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Washington Huskies football
2024 Washington Huskies football team
Washington Huskies logo.svg
First season 1889; 136 years ago
Athletic director Patrick Chun
Head coach Jedd Fisch
1st season, 6–5 (.545)
Stadium Husky Stadium
(capacity: 70,138)
Field Alaska Airlines Field
Year built 1920
Field surface AstroTurf
Location Seattle, Washington
NCAA division Division I FBS
Conference Big Ten Conference
Past conferences Pac-12 (1959–2024)
PCC (1916–1958)
Independent (1889–1915)
All-time record 778–467–50 (.620)
Bowl record 21–21–1 (.500)
Playoff appearances 2 (2016, 2023)
Playoff record 1–2
Claimed national titles 2 (1991, 1960)
Unclaimed national titles 3 (1910, 1984, 1990)
National finalist 1 (2023)
Conference titles 18 (1916, 1919, 1925, 1936, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2016, 2018, 2023)
Division titles 4 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020)
Rivalries Oregon (rivalry)
Washington State (rivalry)
Northwest Championship
Consensus All-Americans 23
Current uniform
Washington huskies football unif.png
Colors Purple and Gold
         
Fight song Bow Down to Washington
Mascot Dubs II
Harry the Husky
Marching band University of Washington Husky Marching Band
Outfitter Adidas

The Washington Huskies football team plays for the University of Washington in college football. They are part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Starting in 2024, the Huskies will join the Big Ten Conference, after being a founding member of the Pac-12 Conference for many years. Their home field, Husky Stadium, has been in Seattle since 1920.

The Huskies have won 18 conference championships and seven Rose Bowls. They also claim two national championships, with their 1991 team finishing as the top team in the Coaches' Poll. The team holds the FBS record for the longest unbeaten streak at 64 games in a row, and the second-longest winning streak with 40 wins. Many Washington quarterbacks have gone on to play in the National Football League (NFL).

Team History

See also: List of Washington Huskies football seasons and List of Washington Huskies bowl games

Early Years: Starting the Team (1889–1907)

University of Washington football team group portrait, Seattle, November 27, 1900 (PEISER 136)
The 1900 University of Washington football team.

Football officially started at the University of Washington in 1892. In the first 15 seasons, the team had many different coaches. They started playing just a couple of games a season and grew to play 10 games a season as football became more popular. The 1900 team played against their state rival, Washington State College, in a game that later became known as the Apple Cup.

The Gil Dobie Era: Unbeaten Streaks (1908–1916)

University of Washington football team, 1908, with coach Gil Dobie, Seattle (CURTIS 911)
The undefeated 1908 University of Washington football team with Coach Gil Dobie.

Gil Dobie became Washington's head coach in 1908. He had an amazing record of 58 wins, 0 losses, and 3 ties! His teams were part of Washington's record-breaking 64-game unbeaten streak and a 40-game winning streak. In 1916, Washington helped form the Pacific Coast Conference, which later became the Pac-12 Conference. Dobie's team won the first conference championship that year.

New Coaches and a New Home (1917–1920)

Seattle - Husky Stadium under construction - 1920
Husky Stadium being built in 1920.

After Dobie, several coaches led the team. This time ended with the team moving from Denny Field to its current home, Husky Stadium, in 1920. The team also changed its nickname from "Sun Dodgers" to "Huskies" in 1922.

Enoch Bagshaw: Rose Bowl Appearances (1921–1929)

1924 Rose Bowl Program cover
The program cover for the 1924 Rose Bowl.

Enoch Bagshaw, a former Washington player, became head coach in 1921. He led the team to a strong 63–22–6 record. Under him, the Huskies played in their first two Rose Bowls. In 1924, they tied Navy 14–14, and in 1926, they lost a close game to Alabama 19–20. His 1925 team also won a conference championship.

