The Washington Huskies will host the No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday. The Huskies have never beaten a No. 1 team at home, but the last 22 football games played in Husky Stadium have all belonged to the Dawgs. Will the Huskies finally bring down the nation's top team, or will the Buckeyes’ end the Huskies’ streak of home wins?
Ohio State (3-0) began its season ranked No. 3, but their Week 1 14-7 victory over the preseason No. 1 Texas Longhorns placed the Buckeyes atop the AP Poll, where they’ve stayed since. They picked up easy wins over Grambling State (70-0 in Week 2) and Ohio (37-9 in Week 3) before enjoying a bye last week.
The Buckeyes’ bye week came at an opportune time, as they got an extra week to prepare for their first Big Ten matchup of the year. It’s not just any Big Ten game, either. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day made it clear during a Tuesday press conference that he knew Montlake’s rocking atmosphere could impact the outcome of Saturday’s contest.
“We have to, amidst the environment and the noise and the chaos, have poise and composure,” Day said. “We can’t let the environment dictate how we play.”
Day’s Buckeyes will be led offensively by sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin, a former five-star recruit who backed up Will Howard on last year’s national title-winning squad. Through three games, Sayin has completed 56 of 71 pass attempts for 779 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions.
The three early interceptions aren’t ideal, but Sayin’s completion percentage of 78.9% leads the FBS. His 11 pass yards per attempt is also the nation’s fourth-highest average among passers with 30 or more attempts.
Of course, Sayin is also aided by one of the nation’s best receiving duos. The Buckeyes’ receiving corps is led by 6-foot-3, 224-pound sophomore Jeremiah Smith, who many analysts believe is the nation’s best overall player. Smith has 20 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns on the season.
Smith may be the face of the Buckeyes’ offense, but don’t forget about Carnell Tate. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior has 12 catches for 219 yards and three touchdowns on the year.
The Buckeyes also have a rotation of three capable running backs. CJ Donaldson (33 carries, 151 yards, two touchdowns) has gotten the most touches, followed by James Peoples (25-126-0). However, it’s been Lamar “Bo” Jackson (no relation to either Heisman winner) who’s done the most damage. He’s taken his 18 carries for 217 yards and a touchdown.
The Buckeyes’ offense is star-studded, but it’s their defense that may give the Huskies the most trouble. Ohio State and BYU are tied for the nation’s least points allowed per game at just 5.3, and the Buckeyes average the nation’s sixth-fewest passing yards per game (118.3).
Junior linebacker Arvell Reese, who stands an imposing 6-foot-4 and weighs 243 pounds, has been excellent. He leads the team in total tackles (20) and is tied with defensive end Caden Curry for the lead in sacks (two apiece). Unanimous 2024 All-American Caleb Downs will be roaming the secondary in search of his second interception this year, and his Buckeyes have recovered three fumbles in their last two games.
Though the Ohio State defense has been dominant through three games, they’ll need to play their best if they want to contain Washington’s offense, which is led by a trio of offensive playmakers. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr., running back Jonah Coleman, and wide receiver Denzel Boston have been confounding opponents to begin the season.
Williams Jr. has used his rocket arm and exceptionally quick feet to gamebreaking effect through three games. He’s tallied 50 completions on 68 attempts (his 73.8% completion rate is sixth nationally among passers with 30+ attempts) for 778 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. He has also carried the ball 34 times for 220 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Last week, Williams Jr. earned Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors after going 16-of-19 for 298 yards and four touchdowns through the air against Washington State. He added 13 carries for 88 rushing yards and a touchdown to outdo the Cougars by a final score of 59-24.
“It’s a great challenge for our defense,” Day said regarding the upcoming matchup with Williams Jr. “I think he’s an excellent quarterback, and our defense is going to have to work hard this week to prepare.”
Williams Jr.’s favorite target to this point has been Boston, who leads the team in receptions (16), receiving yards (249), and receiving touchdowns (three). On Tuesday, Boston made it clear that he's excited by the challenges Ohio State's defense will present.
"We know we have a tough defense coming in... being able to go against them will be fun," Boston said.
Despite the excellence displayed by Boston and Williams Jr., the heartbeat of the Huskies’ 2025 season has been Coleman, who’s picked up 347 yards on 51 carries. His nine rushing touchdowns lead the nation, and he’s only played in three games. He’s second only to Boston in all three receiving categories, with his tally currently sitting at eight receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown.
"He's a really good back,” Day said of Coleman. “This is somebody who runs really physical, runs really hard, has really good vision [and] can catch the ball out of the backfield. He's a really talented player."
The Huskies have studs on defense, too. Safety Alex McLaughlin had two interceptions against the Cougars, one of which he returned 47 yards for a touchdown. McLaughlin was a unanimous first-team All-Big Sky honoree with Northern Arizona of the FCS in 2024.
"I know they're a good team, but we're also a good team, and I'm just ready to go out there and compete with my guys at a high level," McLaughlin said on Tuesday.
McLaughlin is second on the team with 16 tackles behind linebacker Deven Bryant, who has 17 total tackles and one pass defended through three weeks.
Unfortunately, the Huskies’ defense has been impacted by injuries early. Linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah will miss multiple weeks with a knee injury he suffered against the Cougars, while standout cornerback Tacario Davis is still questionable after suffering an upper-body injury in Week 2.
Could the Huskies really pull off the upset? Vegas oddsmakers have the Buckeyes favored by 8.5 points, which is a narrower margin than we often see when a top-ranked team plays an unranked opponent. With an offense as explosive as the Huskies’, a difference of eight or less points can disappear in the blink of an eye.
If the Washington defense can keep it close, Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. contest between the Huskies and the No. 1 Buckeyes could be a truly spectacular game. The odds are against the Dawgs, but anything can happen in college football.