No assessment of Washington’s season would be complete without acknowledging the central role played by reference points.
The longer your view of the Huskies, the more favorable the impression.
The shorter your timeframe, the worse it looks.
How so? Let’s use three windows to explain:
— Had you told UW fans back in January 2024, following a mass exodus of talent, that new coach Jedd Fisch would complete his second season with nine wins and a postseason blowout of Boise State, most constituents would have taken that endgame in a heartbeat.
— Had you offered that outcome in August 2025, when optimism was rising and quarterback Demond Williams appeared poised for a breakout season, that same collection of fans likely would have been pleased but less than delighted.
— And had you presented a 9-4 record and LA Bowl victory to the faithful on Nov. 1 of this season, when playoff whispers were making the rounds on Montlake, well, the reaction might have included a few words that are not fit for print.
Expectations soared over the first nine months of this year, perhaps unreasonably so, and continued to rise as the Huskies laid waste to outclassed opponents.
But the 70-point thrashing of UC Davis, the Apple Cup romp and subsequent wins over Maryland and Rutgers masked UW’s structural weaknesses — weaknesses that were laid bare against the handful of elite opponents, and one non-elite team, on the schedule.
When passing judgment, the Hotline typically leans into the sweep of time. Our benchmark for the grade below is closer to January 2024 than November 2025.
UW’s trajectory has been more than acceptable to this point in Fisch’s tenure.
That said, another step forward is necessary next fall.
2025 grade: B+
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Demond Williams. We did not consider anyone else, for the two potential options — tailback Jonah Coleman and receiver Denzel Boston — were limited by injuries, opportunities and opposition.
Williams was dazzling at times. In 10 games against unranked opponents, he threw for 23 touchdowns, averaged 9.5 yards per attempt and boasted a passer rating of 176.8, good for seventh-best in the nation (according to SportSource Analytics).
But his inexperience showed at the wrong times. In three games against ranked opponents (Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon), Williams threw two touchdowns, averaged 6.1 yards per attempt, and had a passer rating of just 110.2, which was 62nd nationally.
Williams wasn’t entirely responsible for the successes or the failures. There’s only so much a quarterback can do without time to throw or open receivers. But he must become more efficient from the pocket.
Defensive Player of the Year: S Alex McLaughlin. On a team without defensive stars, McLaughlin stood out for his consistency. He led the Huskies with 93 tackles (nobody was close) and was frequently disruptive against the pass. We considered Zach Durfee and Jacob Lane, but their impact as pass rushers was limited.
Generally, the Huskies were a sum-of-the-parts defense. They finished sixth in the Big Ten, and 19th nationally, in fewest yards-per-play allowed. But they didn’t place anyone on the 36-player all-conference team (as selected by the coaches).
Ryan Walters was superb in his first year as defensive coordinator.
Best game: Illinois. There weren’t many choices for this category given that Washington’s 42-25 steamrollering of the Illini was the lone victory over a team that finished the season with a winning record. The Oct. 25 performance reflected the Huskies at their most tantalizing.
Worst game: Wisconsin. An easy call as UW’s only loss of the season against an unranked opponent. The 13-10 face plant in Madison looks bad with hindsight but was positively dreadful at the time: The Badgers had lost six in a row and possessed an offense straight from the Stone Age. Six weeks later, the result continues to feel surreal.
Troublesome trend: In their three losses to ranked opponents (Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon), the Huskies scored 27 points total. In the second half of those games, they scored 10.
Half-full outlook: If the Huskies avoid carnage in the transfer portal and patch their hole with newcomers, they should enter the 2026 season with an open road to a nine-win regular season. (If the College Football Playoff expands to 16 teams, nine wins might be enough for an at-large bid.) The schedule features Indiana and USC but not Michigan or Ohio State.
Half-empty outlook: The Huskies won’t close ground on the best in the Big Ten without substantial improvement along the offensive line. If Williams doesn’t have time to throw or room to run, his production will remain limited and progress evident over two years will stall. (They could stand a few playmakers on the other side of scrimmage, as well.) Consider the Hotline skeptical: The gap between the Huskies and the conference elite is substantial.
X factor: Fisch’s future. We don’t claim to know where Fisch resides on Michigan’s wish list but would not be surprised by any outcome. His tenure under Jim Harbaugh was an eternity ago and predates the scandals that have tarnished Michigan’s brand. But would the Wolverines hire the coach of a team that was hammered by them in the middle of the season, then lost to lowly Wisconsin a few weeks later? It could depend on how many candidates turn them down.
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