James Phelan: More Success (1930–1941)

James Phelan coached the Huskies for 12 seasons, with a record of 65–37–8. His 1936 team won another conference championship but lost in the 1937 Rose Bowl. Phelan also led the Huskies to their first bowl game victory, beating Hawaii 53–13 in the 1938 Poi Bowl.

Jim Owens: Rose Bowl Wins (1957–1974)

Jim Owens
Coach Jim Owens.

Jim Owens became the head coach in 1957. He led the Huskies to three conference championships and three Rose Bowl appearances. They won the 1960 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin and the 1961 Rose Bowl against Minnesota. The Helms Athletic Foundation even named the 1960 team national champions!

Don James: National Champions (1975–1992)

Don James is one of Washington's most famous coaches. During his 18 years, his teams won four Rose Bowls and one Orange Bowl. His amazing 1991 team finished with a perfect 12-0 record and shared the national championship with Miami. The Huskies also won 22 games in a row from 1990–1992. Don James is remembered as a great leader and coach. A bronze statue of him stands at Husky Stadium.

Recent Coaches and New Eras (1993–Present)

After Don James, several coaches led the Huskies.

  • Jim Lambright (1993–1998) led the team to four bowl games.
  • Rick Neuheisel (1999–2002) led the Huskies to a victory in the 2001 Rose Bowl.
  • Tyrone Willingham (2005–2008) worked to improve the team's reputation.
  • Steve Sarkisian (2009–2013) led the Huskies to winning records in most of his seasons.
  • Chris Petersen (2014–2019) led Washington to a Pac-12 title and their first College Football Playoff appearance in 2016.
  • Jimmy Lake (2020–2021) coached during the COVID-19 shortened season.
  • Kalen DeBoer (2022–2023) led the Huskies to a 14-1 record in his second season, winning the final Pac-12 championship and reaching the National Championship game.
  • Jedd Fisch (2024–present) became the new head coach as Washington moved to the Big Ten Conference.

Conference Changes

Washington has been part of college football since 1889. They started as an independent team. In 1916, they helped create the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), which later became the Pac-12 Conference. Washington was one of only two schools to be a continuous member of this conference until 2024. Starting in August 2024, Washington will join the Big Ten Conference.

  • Independent (1889–1915)
  • Pac-12 Conference (1916–2024)
    • Pacific Coast Conference (1916–1958)
    • Athletic Association of Western Universities (1959–1967)
    • Pacific-8 Conference (1968–1977)
    • Pacific-10 Conference (1978–2010)
    • Pac-12 Conference (2011–2024)
  • Big Ten Conference (2024–present)

Championships and Big Wins

National Championships

UW 1991 Coaches Poll national championship trophy
The 1991 Coaches Poll national championship trophy at Husky Stadium.

Washington claims two national championships: 1960 and 1991.

  • The 1960 team was chosen as national champions by the Helms Athletic Foundation after they beat the top-ranked Minnesota team in the 1961 Rose Bowl.
  • The 1991 team finished as the No. 1 team in the Coaches Poll, earning them a national title. The AP Poll chose Miami (FL) as their champion that year, so the title was shared.

Claimed National Titles

Year Coach Selector Record Bowl Opponent Result Final AP Final Coaches
1960 Jim Owens Helms Athletic Foundation 10–1 Rose Bowl Minnesota W 17–7 No. 6 No. 5
1991 Don James B(QPRS), BR, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, R(FACT), SR, UPI/NFF, USAT/CNN 12–0 Rose Bowl Michigan W 34–14 No. 2 No. 1

Other National Titles (Not Claimed by UW)

Some other groups also selected Washington as national champions in 1984 and 1990, but the school does not officially claim these titles.

