Three Games That Will Define Washington Football's 2026 Season

The Washington Huskies' 2026 schedule is considerably favorable for a program in search of its first berth to the College Football Playoff in Jedd Fisch's third season as coach.

Of the five marquee Big Ten games, two—against Penn State and first-year coach Matt Campbell at Husky Stadium on November 7 and the regular-season finale at Oregon on November 28—were cited by Crain and Cone of On3 as potential top-five matchups this upcoming fall.

Both conference matchups are uniquely timed as late-season matchups, with each possessing a fair chance to pit top 25 teams against each other, with both having a path to a CFP berth.

Returning junior quarterback Demond Williams Jr. played against the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium as a true freshman in the annual White Out, a 35-6 defeat for UW, and made his first college start against the Ducks at Autzen before going on to start the next 14 games for Fisch over the past two years.

???? BIGGEST BIG TEN GAMES SHOW!!

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LINK: https://t.co/Matln7vNqRpic.twitter.com/VIVYbbkE5a

— Jake “JBOY” Crain (@JakeCrain_) July 14, 2026

While the annual UW-Oregon rivalry game is the obvious mark as one of three pivotal games for the Huskies in '26, hosting Campbell and a new-look Penn State team is arguably the second-toughest home game behind Indiana and just above a Friday night matchup with Iowa in October.

The Hoosiers will be the third consecutive defending national champion to visit Husky Stadium the following season. It would be unjust to expect Fisch and Co. to be favored or even win the matchup against coach Curt Cignetti on November 21—despite only losing by two touchdowns in Bloomington two years ago—but the remaining games are on the table.

The first order of business is hosting Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes on October 9.

Williams took over in the fourth quarter in a 41-16 defeat at Iowa back in 2024, which saw the rising passer finish 12-of-16 for 71 yards and one touchdown to Rashid Williams—a potential go-to weapon for the now-third-year quarterback in 2026—in the loss.

With a much different situation up front than what he worked with two years ago at Kinnick Stadium and plenty of experience as Fisch's starter by the time two two teams meet later this fall, the expectation to by that point in the season extend UW's home win streak to five—a victory over Iowa, along with prior expected victories against all three non-conference opponents and Minnesota, who will visit Husky Stadium for the first time since 1976—is a fair expectation for the program going into year three.

Should the Huskies prevail on Friday night against the Hawkeyes, Penn State and Oregon follow as the only two games that could prevent a potential berth to the College Football Playoff for Fisch—even with a loss to Indiana.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Three Games That Will Define Washington Football's 2026 Season