Washington ended the year in style with a victory over the Boise State Broncos in the LA Bowl. There were some hiccups along the way, but the Huskies showed they are one of the better teams in all of college football. On3 seems to agree as Washington gets some early love in the "Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25."
According to On3, the Huskies are ranked No. 18 going into the offseason. To end the season, Washington wasn't even ranked but did have a few votes in the AP Top 25. So, this is a nod to how much better On3 thinks Jedd Fisch's crew will be next season.
NEW: On3 2026 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25👀
— On3 (@On3) January 19, 2026
Do you agree? 🤔https://t.co/Eel5VBAUlk pic.twitter.com/U2YlWB1Lfg
Washington comes in at No. 18 in the On3, "Way Too Early" Rankings for 2026
Related: These 3 Washington transfers will be strange to see wearing another uniform
The Huskies are returning a good amount of firepower, adding a top-tier recruiting class, and while there was some drama with Demond Williams after the season, he's back. Fisch will also be entering into his third season at the helm, and that alone should give fans and pundits some confidence. Fisch has a way of improving a roster and a team's wins every single year he coaches.
Fisch at Arizona went 1-11 to 5-7 to 10-3 before coming to UW. He's now gone from 6-7 to 9-4. 2026 should see an even higher increase in wins. If that's the case, the College Football Playoff will not only be within reach but very realistic at 11 or 12 wins.
There will be some fans who may not think Fisch has done this offseason enough to improve the roster, but only time will tell, and the results will be weighed on the field. For now, there's some hope from On3 that Washington will be a top 25 team next season, maybe even to start the season.