Year Coach Selector Record Bowl Opponent Result Final AP Final Coaches
1910 Gil Dobie Bill Libby 6–0 N/A – –
1984 Don James B(QPRS), FN, NCF (co-champion) 11–1 Orange Bowl Oklahoma W 28–17 No. 2 No. 2
1990 Don James R(FACT) (4 co-champions) 10–2 Rose Bowl Iowa W 46–34 No. 5 No. 5

Rose Bowl Championships

Washington has won the Rose Bowl seven times and had one tie. The Rose Bowl was historically the most important bowl game for Pac-12 teams.

Year Coach Game Opponent Result
1923 Enoch Bagshaw 1924 Rose Bowl Navy T 14–14
1959 Jim Owens 1960 Rose Bowl Wisconsin W 44–8
1960 1961 Rose Bowl Minnesota W 17–7
1977 Don James 1978 Rose Bowl Michigan W 27–20
1981 1982 Rose Bowl Iowa W 28–0
1990 1991 Rose Bowl Iowa W 46–34
1991 1992 Rose Bowl Michigan W 34–14
2000 Rick Neuheisel 2001 Rose Bowl Purdue W 34–24

Conference Championships

Washington has won 18 conference championships. This includes titles from the PCC, AAWU, Pac-8, Pac-10, and Pac-12 conferences.

Season Conference Coach Conference record Overall record
1916 PCC Gil Dobie 3–0–1 6–0–1
1919† Claude J. Hunt 2–1–0 5–1–0
1925 Enoch Bagshaw 5–0–0 11–0–1
1936 James Phelan 7–0–1 7–2–1
1959† AAWU Jim Owens 3–1–0 10–1–0
1960 4–0–0 10–1–0
1963 4–1–0 6–5–0
1977 Pacific-8 Don James 6–1–0 10–2–0
1980 Pacific-10 6–1–0 9–3–0
1981 6–2–0 10–2–0
1990 7–1–0 10–2–0
1991 8–0–0 12–0–0
1992† 6–2–0 9–3–0
1995† Jim Lambright 6–1–1 7–4–1
2000† Rick Neuheisel 7–1 11–1
2016 Pac-12 Chris Petersen 8–1 12–2
2018 7–2 10–4
2023 Kalen DeBoer 9–0 14–1

† Co-champions

Division Championships

Washington won four Pac-12 North Division titles. These divisions were used from 2011 to 2021.

Season Conference Division Coach Opponent CG result
2016 Pac-12 North Chris Petersen Colorado W 41–10
2017† Pac-12 North Chris Petersen N/A: lost tiebreaker to Stanford
2018† Pac-12 North Chris Petersen Utah W 10–3
2020 Pac-12 North Jimmy Lake N/A: unable to play due to not enough players available

† Co-champions

Head Coaches

See also: List of Washington Huskies head football coaches
Tenure Head coach Record Bowl record
1892–1893 W. B. Goodwin 2–4–1
1894 Charles Cobb 1–1–1
1895–1896, 1898 Ralph Nichols 7–4–1
1897 Carl L. Clemans 1–2
1899 A. S. Jeffs 4–1–1
1900 J. S. Dodge 1–2–2
1901 Jack Wright 3–3
1902–1904 James Knight 15–4–1
1905 Oliver Cutts 4–2–2
1906–1907 Victor M. Place 8–5–6
1908–1916 Gil Dobie† 58–0–3
1917, 1919 Claude J. Hunt 6–3–1
1918 Tony Savage 1–1
1920 Stub Allison 1–5
1921–1929 Enoch Bagshaw 63–22–6 0–1–1
1930–1941 James Phelan† 65–37–8 1–1
1942–1947 Ralph Welch 27–20–3 0–1
1948–1952 Howard Odell 23–25–2
1953–1955 John Cherberg 10–18–2
1956 Darrell Royal† 5–5
1957–1974 Jim Owens† 99–82–6 2–1
1975–1992 Don James† 153–57–2 10–4
1993–1998 Jim Lambright 44–25–1 1–3
1999–2002 Rick Neuheisel 33–16 1–3
2003–2004 Keith Gilbertson 7–16
2005–2008 Tyrone Willingham 11–37
2009–2013 Steve Sarkisian 34–29 1–2
2013 (interim) Marques Tuiasosopo 1–0 1–0
2014–2019 Chris Petersen 55–26 2–4
2020–2021 Jimmy Lake 7–6
2021 (interim) Bob Gregory 0–3*
2022–2023 Kalen DeBoer 25–3 2–1
2024–present Jedd Fisch 2–1 0–0

† College Football Hall of Fame inductee
* Includes loss to Arizona State during Head Coach Jimmy Lake's suspension.

