first six games at home in Husky Stadium and will not travel outside the Pacific Time Zone until mid-October. They also avoid matchups with Ohio State and Michigan, while hosting Indiana and Penn State. This combination of coaching prowess, returning talent, and a manageable schedule has led to optimism for the Huskies' 2026 campaign.