Sun Bowl Preview: UW looks to secure winning season vs Louisville

Dec 29, 2024, 10:35 AM

Jonah Coleman of the UW Huskies runs the ball during a 2024 game. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

(Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

BY ZAC HERETH

Seattle Sports

The UW Huskies have a chance to end the first year of the Jedd Fisch era on a high note.

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They’ll have to win a game away from Husky Stadium for the first time this season to do so.

The Huskies (6-6 record) square off with the Louisville Cardinals (8-4) out of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Tuesday in the 91st edition of the Sun Bowl. It’s the first-ever meeting between the programs.

A victory would secure UW its 14th winning campaign in the past 15 years and make Fisch the fourth straight Huskies coach to finish above .500 in their first year.

“We’re excited about going to the second-oldest bowl game,” Fisch said. “I’ve never been to the Sun Bowl, so there’s a new bowl game on my checklist, and we are going to make it a fantastic experience for our team.”

Williams watch

True freshman quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is set to make his second start for the Huskies after taking over for Will Rogers prior to the team’s season finale against Oregon.

The dual-threat Williams has appeared in every game this season and was primarily used as a change-of-pace option at quarterback over the first nine games. But it became apparent late in the season that the offense is more of a threat with Williams leading the way.

After taking over in the second half of UW’s 35-6 loss to Penn State, he led the team on its only two scoring drives. The following week he replaced Rogers, who started the second half with two interceptions, midway through the third quarter and led the Huskies to 17 second-half points in a 31-19 win over UCLA that clinched a bowl appearance.

Fisch has highlighted the importance of the 15 extra practices teams receive for bowl games on multiple occasions throughout the season. Tuesday will give a glimpse of how much they’ve helped the future centerpiece of the Huskies’ offense.

Who’s out

The Huskies and Cardinals have a slew of players who have opted out of the bowl game to enter the transfer portal or prepare for the NFL Draft.

UW had 23 enter the transfer portal with a bulk of those being reserves or players who serve in limited roles. The Huskies most notably will be without freshman linebacker Khmori House, who transferred to North Carolina. House emerged as a future cornerstone of the defense with a standout debut season before entering the portal.

Fisch gave players entering the portal the option to play in the postseason and said earlier this month that four players – punter Jack McCallister, guard Gaard Memmelaar, running back Sam Adams II and long snapper Caleb Johnston – would play in the game.

Louisville had 17 players who entered the portal, but its most notable absences come in the form of four players who are skipping the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft. Starting quarterback Tyler Shough, leading receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, sack leader Ashton Gillotte and defensive back Quincy Riley have all opted out of the game.

Shough is the 10th-ranked quarterback and Gillotte the sixth-ranked defensive end in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper’s position rankings for the 2025 draft.

Senior Harrison Bailey expected to get the start at quarterback. Bailey, who previously made stops at Tennessee and UNLV, has completed 92 of 146 passes for 1,026 yards, seven TDs and three interceptions over five college seasons. However, he’s thrown only 13 passes in his two years with the Cardinals.

Key matchup

Louisville’s passing attack is depleted without Shough and Brooks, but the Huskies will still be tested by one of the nation’s best rushing attacks.

The Cardinals average 183.3 rushing yards per game and are ninth in the country at 5.6 yards per carry with a pair of freshmen leading the way. Isaac Brown has rushed for 1,074 yards and 11 TDs on 7.3 yards per carry. He’s second in the nation among freshmen in rushing yards this season. Duke Watson has added another 514 yards and seven TDs while averaging 9.0 yards.

Meanwhile, defense has been a strength for the Huskies this year, but they’ve been susceptible to giving up yards on the ground. They’ve allowed 158.1 yards rushing per game (15th in the Big Ten) with three opponents piling up 220 yards or more.

Sun Bowl history

The Huskies are searching for their second win in five appearances in the Sun Bowl. UW won its Sun Bowl debut 15-7 over Texas in 1979, but has lost all three trips to since. The Huskies haven’t played in the bowl game since falling 34-24 to Drew Brees-led Purdue in 2002.

Louisville is playing in the Sun Bowl for just the second time. The Cardinals beat Drake 34-20 during their lone appearance in 1958.