The sophomore signal caller was named to the list for the third time season after a four-touchdown performance
The Washington Huskies football team is coming off arguably its biggest win of the season.
The Huskies have a bye week this week after it beat then-No. 23 Illinois 42-25 on Oct. 25 in front of its home crowd at Husky Stadium in Seattle. The program became bowl-eligible with the win.
It was Washington's first ranked win of the season and improved its overall record to 6-2 and Big Ten record to 3-2. The Huskies received 46 votes in the latest Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll.
Washington's only conference losses this season were both to ranked teams: a 24-6 decision against No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 27 and a 24-7 loss to No. 21 Michigan on Oct. 18.
Having a ranked win going into the bye is a big boost for a Huskies program still looking for their first placement of the season on the AP Top 25 poll. And sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. had his fingerprints all over the Huskies' latest win.
Williams went 26-for-33 for 280 yards and four touchdowns against the Fighting Illini. He added another 66 yards on the ground on 10 carried. It was an impressive bounceback for Williams after he threw three interceptions and no touchdowns against the Wolverines on Oct. 18.
The performance also got Williams recognized by the committee for one of the most prolific college football awards in the country.
Williams was named to the Davey O'Brien Great 8 List for his performance against Illinois. It was the third time this season Williams has earned a spot on the list.
The Davey O'Brien Award is given to the best quarterback in college football every year.
The Great 8 list recognizes standout performers from that respective week in college football. The other seven quarterbacks to join Williams on the list this week were: Tennessee senior quarterback Joey Aguilar; BYU freshman Bear Bachmeier; Georgia Tech senior Haynes King; Memphis senior Brendon Lewis; North Texas redshirt freshman Drew Mestemaker; Texas A&M sophomore Marcel Reed and Houston junior Conner Weigman.
Williams has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country this season. He's completed 73.1% of his passes for 2,117 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions and has rushed for 429 yards and four touchdowns on 89 carries. His 2,117 passing yards ranks third in the BIg Ten. He has an 82.9 quarterback rating (QBR) which ranks fifth in the conference and 11th in the country.
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WASHINGTON WILL GET OFFENSIVE TARGETS BACK FOR GAME AGAINST WISCONSIN: Tight end Quentin Moore and wide receiver Rashid Williams will return to the Huskies after the bye week. CLICK HERE
WASHINGTON PUTS TOGETHER STATEMENT 42-25 WIN AGAINST NO. 23 ILLINOIS: The Huskies earned their first ranked win of the season and became bowl-eligible in a dominant win against the Fighting Illini. CLICK HERE
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