Bowl Games

Main article: List of Washington Huskies bowl games

Washington has played in many bowl games, with a record of 20 wins, 20 losses, and 1 tie. Their 15 appearances in the Rose Bowl are second only to USC in the Pac-12.

No. Season Bowl Location Opponent Result Attendance
1 1923 Rose Pasadena, California Navy T 14–14 40,000
2 1925 Rose Pasadena, California Alabama L 19–20 45,000
3 1936 Rose Pasadena, California Pittsburgh L 0–21 87,196
4 1937 Poi Honolulu, Hawai'i Hawaii W 53–13 13,500
5 1943 Rose Pasadena, California USC L 0–29 68,000
6 1959 Rose Pasadena, California Wisconsin W 44–8 100,809  
7 1960 Rose Pasadena, California Minnesota W 17–7 97,314
8 1963 Rose Pasadena, California Illinois L 7–17 96,957
9 1977 Rose Pasadena, California Michigan W 27–20 105,312  
10 1979 Sun El Paso, Texas Texas W 14–7 33,412
11 1980 Rose Pasadena, California Michigan L 6–23 104,863  
12 1981 Rose Pasadena, California Iowa W 28–0 105,611  
13 1982 Aloha Honolulu, Hawai'i Maryland W 21–20 30,055
14 1983 Aloha Honolulu, Hawai'i Penn State L 10–13 37,212
15 1984 Orange Miami, Florida Oklahoma W 28–17 56,294
16 1985 Freedom Anaheim, California Colorado W 20–17 30,961
17 1986 Sun El Paso, Texas Alabama L 6–28 48,722
18 1987 Independence Shreveport, Louisiana Tulane W 24–12 41,683
19 1989 Freedom Anaheim, California Florida W 34–7 33,858
20 1990 Rose Pasadena, California Iowa W 46–34 101,273  
21 1991 Rose Pasadena, California Michigan W 34–14 103,566  
22 1992 Rose Pasadena, California Michigan L 31–38 94,236
23 1995 Sun El Paso, Texas Iowa L 18–38 49,116
24 1996 Holiday San Diego, California Colorado L 21–33 54,749
25 1997 Aloha Honolulu, Hawai'i Michigan State W 51–23 34,419
26 1998 Oahu Honolulu, Hawai'i Air Force L 25–45 46,451
27 1999 Holiday San Diego, California Kansas State L 20–24 57,118
28 2000 Rose Pasadena, California Purdue W 34–24 94,392
29 2001 Holiday San Diego, California Texas L 43–47 60,548
30 2002 Sun El Paso, Texas Purdue L 24–34 48,917
31 2010 Holiday San Diego, California Nebraska W 19–7 57,921
32 2011 Alamo San Antonio, Texas Baylor L 56–67 65,256
33 2012 Las Vegas Whitney, Nevada Boise State L 26–28 33,217
34 2013 Fight Hunger San Francisco, California BYU W 31–16 34,136
35 2014 Cactus Tempe, Arizona Oklahoma State L 22–30 35,409
36 2015 Heart of Dallas Dallas, Texas Southern Miss W 44–31 20,229
37 2016 Peach (CFP Semifinal) † Atlanta, Georgia Alabama L 7–24 75,996
38 2017 Fiesta † Glendale, Arizona Penn State L 28–35 61,842
39 2018 Rose † Pasadena, California Ohio State L 23–28 91,853
40 2019 Las Vegas Whitney, Nevada Boise State W 38–7 34,197
41 2022 Alamo San Antonio, Texas Texas W 27–20 62,730
42 2023 Sugar (CFP Semifinal) † New Orleans, Louisiana Texas W 37–31 68,791
43 2023 2024 CFP National Championship Houston, Texas Michigan L 13–34 72,808

