College football analyst's Big Ten preseason poll has Washington sinking

Coming off of a College Football Playoff appearance, the Washington Huskies are expected to take a significant step back this season, according to the Big Ten preseason poll done by the Kings of the North YouTube channel.

In their first year in the conference the Washington Huskies are in a transition period for the program after a slurry of changes took place for the school this offseason. Head coach Kalen Deboer left to take the Alabama head coaching job left vacant by a retiring Nick Saban. Dynamic offensive duo Michael Penix Jr and Rome Odunze were selected in the top ten of the NFL Draft, and the team is joining a brand new conference with several powerhouses at the top.

So, where does that leave Washington? According to the poll by Kings of the North, 33 media personalities across the Big Ten voted on numerous factors and made their standing predictions; Washington ranked tenth. Sitting behind the favorites in Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State, the Huskies were grouped in the same tier as Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Rutgers in the middle of the conference.

Washington addressed the loss of Deboer by bringing in former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch, a coach who is known for elevating programs above expectations as he led the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and a Valero Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma last season.

To replace the number eight pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Huskies brought in Will Rogers, the Mississippi State senior transfer. Rogers has the arm to continue the Huskies' electric offensive output the last few seasons with Penix but must do so in a much tougher conference with a more challenging schedule.

The Huskies open the season with nonconference games against Weber State and Eastern Michigan, followed by a rivalry game at home against rivals the Washington State Cougars. They then open conference play in the Big Ten at Northwestern. Washington’s conference schedule also includes dates with Michigan (Oct. 5) at home, and Iowa (Oct. 12), and Penn State (Nov. 7) on the road before finishing up their regular season against a well-known rival, the Oregon Ducks (Nov. 30), in Eugene.

With Washington’s tough conference schedule, finishing higher than seventh or eighth will be a challenge for the first-year Big Ten school, especially given all the production they must try to replace from the previous season.