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First Look at Illinois Football's Week 9 Opponent: Washington Huskies

The Illini’s College Football Playoff hopes hang in the balance as they make a crucial West Coast trip to face the Huskies
Pranav Hegde|
Oct 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies offensive lineman Drew Azzopardi (74) enters the field before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Oct 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies offensive lineman Drew Azzopardi (74) enters the field before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniWashington Huskies

After a week off, Illinois football returns to action with a massive road test in Seattle – a showdown against the Washington Huskies that could shape the Illini’s College Football Playoff trajectory. Bret Bielema’s squad enters the matchup at 5-2, with its only losses coming to the nation’s top two teams, and the road ahead still sets up favorably. But this one looms large. A win in Husky Stadium – one of college football’s loudest and most hostile environments – would easily stand as Illinois’ most significant victory of the season. Expect a charged atmosphere and a playoff-level intensity on both sides.

Washington at a glance

The Huskies enter Week 8 at 5-2 and just outside the AP Top 25 – but don’t be deceived by the absence of a ranking. This is a disciplined, battle-tested team that plays with confidence and an edge. After inheriting a roster gutted by departures from a national championship run the year before his arrival, second-year head coach Jedd Fisch has quickly steadied the ship. Drawing on his extensive experience across both the NFL and college levels, Fisch has rebuilt Washington into a physical, well-coached and resilient program.

The Huskies opened the season with three straight wins before falling at home to No. 1 Ohio State, 24-6. They bounced back with convincing victories over Maryland and Rutgers, then ran into Michigan on the road, where they were overpowered in the trenches and fell 24-7. Despite those setbacks, Washington has proven it can hang with anyone and will be eager to defend its home turf against an Illinois team still fighting for national respect.

Huskies on the field

Washington is led by electrifying true sophomore quarterback Demond Williams, a dynamic dual threat. Through seven games, he has thrown for 1,837 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 363 yards and four more scores on the ground. However, Williams has shown vulnerability when pressured – his three turnovers against Michigan came as the Wolverines’ front dominated the line of scrimmage and forced him into mistakes.

His top two weapons in the passing game are junior Denzel Boston and true freshman Dezmen Roebuck, a duo that has combined for 873 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Boston, a 6-foot-4 physical presence, thrives against press coverage and routinely wins contested catches. Roebuck, meanwhile, is an explosive young playmaker who can turn short gains into big plays after the catch.

On the ground, the Huskies rely on senior running back Jonah Coleman, who followed Fisch from Arizona. Coleman is a compact, powerful runner with great balance and vision, and has already totaled 568 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns – plus another 284 yards and a score as a receiver.

Defensively, Washington has been one of the nation’s most consistent and disciplined units, holding every opponent to 24 points or fewer this season. The Huskies are led by a familiar face in defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, who guided Illinois’ defense from 2021-2022 and has brought that same aggressive, detail-oriented approach to Seattle.

Up front, Washington has been dominant against the run – ranking eighth nationally while allowing just 84.8 yards per game – and its secondary has held opponents to 254.0 passing yards on average. Junior edge rusher Jacob Lane anchors the front with 2.5 sacks, while the safety tandem of Alex McLaughlin and Makell Esteen has been a ball-hawking duo on the back end, combining for four interceptions and countless momentum-shifting plays.

Illinois vs. Washington matchup

For both programs, the path to the College Football Playoff remains open – but this Week 9 clash is pivotal for each. Illinois enters fresh off a bye week, giving Bret Bielema and his staff extra time to prepare for the cross-country trip to Seattle. That added preparation could be a major advantage in what promises to be a physical, high-stakes battle.

Team

2025 Record

PPG

PPG Allowed

3rd Down %

3rd Down % Allowed

Red Zone %

Red Zone % Allowed

TOs

Opponent TOs

Illinois

5-2

34.0

25.4

36.7

45.1

84.4

91.6

6

10

UW

5-2

34.6

20.3

52.5

41.9

89.7

81.5

6

8

For the Illini to pull off the road win, they must rattle Demond Williams early and stay in his head. When pressured, Williams tends to rush his reads and force throws – just as Michigan exposed last week. If the Illinois defensive front, led by Gabe Jacas and James Thompson Jr., can collapse the pocket and keep Williams from escaping, it could throw the entire Huskies offense off rhythm.

On the offensive side, Luke Altmyer needs to stay sharp and efficient. The Illini ground game has struggled to find consistency, and when facing one of the nation’s best run defenses in Washington's, it may once again fall on Altmyer and the passing attack to keep things moving. Clean execution will be key – Illinois can’t afford costly errors like the special teams miscue that, in part, doomed it against Ohio State.

If the Illini limit turnovers and control the tempo, this matchup is absolutely winnable. A victory in Seattle would not only make Illinois bowl-eligible but also position the program firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation heading into the season’s final stretch.

Published
Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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