RoWINg to Washington – Opponent Preview

SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 19: Demond Williams Jr. #1 of the Washington Huskies looks on during a game between the Eastern Washington Eagles and Washington Huskies on September 19, 2026 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Henry Rodenburg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-1) head west for their first road trip of the season as they open Big Ten conference play against the Washington Huskies (3-0) at 10 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sep. 26.
Can they score on offense?
The Huskies are bit banged up on offense. Top running backs Quaid Carr and Jayden Limar are both out until at least November due to injuries suffered in the season opener against Washington State. That has forced the Huskies to turn to true freshman Brian Bonner Jr. and sixth-year senior Trey Cooley (who is on his fourth stop after stints at Troy, Georgia Tech, and Louisville), though quarterback Demond Williams remains their most top rushing threat. Kennesaw State transfer wide receiver Christian Moss was expected to be a top target for Williams in the passing game, but he too has been sidelined until November with a soft tissue injury.
All that said, Williams is the star of the show.
The third-year signal caller is 77-of-109 (70.6%) for 890 passing yards with five touchdown passes and one interception this season. The Huskies’ offense is operating at peak efficiency when Williams is in a rhythm and connecting on short and intermediate passes. When you take those away from him and force him to throw deep, his completion percentage drops dramatically. What gives defensive coordinators headaches is Williams’ ability to turn broken plays into explosive plays as a dual-threat quarterback. You want to contain him in the pocket, but if your edge rushers over-pursue and lose contain, he’ll find the seam and escape.
Even with Moss out, Williams has had no shortage of pass catchers. Returning starter Dezmen Roebuck is far and away Williams’ go-to target, with a team-leading 23 receptions for 221 receiving yards. After missing most of last season due to injury, fourth-year wide receiver Rashid Williams is making the most of his opportunity, with three touchdown catches to his name through three games. Speedy second-year receiver Chris Lawson has been the primary beneficiary of Moss’s absence, hauling in nine receptions for 135 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Against FBS opponents this season, the Huskies are averaging 20 points per game. So even with Williams under center, this is an offense still working through the kinks. Can Minnesota defensive coordinator Danny Collins keep Jedd Fisch from getting his offense’s engine up and running? I’m deeply skpetical.
Please tell me the Gophers will be able to score
Washington ranks 44th nationally in run defense (105.7 rushing yards allowed per game), 36th in pass defense (170.3 passing yards allowed per game), and 23rd in scoring defense (13.3 points allowed per game).
This is a solid defense that has taken care of business against questionable competition to start the season, though I’m not sure how much of a step up the Gophers’ offense is from their previous opponents.
The Huskies are led by fourth-year safety and returning starter Alex McLaughlin, who finished first on the team in total tackles (94) last season. Fourth-year linebacker and returning starter Jacob Lane tied for a team-high four sacks last year and led the team with 8.5 tackles for loss. Fourth-year defensive tackle Elinneau Davis is a key starter on a young defensive line that features two true freshman starters, and he is expected back Saturday after missing the last two games. And Virginia transfer Emmanuel Karnley has been a veteran leader at cornerback, though he missed last week’s game while dealing with a soft tissue injury.
The Washington defense has been very disruptive at the line of scrimmage so far this season, racking up a combined eight sacks and 23 tackles for loss through the first three games. They have also forced and recovered three fumbles and recorded five interceptions during that span.
If this defense has a weakness, it’ll be up to Minnesota offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. to find and expose it, as none of the Huskies’ three non-conference opponents were able to gain much traction.
But who will score more points on Saturday?
I don’t see a reason to believe the Gophers are going to win this game. The Huskies are 60-14 at home since 2016 and had won a program-best 22 consecutive home games before a Week 5 loss to Ohio State last season. Meanwhile, Minnesota has not won on the road since November 29, 2024. It is worth noting that Washington has yet to play a quality opponent, but the Gophers face-planted at home against their first real competition of the season. I could see this being a close game. Unfortunately, I have too little faith in Minnesota’s one-dimensional offense and Danny Collins’ ability to gameplan against a dynamic quarterback. Washington 27, Minnesota 14.
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