† New Year's Six bowl game

College Football Playoff

2016 Peach Bowl
Washington's first appearance in the College Football Playoff at the Georgia Dome.

Washington has played in the College Football Playoff two times.

Year Seed Opponent Round Result
2016 4 No. 1 Alabama Semifinal – Peach Bowl L 7–24
2023 2 No. 3 Texas Semifinal – Sugar Bowl W 37–31
No. 1 Michigan Finals – CFP National Championship L 34–13

Rivalries

Oregon Ducks

Main article: Oregon–Washington football rivalry

The rivalry between Washington and Oregon started in 1900. Washington has won more games in the series.

Washington State Cougars

Main article: Apple Cup

The game between Washington and Washington State is called the Apple Cup. It's usually the last game of the regular season for both teams. The winner gets the Apple Cup trophy from the state's governor. Washington has won more games in this rivalry.

Northwest Championship

Main article: Northwest Championship

Washington wins the Northwest Championship if they beat Oregon State, Oregon, and Washington State in the same season. These four teams from the Pacific Northwest have been playing each other since 1903.

Facilities

Husky Stadium

Husky Stadium Lake Washington
Husky Stadium is known for being one of the loudest college football stadiums.

Husky Stadium has been the home of Washington football since 1920. It's located on campus next to Lake Washington and is the largest stadium in the Pacific Northwest, holding over 70,000 fans. It's one of the few stadiums in the United States that you can reach by water! It's also known as one of the loudest stadiums in college football. In 1992, ESPN measured the noise level at about 135 decibels, which is very loud!

The stadium has been updated several times. In 2011, it had a big renovation. During that time, the team played their home games at CenturyLink Field for the 2012 season. The renovated Husky Stadium reopened in 2013.

Dempsey Indoor

The Dempsey Indoor is a large indoor facility that opened in 2001. It's used for practice by the football team and other Washington sports teams.

Traditions

Logos and Uniforms

Myles Gaskin and Tyree Thompson (cropped)
Washington's traditional colors are purple and gold. (Pictured: Myles Gaskin)

Washington's traditional home uniform includes gold helmets, purple jerseys, and gold pants. Since 1975, their helmets have featured a purple block "W" on the sides. Sometimes, they wear special uniforms, like black jerseys and pants for "blackout" games, or chrome gold and matte black helmets.

Marching Band

Main article: University of Washington Husky Marching Band

The University of Washington Husky Marching Band (HMB) is a large band with 240 members. They perform at games and events.

Broadcasting

Huskies games are broadcast on the Washington Sports Network. Bob Rondeau, known as the "Voice of the Huskies," announced Washington football for over 30 years.

Notable Players and Awards

Heisman Trophy Voting

The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding player in college football. Several Washington players have been among the top finalists for this award.

Year Name Position Finish
1951 Hugh McElhenny† HB 8th
1952 Don Heinrich† QB 9th
1990 Greg Lewis RB 7th
1991 Steve Emtman† DE 4th
1994 Napoleon Kaufman RB 9th
2000 Marques Tuiasosopo QB 8th
2016 Jake Browning QB 6th
2022 Michael Penix Jr. QB 8th
2023 Michael Penix Jr. QB 2nd

† College Football Hall of Fame inductee

College Football Hall of Fame

Many former Washington players and coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

