The Huskies football team will begin the 2026 slate with a rare Sunday Apple Cup showdown against the Washington State Cougars
The Washington Huskies football team is set to enter the 2026 season with a significant amount of expectations.
The Huskies have been named in early top 25 lists by several publications, hovering around the 20-25 range.
A large part of these expectations will depend on the continued development of junior quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who will be entering his second full season as the team's starting signal-caller this season.
In order for Washington to meet, and potentially exceed, those expectations, will depend on whether or not Williams steps up in big games, particularly against top-end Big Ten foes.
Luckily for the Huskies, they'll avoid matchups against some of the teams they faced last year, such as Michigan and Ohio State. They will, however, take on the defending national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers, Nov. 21 at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
Before Washington gets to their Big Ten schedule, it will have to go through its non-conference schedule. The Huskies found the kickoff times for their non-Big Ten games Wednesday.
Here's an overview of the Huskies' non-conference schedule:
Sept. 6: Washington vs. Washington State Cougars, 1 p.m. PT
The Huskies first nationally-broadcast game of the season will be their annual Apple Cup showdown against in-state rivals and former Pac-12 foes, the Washington State Cougars. The game will air on NBC and will take place at Washington's home of Husky Stadium in Seattle.
Sept. 6 will mark the 114th edition of the Apple Cup. It will also be a rare Sunday kickoff for both squads. It will mark the first time in the rivalry's history that the game will be played on a Sunday.
Sept. 12: Washington vs. Utah State Aggies, 12:30 p.m. PT
Washington's second non-conference game against Utah State will also take place at Husky Stadium and will air on the Big Ten Network.
Sept. 12 will mark the Aggies' second game as members of the "new" Pac-12. Washington State and Oregon State were the lone holdovers from the previous edition of the conference, which included the Huskies. All other teams joined the Big Ten, Big 12 or Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
This will mark the fourth all-time matchup between Washington and Utah state, with the last taking place Sept. 19, 2015, UW won that game 31-17. The Huskies are 3-0 in the previous three matchups.
Sept. 19: Washington vs. Eastern Washington Eagles, 4:15 p.m. PT
Washington will finish out its non-conference schedule with a game against another in-state university, the Eastern Washington Eagles, who compete in the Big Sky of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The final non-Big Ten game of the Huskies' schedule will also air on the Big Ten Network.
Like Utah State, this will mark the fourth time Washington has faced the Cheney, Wash.-based school. The Huskies are 3-0 in the previous three matchups, with the last being a 47-14 win Aug. 31, 2019.
Other notes
The entirety of the Huskies' non-conference schedule will take place over a two-week stretch.
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