Early Outlook: Big Ten Opener Offers Washington Test in Minnesota

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When Minnesota Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck took the podium last month at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, he made a claim that, albeit true on a technicality, the Washington Huskies can also make.

Fleck, going into his tenth season at the helm of the program UW will host in its 2026 Big Ten season opener on September 26 at Husky Stadium, stated that the Gophers are the only school in the conference that returns its head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and starting quarterback.

"That might not have been a big deal ten years ago. That's a pretty big deal right now for that cultural sustainability within the football program," he said.

The technicality that makes third-year coach Jedd Fisch and the Huskies different is Jimmie Dougherty, UW's offensive coordinator in title for the 2025 season, is now with the Seattle Seahawks.

Fisch remains as the head coach and offensive play-caller with senior offensive assistant Matt Cavanaugh now in the third seat with J.P. Losman serving as the quarterbacks coach. Losman, a former NFL quarterback, was on staff last season as the assistant quarterbacks coach, adding another hold-over and pushing back on Fleck's claim.

Either way both coaches split their words the Huskies' first Big Ten test is one that could serve as where the teams' floor is for the 2026 season. Fleck has proven to be perfect in the postseason in his decade in The North Star State, but when it comes to conference openers, the Gophers coach is 4-5 going into this coming season's matchup at UW.

Last year, Minnesota lost all five games away from Huntington Bank Stadium where the program plays its home games. Fleck hasn't won a road conference opener since 2022, a 34-7 victory at Michigan State—coincidentally a week after UW defeated the Spartans and then-coach Mel Tucker.

Fisch is 1-1 in conference openers in his two seasons as the Huskies' coach with a 24-6 loss against Ohio State to start the 2025 season. However, Fisch hasn't lost consecutive conference games at home in his brief tenure in the Emerald City, boasting a 7-2 record at Husky Stadium with the Buckeyes and a 24-16 loss against the Oregon Ducks to end last season being the only pair of losses at home.

Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsay showed well in his first season as the starter leading Minnesota, finishing in the top ten in school history for completions (249), completion percentage (63.2) and touchdown passes (18) with a program record for wins by a freshman with eight.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Fayetteville, Arkansas native struggled on the road, however, with four of his six interceptions accompanying a season-low 60.1 completion percentage and just six touchdown passes.

All four of his rushing touchdowns also came at home, something defensive coordinator Ryan Walters and his staff will have to account for similarly as the Gophers' defense will have to defend both elements of UW third-year quarterback Demond Williams Jr.

In his first season as a starter Williams Jr. was nearly perfect at home, outside of the Ohio State and Oregon game from a statistical perspective, with a 12-2 touchdown-to-intereption ratio at Husky Stadium with an additional three scores on the ground.

Early in fall camp the Gophers appear to be in a similar situation as the Huskies with a bundle of defensive line rotations, which could make for an interesting conference opener for Fisch and co. as the third-year UW coach aims to have his own version of third-year success as both he and Fleck have previously.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Early Outlook: Big Ten Opener Offers Washington Test in Minnesota

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