Washington football’s remarkable ascent up the AP Top 25 poll

Washington football continues its surge up the AP Top 25 College Football poll to become the No. 5 team in the nation.

This ascent in the rankings reflects the Washington football program’s outstanding performance so far in 2023. One of the pivotal moments in Washington’s rise was their Week 7 heavyweight clash against Oregon where they poured their heart and soul on the field to snag the victory in the final minutes.

Over the course of the season, the Huskies have steadily improved. They initially ranked tenth in the preseason, eighth in weeks 1-3, and then seventh from weeks 4-6. This week was the first week that they secured two first-place votes, signifying the faith some voters have in their abilities.

The Huskies are now in striking distance of the top four halfway through the season, trailing behind Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Florida State.

The credit for this upward trajectory largely belongs to Head Coach Kalen DeBoer and the culture he has instilled within this team. His record of 5-0 against ranked teams during his tenure (one-and-a-half seasons) with the Huskies demonstrates his ability to lead the team to victory in high-stakes matchups.

With such good teams like Georgia and Michigan crowding the top four, can the Huskies maintain their momentum and secure a coveted spot in the College Football Playoff? If they don’t earn a spot in the playoffs, it will really feel fraudulent after the kind of season they have put up. The Huskies should be just fine going forward in future seasons, but we likely won’t see a team, or offense, this good for a while.