Last year: 12–2 (8–1 Pac-12); Lost to Alabama in College Football Playoff semifinal
SI Top 100 players: Six (S Taylor Rapp, RB Myles Gaskin, DT Vita Vea, LB Azeem Victor, WR Dante Pettis, QB Jake Browning)
Player you need to know: Star safety Budda Baker and standout corners Sidney Jones and Kevin King are gone from a defense that led the Pac‑12 in yards allowed per attempt last season (3.65). Taylor Rapp, last year’s Pac‑12 defensive freshman of the year, should join returning junior starter JoJo McIntosh to solidify Washington at safety. But the questions at cornerback aren’t as easily answered. Freshman Byron Murphy (5’ 11″, 177 pounds), a four-star recruit who redshirted last season, will need to have a breakthrough year. He shone this spring, leading the Huskies in interceptions. If he can sustain that level of performance Washington will have a chance to defend its conference title.
Path to the playoff: The Pac-12 North title runs through Palo Alto, where Washington visits (Nov. 10). UCLA (Oct. 28), Oregon (Nov. 4), Utah (Nov. 18) and Washington State (Nov. 25) all come to Seattle. But the likely South winner and title-game foe—USC—handed UW its lone regular-season defeat last year.