Washington Huskies Leading Receiver Makes Midseason Watchlist For Biletnikoff Award

SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies football team (5-4 overall, 2-4 in Big Ten play), needs one more win to become bowl eligible and make it to a bowl game for the third-straight season under head coach Jedd Fisch.

The Huskies are 2-1 over their last three games, including wins against the Purdue Boilermakers and Nebraska Cornhuskers and a loss against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

In all those three games, and since Big Ten play began, Washington's offense has often gone through the hands of second-year wide receiver Chris Lawson.

The San Francisco native, after registering just 10 catches in 89 total snaps his freshman season in 2025, has emerged as the go-to target for the Huskies. Whether it's been Elijah Brown or Demond Williams Jr. starting at quarterback, the sophomore wideout has remained consistent.

This season, he's registered 49 catches for 727 yards and three touchdowns. His catches are second on the team and his yards receiving are first on the team. His 727 yards rank 25th in the country and seventh in the Big Ten.

Lawson's highlight game of the season came in UW's 17-10 win against Nebraska on Oct. 31. He reeled in 12 catches for 155 yards (both career-highs) and scored the go-ahead touchdown for Washington with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Lawson's efforts this season were recently recognized. He was one of four wide receivers added to the Biletnikoff Award watchlist Monday. The honor is one of the most prestigious in college football and is awarded to the best receiver in college football.

"I talked to him about it yesterday," Williams said in a weekly news conference Tuesday at Husky Stadium. "I think it's awesome just to see how he's grown just throughout his time being here and really throughout the season. Each game (Lawson's) getting better and continuing to increase his confidence and the way he plays week in, week out. I just admire the way he works every week, keep doing what he's doing. I'm super appreciative having him on the team."

The closest Washington has come to win the Biletnikoff was Rome Odunze, who was the finalist for the award in 2023. The team's leading receiver last year, Denzel Boston, was also on the watchlist.

Lawson will have a chance to continue to build on his career-best season in the Huskies' final three games of the season. The third-to-last game of the year will come against the Michigan State Spartans at 1:15 p.m. PT on Saturday at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.