Big Ten Conference counterparts Washington and No. 23 Illinois will meet on Saturday in Seattle for what could be a pivotal matchup in finishing out their respective seasons.
Each team comes in off a league loss, though Illinois (5-2, 2-2) returns to action from a much-needed bye week.
The Illini had an opportunity to heal some injuries following their 34-16 loss to top-ranked Ohio State on Oct. 11, including having leading rusher Kaden Feagin ready for Week 9.
Feagin, who has 338 yards and five touchdowns on the season, sustained a sprained AC joint in the Ohio State loss. His running back counterpart Ca’Lil Valentine, coach Bret Bielema said, will also be ready after taking some time off in the previous week to recover from an undisclosed injury.
Illinois has dealt with plenty of significant injuries through the first half of the campaign, most notably the loss of 2024 All-Big Ten defensive back Xavier Scott. His absence looms for an Illini pass defense that ranks No. 95 nationally with 240 yards allowed per game and only two interceptions against 12 touchdowns allowed.
Washington (5-2, 2-2) has passed with some success in 2025, ranking No. 32 nationally at 269.6 yards per game. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has thrown for 10 touchdowns in seven games, with the dual-threat signal-caller contributing to a multifaceted rushing attack at the core of the Huskies’ offense.
Williams has four rushing scores to supplement Jonah Coleman’s 12, with Adam Mohammed adding two. In five wins, the Huskies are rushing for 214.4 yards per game.
In losses, however, Washington has averaged only 50.5 rushing yards after netting just 40 in last week’s 24-7 loss to Michigan. The midseason injury bug has tested the Huskies’ efforts to mount a ground attack.
“When you lose your starting left tackle (Carver Willis, knee), you lose your starting left guard (John Mills, undisclosed) and you lose your starting wide tight end (Quentin Moore, undisclosed), then you lose your backup left tackle (Maximus McCree, undisclosed), there are some challenges running the football,” Washington coach Jedd Fisch said on Monday.
Outside of a disastrous Sept. 20 loss at Indiana, the Illinois defense has been solid against the run, holding opponents to 151 yards or fewer in its other six games.
Continuing on that pace could be central to an Illini road win at Washington. So, too, would be handling the conditions at Husky Stadium.
The famed venue, where rain is expected on Saturday, has a reputation as one of the loudest in college football, Bielema said.
“Ever since I’ve been in college coaching, everybody’s talked about Husky Stadium,” he said. “And not just the stadium itself, but the fans and the way they make that place electric. We’ll have to do some crowd-noise preparation this week.”
Saturday marks the first meeting between the two programs as counterparts in the Big Ten, and the first matchup of any kind since a 44-19 Huskies win in 2014. Washington has won four straight in the series, with the last Illinois win coming in the 1964 Rose Bowl Game.
