Washington vs. Illinois: Huskies Look to Reignite Offense Back Home in Big Ten Showdown
After a road loss at Michigan, Washington returns home to Husky Stadium for a chance to reset. Can Jedd Fisch’s offense find its rhythm again against No. 23 Illinois in a pivotal Big Ten matchup?
Washington vs. Illinois
Date: Saturday - October 25, 2025, 12:30 p.m. PT
Location: Husky Stadium (Seattle, WA.)
TV: Big Ten Network
Illinois Overview
Record: 5-2 (2-2, Big Ten)
Coach: Bret Bielema
Key Players:
Luke Altmyer (Sr.) Quarterback - The senior quarterback brings a 13-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 72.4 completion percentage to Husky Stadium. His 173.4 quarterback rating places him 11th nationally. He is an experienced signal caller who is not prone to making that many mistakes.
Hank Beatty (Sr.) Wide Receiver - Beatty is another experienced offensive player for Illinois. In all but one of the team’s seven games, Beatty has recorded at least five receptions. Against Purdue, he hauled in five catches for 186 yards and a touchdown. Beatty also handles punt return duties for the Illini.
Gabe Jacas (Sr.) - Linebacker - Jacas is the upperclassman to watch on defense for Illinois. The third-team Big Ten selection (2024) has recorded 23 tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2025.
Three Things to Know
Jonah Coleman has been held under 60 yards rushing in Washington’s last three games. Though Coleman started the season racking up yards, opposing defenses have limited his production in Washington’s last three games. Will he be able to get back on track at home against Illinois? He’s only averaged around three yards per carry against Maryland, Rutgers, and Michigan. The one positive to his game, despite his limited production on the ground, has been his pass-catching ability, where he’s averaging around 40 yards receiving per game.
The Illinois defense has surrendered 27 points or more in its last three games. Can Washington’s offense bounce back after a dismal performance at Michigan? Illinois’ defense has not been lights out, and there’s a chance it continues to struggle on the road at Husky Stadium.
Washington has won the last four contests against Illinois. Husky legend Sonny Sixkiller won a pair of games in 1971 and 1972, leading the Huskies to 52-14 and 31-11 victories, respectively. Four decades later, the teams met in 2013 with a game at Soldier Field. The Huskies won 34-24 at Soldier Field, behind 208 yards rushing from Bishop Sankey. In 2014, the Huskies beat Illinois 44-19 at Husky Stadium. Linebacker Shaq Thompson scored on a pick-six and also returned a fumble for another touchdown.
Washington’s Keys to Victory
Key 1: Limit the unforced errors: Washington only had four penalties for 23 yards last weekend, but each one seemed to act as a drive killer. With the Washington offense failing to start fast, penalties kill any chance at momentum for a team that desperately needs it on the offensive end. The Illinois defense has been pedestrian in conference play, but before Washington can take advantage of the Illinois defense, it must conquer itself first.
Key 2: Force the Illinois defense to make plays: In conference play, the Illinois defense has surrendered 39 points per game, including a 63-point barrage from No. 2 Indiana. This is the perfect remedy for a struggling Washington offense to get back on track. The Huskies have to capitalize in the red zone and push the ball down the field against a defense that has underperformed so far in 2025.
Key 3: The stars have to show up: In the non-conference it was Jonah Coleman, against Rutgers, it was Denzel Boston and Demond Williams Jr., but it has been a struggle for Washington to get all three of its stars on the same page in conference play. A unit that is missing two starters on the offensive line has to lean on its playmakers to carry the load, and the stars need to answer the call. If all three stars can get going on Saturday, the Washington offense should have no problem getting back on track in front of the Huskies’ faithful.
Prediction
The spread: Washington is favored by 4.5 points.
Kevin: Returning home to Husky Stadium can work magic, and it seems like the oddmakers agree, despite Illinois’ No. 23 ranking. I’m expecting the Husky offense to get back on track after a dismal showing against Michigan. I don’t think Illinois has the same type of talent as Ohio State and Michigan to withstand Washington’s offensive weapons. Kevin’s Pick: Washington 41, Illinois 30.
Danny: This is the ultimate prove it game for the Washington offense. Only seven points and three turnovers a week ago is unacceptable for a unit that was poised to be tops in the conference. Limit the turnovers and penalties, and the offense has to finish drives. If Washington can force turnovers on defense and score touchdowns instead of field goals on offense, it should be back in the win column. Illinois is a talented team that will put up a fight, but as we’ve seen these last two years, the time change makes a difference. Danny’s Pick: Washington 35, Illinois 33
Week 9 Picks
2025 Records
Kevin: (Straight up, 33-7; vs. the spread, 17-23)
Danny: (Straight up, 30-10; vs. the spread, 18-22)
No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1) at No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1) (Saturday at 9 a.m., aBC)
The spread: Oklahoma is favored by 5.5 points.
Kevin’s pick: Oklahoma 27, Ole Miss 24
Danny’s Pick: Ole Miss 31, Oklahoma 21
UCLA (3-4, 3-1) at No. 2 Indiana (7-0, 4-0) (Saturday at 9 a.m., FOX)
The spread: Indiana is favored by 25.5 points
Kevin’s pick: Indiana 34, UCLA 23
Danny’s Pick: Indiana 42, UCLA 17
Stanford (3-4) at No. 9 Miami (5-1) (Saturday at 4 p.m., ABC)
The spread: Miami is favored by 30.5 points
Kevin’s pick: Miami 36, Stanford 10
Danny’s Pick: Miami 38, Stanford 13
No. 25 Michigan (5-2, 3-1) at No. Michigan State (3-4, 0-4)(Saturday at 4:30 p.m, NBC)
The spread: Michigan is favored by 14.5 points
Kevin’s pick: Michigan 30, Michigan State 17
Danny’s Pick: Michigan 28, Michigan State 14
Houston (6-1) at Arizona State (5-2) (Saturday at 5 p.m., ESPN2)
The spread: ASU is favored by 7.5 points
Kevin’s pick: ASU 29, Houston 24
Danny’s Pick: ASU 35, Houston 31