Caple: 5 games that could determine UW Huskies’ 2025 ceiling

The UW Huskies are likely at least one year away from serious College Football Playoff contention.

If they are to exceed expectations in 2025, though, and contend for a CFP spot in coach Jedd Fisch’s second season, it will be because they fared well in the following five games — and took care of business otherwise, too.

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These are the five games that could determine Washington’s 2025 ceiling — and determine just how much the Huskies have improved since last season, when they lost to three Big Ten playoff teams by a combined 71 points.

• vs. Ohio State, Sept. 27

The Huskies play their Big Ten opener against the defending national champions, though the Buckeyes will look a little different by then, with several starters moving on to the NFL. Still, they’ll return star wideout Jeremiah Smith and star safety Caleb Downs, and have of course recruited at an elite level for, oh, just about eternity. Julian Sayin, a former five-star recruit who originally signed with Alabama, figures to succeed Will Howard at quarterback. This game will be the first big test for Washington’s re-built offensive and defensive lines, both of which struggled against top competition in 2024.

• at Michigan, Oct. 18

UW beat the Wolverines in Seattle last year, but traveling to Ann Arbor presents a far different challenge — especially considering the Huskies went 0-7 away from Husky Stadium last season. Michigan presumably will be starting a true freshman at quarterback, but not just any true freshman, as coach Sherrone Moore successfully signed the nation’s No. 1 prospect, five-star Bryce Underwood. Mikey Keene also transferred in from Fresno State. A few key defensive players return, but others like star D-linemen Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and star cornerback Will Johnson are off to the NFL.

• vs. Illinois, Oct. 25

The Illini beat South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl to finish 10-3 last season, though they weren’t particularly competitive in losses to Penn State and Oregon (and also lost to Minnesota). Illinois returns many key players, though, including starting quarterback Luke Altmyer and the entire starting offensive line — and while this will be a long trip for the Illini, they’ll be coming off a bye.

• at Wisconsin, Nov. 8

It’s another offseason of transition for Luke Fickell’s Badgers. Fickell fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo amid a frustrating season in which Wisconsin won only five games and scored just 22.6 points per game, and he hired Jeff Grimes from Kansas to replace him. The Badgers also added Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. via the transfer portal, and rebuilt their defensive front with transfers, too. And playing at Camp Randall is never easy.

• vs. Oregon, Nov. 29

In last season’s 49-21 blowout of the Huskies, the Ducks sacked quarterback Demond Williams Jr. 10 times. Can UW protect him a little better this year? Like three of the other four teams on this list, Oregon will have a new starting quarterback in 2025, with Dante Moore presumably taking over for Dillon Gabriel. This will be the regular-season finale for both teams, so we’ll know plenty about Moore’s abilities by the time this game arrives. The Ducks added three experienced offensive linemen via the transfer portal, and while they do have a good amount of defensive talent to replace, they will undoubtedly begin the season ranked in the top-10 and should again threaten for the Big Ten conference title.

This column from UW Huskies football insider Christian Caple is exclusive to Seattle Sports. Subscribe to OnMontlake.com for full access to Caple’s in-depth Husky coverage.

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