From left to right (above): Gil Dobie, Wildcat Wilson, James Phelan; (below): Hugh McElhenny, Don Heinrich, and Warren Moon, all Hall of Fame members.
Name Position Tenure Inducted Ref.
Gil Dobie Coach 1908–1916 1951
George Wilson HB 1923–1925 1951
Chuck Carroll HB 1926–1928 1964
Paul Schwegler T 1929–1931 1967
James Phelan Coach 1930–1941 1973
Vic Markov T 1935–1937 1976
Hugh McElhenny HB 1949–1951 1981
Darrell Royal Coach 1956 1983
Don Heinrich QB 1949–1950, 1952 1987
Bob Schloredt QB 1958–1960 1989
Max Starcevich G 1934–1936 1990
Rick Redman G / LB 1962–1964 1995
Don James Coach 1975–1992 1997
Steve Emtman DT 1989–1991 2006
Lincoln Kennedy OT 1989–1992 2015

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Four former Washington players have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Name Position Career Inducted
Hugh McElhenny HB 1949–1951 1970
Arnie Weinmeister DT 1942, 1946–1947 1984
Warren Moon QB 1975–1977 2006
Don Coryell Coach 1949 2023

Rose Bowl Hall of Fame

Eight Washington coaches and players are in the Rose Bowl Game Hall of Fame.

Name Position Tenure Inducted
Bob Schloredt QB 1958–60 1991
George Wilson HB 1923–25 1991
Jim Owens Head coach 1957–74 1992
Don James Head coach 1975–92 1994
Warren Moon QB 1975–77 1997
Steve Emtman DT 1988–91 2006
George Fleming HB 1958–61 2011
Mark Brunell QB 1988–92 2015

Memorable Games

1985 Orange Bowl: A Big Win

The 1984 Huskies were ranked No. 1 in October but lost a game that kept them out of the Rose Bowl. Instead, they played No. 2 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. This was a big deal because it was the first time a Pac-10 team played in and won the Orange Bowl. Washington won 28–17.

1990: "All I Saw Was Purple"

The 1990 game against USC was very important. Washington's defense was incredible, holding USC to very few rushing yards. After the game, USC's quarterback Todd Marinovich famously said, "I just saw purple. That's all. No numbers, just purple," because the Huskies' purple jerseys were all he could see as they pressured him. Washington won 31–0.

1992: "A Night To Remember" (Loudest Stadium)

This game against Nebraska was the first night game in Husky Stadium history. It became known as "A Night To Remember" because of how loud the crowd was. The noise was so intense that it caused Nebraska players to make mistakes. ESPN measured the noise level at over 130 decibels, which is one of the loudest ever recorded in a college football stadium! Washington won 29–14.

1994: The "Whammy in Miami"

The "Whammy in Miami" was a famous game against the Miami Hurricanes. Miami had a 58-game home winning streak, but Washington ended it with a 38–20 victory. This game was special because both teams had shared the national championship in 1991, but hadn't played each other.

2009: "Miracle on Montlake"

In 2009, Washington played the No. 3 USC Trojans. USC was a heavily favored team. Washington, after winning their first game in a long time, pulled off a huge upset! With only seconds left, Erik Folk kicked a game-winning field goal, giving Washington a 16–13 victory. Fans rushed the field to celebrate this "Miracle on Montlake."

2010: "Deja Vu"

A year after the "Miracle on Montlake," the Huskies faced No. 18 USC again. In a very close game, Washington's kicker Erik Folk once again kicked a game-winning field goal as time ran out, giving the Huskies a 32–31 victory. It felt like "Deja Vu" for the fans!

2016: "70 in Eugene"

Before this game, Oregon had beaten Washington 12 times in a row. The Huskies, ranked No. 5, traveled to Oregon's stadium. Washington completely dominated the game, winning 70–21! They scored 70 points, which was the most points ever scored by either team in the rivalry. This win finally broke Oregon's long winning streak against the Huskies.

Images for kids

  • Washington huskies football unif

    Washington's traditional uniform.

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