Washington football expected to miss CFP in early bowl projection

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch has had some success at the Alamo Bowl, with a 38-24 win over Oklahoma in his final game at Arizona, and if The Sporting News’ early bowl predictions come true, his team will be heading back to San Antonio, Texas, in December for a matchup with the Houston Cougars.

In a world where the Huskies play in their third Alamo Bowl since 2010, that would suggest that while the team most likely improved from its 8-4 regular season record in 2025, it didn’t do enough to reach the College Football Playoff in Fisch’s third year at the helm.

The early projections include four Big Ten teams inside the 12-team tournament: Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, and USC. Three of those programs are on Washington’s schedule for the 2026 campaign, with the Buckeyes being the only exception, making the most likely outcome for the Huskies’ season 9-3, which may not be the improvement that Fisch is looking for, as he currently holds a 2-5 record against ranked teams at UW.

“Without a doubt, the main thing that we’re working on is how good can we be in the big game?” Fisch said of quarterback Demond Williams Jr. in an interview on the Big Ten Network in April. “We say competitive greatness is being at your best when your best is needed…it’s really something we heavily believe in, and we need D to be his best in the biggest games this year.”

“He’s an elite player, I think he has a chance to do everything and anything you could ever possibly want, so we’ve got to make sure he does it at that highest level in the biggest games.”

While Williams himself needs to improve in the biggest moments, the Huskies are looking for some new playmakers to step up and help him out after running back Jonah Coleman and wide receiver Denzel Boston both graduated and moved on to the NFL draft. However, with what is expected to be an elite defense in tow, the Huskies have the potential to outplay the early prediction.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington football expected to miss CFP in early bowl projection

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos