The college football season is less than a month away from kicking off. In preparation for the beginning of the 2024 campaign, TheHoosier.com is previewing each of Indiana football's opponents this season. Up next, the Washington Huskies.
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Saturday, October 26 at TBD
Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
TV designation: TBD
SEE ALSO
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 1 versus Florida International
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 2 versus Western Illinois
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 3 versus UCLA
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 4 versus Charlotte
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 5 versus Maryland
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 6 versus Northwestern
2023 SEASON RECAP
The 2023 season was more than kind to the Washington Huskies as they made their second College Football Playoff and first national championship game appearance in program history.
Led by former Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Michael Penix Jr, the Huskies went 12-0 in the regular season with marquee victories over four ranked opponents.
The Huskies' offensive prowess throughout the season was more than admirable, but there were games in which the high-powered offense struggled and the defense stood its ground, often leading to narrow victories.
In the final PAC-12 Championship Game, Washington had to play fifth-ranked Oregon for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Led by solid games from Penix Jr., Rome Odunze, and Jalen McMillian, the Huskies escaped with a 34-31 victory in Las Vegas en route to a showdown with Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
Penix Jr. made Hoosier fans proud in the CFP Semifinal, throwing for 430 and two touchdowns, leading the Huskies to a 37-31 victory over the Longhorns.
The luck would run out in Houston as Washington was defeated by Michigan in the National Championship game.
Mere days after the season's conclusion, it was announced that Kalen DeBoer had accepted the head coaching job at Alabama, replacing hall-of-famer Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa.
Additionally, Penix Jr. and Odunze were two of the ten Huskies drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, creating a lot of holes for new head coach Jedd Fisch.
2024 SEASON OUTLOOK
Jedd Fisch takes over the Washington program after three seasons at Arizona. He ended his final season in Tuscon with a 10-3 record.
Despite losing nearly everybody on the offensive side of the ball, Washington returns a slew of defensive starters from last season, hoping to provide a much-needed boost on defense compared to the previous season.
Fisch and the Huskies will learn very quickly that to succeed in the Big Ten, their defense will have to show up in a big way week in and week out.
The offensive will certainly have less firepower than last year's National runner-up squad, but Mississippi State transfer Will Rogers brings a lot of experience at the quarterback position, hoping to make a name for himself at his new home.
The Huskies' conference schedule in their first year in the Big Ten is relatively difficult, with games against Michigan, Penn State, Iowa, USC, and Oregon; however, many of those marquee matchups will be towards the end of the season.
Fisch can take advantage of a lighter non-conference schedule to learn more about his team and have a successful season in their first go-around in the new-look Big Ten.
PRESEASON PROJECTION
Although it won't have nearly the hype as if Kalen DeBoer and Michael Penix Jr. were returning to Bloomington, this game will be one of those games circled on the schedule of Hoosier fans.
Indiana's favorable schedule could have them sniffing bowl eligibility in late October for their first bowl appearance in a full twelve-game season season since 2019.
It was October 26th, 2019 when Indiana became bowl eligible before Halloween for the first time since 1993 with a 38-31 victory at Nebraska.
There is reason to believe this game against Washington could make October 26th yet another memorable day for Indiana Football.