AP Releases Preseason Poll And It Doesn't Include UW -- Anywhere

All over Seattle on Monday, overly enthusiastic University of Washington football fans were running around the streets, holding up a lot of fingers and yelling, "We're No. 50!"

Well, not really.

They were probably scratching their head to the point it hurt.

While there seems to be a lot to suggest the Huskies will be a fairly formidable team once again, maybe even capable of winning nine games or so this fall, the Associated Press voters are not yet convinced.

Not in the slightest.

In the first AP poll, Jedd Fisch's second UW team was shut out of the top 25 and couldn't be found among the 24 teams in the also receiving votes category. That means even the resident local Northwest voter passed on the the local team.

People, of course, will ask what have you done for us lately, with the Huskies finishing 6-7 in 2024, in the follow-up to its glistening 14-1 record and national runner-up finish two years ago?

Still, a complete shutout here is mildly surprising.

2025 ASSOCIATED PRESS PRESEASON POLL
1. Texas (25 first-place votes), 1,552
2. Penn State (23), 1,547
3. Ohio State (11), 1,472
4. Clemson (4), 1,398
5. Georgia (1), 1,331
6. Notre Dame, 1,325
7. Oregon, 1,236
8. Alabama, 1,179
9. LSU, 1,174
10. Miami, 889
11. Arizona State, 791
12. Illinois, 713
13. South Carolina, 667
14. Michigan, 662
15. Florida, 626
16. SMU, 565
17. Kansas State, 512
18. Oklahoma, 463
19. Texas A&M, 434
20. Indiana, 423
21. Ole Miss, 370
22. Iowa State, 309
23. Texas Tech, 274
24. Tennessee, 192
25. Boise State, 191
Also receiving votes: BYU 156, Utah 144, Baylor 132, Louisville 90,. USC 64, Georgia Tech 63, Missouri 33, Tulane 23, Nebraska 23, UNLV 21, Toledo 13, Auburn 10, James Madison 9, Memphis 9,, Florida State 8, Duke 6, Liberty 5, Navy 5, Iowa 5, TCU 4, Pittsburgh 3. Army 2, Colorado 1, Louisiana Lafayette 1.

The Huskies appear to be one of those great unknown teams, who have a lot of offensive weapons at the skill positions, in particular extra-swift quarterback Demond Williams Jr., plus a rebuilt offensive line and a lot of questions on defense.

Can they stop anybody?

Can they get or stay healthy on that side of the ball?

For now, Fisch's guys have at least six different Texas teams and at least nine other Big Ten Conference members ranked ahead of them.

🚨The first AP Top 25 CFB Poll of the season is out 🚨

Do you agree with your team’s preseason ranking? 📊🧐 pic.twitter.com/HMiAwLRcVr
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 11, 2025

Four teams on the UW schedule are ranked in No. 3 and defending national champion Ohio State, No. 7 Oregon, No. 12 Illinois and No. 15 Michigan, with three of those teams coming to Husky Stadium this fall.

The Huskies, of course, are banking on a lot higher finish, convinced that Williams, who could be the fastest Power 4 starting quarterback, will create lots of havoc for opposing defenses, such as he did in the Sun Bowl with four touchdowns passes and a scoring run against Louisville.

"I would say maturity," Fisch said of the sophomore's progress. "He's grown up since the bowl game. There was a method to putting him in 10 plays in every game -- to get him ready for now. To get him ready to who we think he can be."

No doubt that is the starting quarterback for a team ranked much higher than a mythical No. 50.

There's plenty of time for Williams and the Huskies to change people's minds.

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