Twenty straight wins at Husky Stadium doesn’t leave much room for doubt.
But Washington’s The Daily sports editor, Andrew Sousa, admitted cracks remain as Colorado State football heads to Seattle for its season-opener. CSU, on the other hand, opens the 2025 season not just on the road but in one of the most intimidating venues in the country. Husky Stadium, perched on Lake Washington with its sloping awnings and steep stands, has become a fortress. Washington hasn’t lost there since 2022, a run that now ranks second-longest in college football.
To get a sense of how the Huskies are viewing CSU, The Collegian talked with the sports editor of The Daily, UW’s student paper. His perspective painted a picture of a program that believes it can out-talent the Rams, but still has to answer for last year’s letdowns.
When asked for a score prediction, he didn’t hesitate to say 31-14 for the Huskies.
“I think it’s going to take a minute (for Washington to get going),” Sousa said. “Washington has a lot of skill players at big positions, especially picking up (Taariq Al-Uqdah) in the transfer portal. I think just the difference in players, it’s going to be enough.”
Sophomore receiver Denzel Boston headlines the group, and Penn State transfer Omari Evans could benefit from the attention Boston draws. Al-Uqdah, another transfer, is expected to give the Huskies three dangerous options. The expectation is that skill eventually separates, even if the offense doesn’t start fast.
UW fans have been here before; there was the shocking Montana loss in 2021 and last year’s close call against Washington State. But with a 20-game home streak behind them, optimism remains high in Seattle that CSU will not be the one to break it.
Roster construction was a big part of the conversation. The Huskies lost a massive wave of starters after its 2023 national title appearance, and head coach Jedd Fisch had to go heavy into the portal to plug holes.
“It’s definitely been kind of a nice change of pace to have these tools, and (we) kind of needed to after we lost so many players in 2023 (when) we made the national championship game,” Sousa said. “So it’s been a lot of fitting in players that we can in a roster.”
Fisch flipped a recruit from Oregon and stacked up several four-star signings. The work gave Washington momentum heading into year two under their new coach. Now he’s attempting a rebuild in Seattle, though this time behind the shadow of Kalen DeBoer‘s legacy and inheriting championship expectations.
Still, last year’s issues linger. UW’s offensive line was shaky all season, most glaring when quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was sacked 10 times in one game against Oregon. Over two starts, he was hit 15 times. Williams’ ability to extend plays is both a blessing and a curse.
“If you can get to a situation where our line doesn’t hold up and he holds onto the ball too long, that’s going to stall a lot of drives,” Sousa said. “And with (Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi), if he’s able to sling the ball really well, that would be also a huge addition.”
That weakness could play right into CSU’s biggest change.
New Defensive Coordinator Tyson Summers brought an aggressive, disruptive scheme from Western Kentucky. A year ago, the Rams struggled with soft coverage at times, but pressure is now the point of emphasis. If they can cause havoc up front, UW’s offense could be slowed in its own stadium.
The Huskies aren’t ignoring expectations, though. After going 0-5 in road games last year, there’s urgency to prove they belong in their new league. Fisch has pressed physicality, particularly at the line of scrimmage, and his players believe they’ll travel better after a year of experience.
Asked what a successful year would look like, Sousa had expectations matching UW’s pedigree.
“If we can get to nine wins, have one of those wins be against a really strong opponent, whether that’s Oregon, Ohio State, Illinois, get back to a really strong bowl game and keep building up for (Williams’) junior year, and if Denzel chooses to stay and have those players keep going up while we get that really nice recruiting class coming in for 2026.” Sousa said.
Husky Stadium itself is another factor. The venue’s noise reverberates back onto the field in a way that can shake visiting teams.
“If you’re ever in the press box, you’ll feel the rumble while you’re in there,” Sousa said. “So it’s just a really kind of a loud environment. … You know, people say that Husky Stadium is a super tough place to play in.”
That reputation still affects opponents today.
Wins against top-10 teams like Michigan and Oregon in recent seasons only added to the mystique. For CSU, it means Saturday night is about more than just the matchup on the field.
Even so, UW is still trying to prove itself as a Big Ten program. They have yet to win a road game in the conference, and questions remain about whether their physicality measures up. Fisch also calls offensive plays himself, a dual role that has led to some second-guessing. He is viewed as a strong recruiter but not always a sharp game manager.
That’s where CSU’s chance lies.
If Fowler-Nicolosi can string together efficient drives — eating up time with short throws — the Rams can keep Boston and Evans off the field. If their defensive front gets to Williams early, noise and talent may not matter as much as the Huskies think.
“Try and keep Washington’s offense off the field for as long as you can,” Sousa said. “I think that would be kind of their best shot. And then, at the end of the game, if it’s tight, anything can happen there.”
The Huskies enter with confidence, tradition and depth — the very things that have carried them to 20-straight wins at home. CSU enters with questions, a new defensive identity and the chance to hit a blue blood before it settles in.
For Sousa, one side is expected to roll. The other just needs to linger long enough to make Seattle nervous.
Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on social media @michaelfhovey.
