The Associated Press released its preseason top 25 college football poll on Monday morning, and notably absent from the rankings are the Washington Huskies, a team that played in the national championship game just over eight months ago.
Washington narrowly missed the top 25, effectively ranking as the No. 32 team with 23 points from voters. This places the Huskies as the seventh team outside the official rankings.
UW Huskies Enter a New Era Following a Transformative Offseason
Despite coming off one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history, the Huskies’ absence from the top 25 isn’t entirely unexpected.
The offseason began with upheaval as head coach Kalen DeBoer departed to replace Nick Saban at Alabama, just days after Washington’s loss to Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship. The Huskies quickly appointed Jedd Fisch, formerly of Arizona, as their new head coach. However, the transition period was marked by significant turnover, with 10 key players from last season’s roster moving on to the NFL. Among them, three were first-round draft picks: quarterback Michael Penix Jr., wide receiver Rome Odunze, and offensive lineman Troy Fautanu. An additional four players were selected in the second and third rounds.
As the Huskies prepare for their first season in the Big Ten in 2024, expectations are tempered. In contrast, their rival, the Oregon Ducks, entered the poll at No. 3 with 1,403 points, trailing only Georgia and Ohio State. This marks Oregon’s highest preseason ranking since 2014. The Ducks are among six Big Ten teams in the AP’s top 25, joined by Penn State (No. 8), defending champion Michigan (No. 9), USC (No. 23), and Iowa (No. 25).
The UW Huskies will kick off the 2024 season at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 31, in a home game against Weber State.
For additional details on the AP preseason top 25, click here.
