If preseason projections are to be believed, the Washington Huskies football team will have a chance to make a push for the College Football Playoffs in 2026.

The Huskies have been included in several preseason Top 25 polls, including one from the NCAA's website, ESPN and On3.

If Washington was to make the 12-team CFP, it would be its third-ever berth into the tournament and second in four seasons. It would also mark a quick turnaround for the program, which lost most of its best players and then-head coach Kalen DeBoer following its loss to Michigan in the 2024 CFP National Championship game.

If UW does make the CFP, it now knows what its schedule will be for the postseason.

ESPN College Football writer Pete Thamel shared the dates for the CFP quarterfinal and semifinal games the next two seasons.

This upcoming season, the quarterfinals will be comprised of the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30; and the Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl, all on Jan. 1, 2027, respectively.

The semifinals will be the Orange Bowl on Jan. 14, 2027 and the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 15, 2027.

For the 2027-28 season, the quarterfinals will be: the Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31, 2027; and the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2028. The semifinals will be: the Orange Bowl on Jan. 13, 2028 and the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 14, 2028.

Beginning this upcoming season, the College Football Playoff will shift to a two-week gap in between quarterfinal and semifinal games, shifting away from the one-week break in between the two rounds that has been the case previous seasons.

The Huskies are tied for the ninth-most CFP appearances since the format was introduced in 2014. Both of Washington's CFP berths were under the old four-team format: once in the '16-17 season and the other in the '23-24 season.

Both times the Huskies made the CFP, it was as the Pac-12 champions. It's last CFP berths was its last season as members of the Pac-12 before joining the Big Ten.

Last season, three Big Ten teams made the CFP: the national champions the Indiana Hoosiers, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks.

Washington will be bolstered this season with the return of junior quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who led the Big Ten in total yards (3,676) last year. The Huskies also will avoid a trip to the east coast this season, which will help Washington get some much-needed rest in a stacked conference.

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