Well, five weeks into this season and the Washington Huskies are 3-2. Two very winnable games on the early portion of Washington’s schedule ended up as losses because of penalties and errors and now the Huskies have a tough road ahead of them if they're going bowling this season.
Plenty of folks are mad at Jedd Fisch and given some of the mistakes and penalties, that’s somewhat understandable. But it’s not like Fisch and this coaching staff are looking to lose on a regular basis. That’s the exact opposite of what coaches (typically) want.
And now this week, the Huskies get the distinct pleasure of trying to bounce back from a road loss by hosting a really tough opponent in Seattle this weekend. After losing to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Washington gets to host the defending national champs: the Michigan Wolverines. And if Washington wants to make a bowl this season, this game is one that would certainly help to win.
No pressure, folks.
Washington Husky fans react as Huskies look to bounce back from loss to Rutgers by hosting Michigan Wolverines
Stop. Stupid. Penalties.
— UWMammaJamma (@uwMammaJamma) September 28, 2024
Blown opportunities, again.
— Brian Emanuels 🇺🇦💪💙🇺🇸 (@HSKYFAN) September 28, 2024
These were the winnable games, no?
— Paul White (@_stuberto) September 28, 2024
It really feels like the Huskies missed some major opportunities here just as they did against the Washington State Cougars. This game was winnable! The Huskies could conceivably be 4-1 right now had there not been errors left and right in Friday night’s game.
Of course, you could also say that about the Apple Cup. To be completely frank, the Huskies should probably be 5-0 right now. And yet, errors and mistakes doomed them in winnable games. Now this coming weekend, Washington will face its toughest opponent up to this point in the season.
42 new players. Patience.
— CrazyDawg (@Scott12thmanfan) September 28, 2024
Trsnsition for players, coaches, staff. Breathe
— Sonté Wong (@sontewong18) September 28, 2024
Well the answer was optimistic 🤣
— Carlos (@CL_Audio2Raider) September 29, 2024
These are fair and measured approaches to this loss. The loss stinks, there’s no way around that, but it’s not that bad of an idea to acknowledge that Washington is indeed in a rebuild and that Fisch and company will almost certainly need more than just one offseason to get moving in the right direction.
But if they can find a way to win this weekend in what feels like an improbable upset, then maybe more folks will take a step back and breathe a bit.
Not going to a bowl this year.
— Just Some Dawg (@SchuylerIsADawg) September 28, 2024
Disappointing. Making a bowl now seems unlikely.
— Nick (@atnicksand) September 28, 2024
Of course, a win vs. Michigan almost seems like a necessity if the Huskies are going to make it to a bowl this season.