Washington Hosts Rutgers in Friday Night Big Ten Clash; Week 7 picks
Washington looks to build momentum at home as Jedd Fisch’s squad faces a tough Rutgers team led by veteran QB Athan Kaliakmanis and rising star RB Antwan Raymond.
Washington vs. Rutgers
Date: Friday - October 10, 2025, 6:00 p.m. PT
Location: Husky Stadium (Seattle, WA)
TV: FS1
Rutgers Overview
Record: 3-2 (0-2, Big Ten)
Conference: Big Ten
Coach: Greg Schiano
Key Players:
Athan Kaliakmanis (Sr.) Quarterback - Last season against Washington, Kaliakmanis was quiet, only throwing for 115 yards and a touchdown in the Rutgers’ victory. This season, however, the senior is averaging a shade under 280 yards per-game, including a four-touchdown performance against Miami (OH). The veteran starter will not make many mistakes (only two interceptions in five games thus far), and if the Washington defense makes a mistake, Kaliakmanis will exploit it.
Antwan Raymond (So.) Running back - Washington fans are relieved to not see former Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai in the backfield this season, who rushed for 132 yards in Rutgers’ win a season ago. Unfortunately for the Washington defense, Rutgers has another back who is on a similar trajectory as Monangai. Raymond’s nine rushing touchdowns are second in college football to only Washington’s Jonah Coleman. The sophomore has 471 yards on the ground including a career-high 161 against Minnesota last weekend.
Daniel Djabome (Sr.) Linebacker - The Captain of the Rutgers’ defense was a third-team All-Big Ten selection a season ago and is continuing to play at a high level in 2025. Djabome ranks second on the team in tackles with 26. The senior will be tasked with stopping Jonah Coleman who rushed for 148 yards against Rutgers in 2024.
Three Things to Know
Grady Gross missed three field goals against Rutgers last season. The junior kicker has found his form again so far this season after a dismal 2024 campaign which saw the usually reliable Gross miss eight of his 26 field goal attempts. So far in 2025, Gross has yet to miss a field goal or extra point. Gross’s misses in 2024 kept the Huskies from coming out of New Jersey with the win, but with the junior seemingly finding his touch again, he should have no problem helping UW put points on the board on Friday.
Washington’s injury concerns. Despite the heroic effort on Saturday, another key cog in the Washington offensive line went down with an injury. Freshman left guard John Mills left Saturday’s game with a lower leg injury. Redshirt freshman Paki Finau played well in place of Mills and will most likely be given the start on Friday. With both Carver Willis and Mills now out, senior tackle Maximus McCree and Finau will have to step up once again in place of the two starters.
Friday night in Seattle. Friday night will be wet, rainy, cold, and most importantly, in Seattle. Washington’s home field advantage already ranks as one of the best in the country, and the more “Seattle” the environment is on Friday, the better. The over 2,800-mile flight for Rutgers to the west coast also bodes well for UW. In Rutgers lone trip out west last season against USC, the Trojans dismantled the Scarlett Knights 42-20.
Washington’s Keys to Victory
Key 1: Get Jonah Coleman going. Although Coleman had over 100 scrimmage yards against Maryland, the Huskies’ bell-cow back only carried the ball 18 times for 57 yards. It marked the third consecutive game the senior has failed to reach the 100-yard mark. Washington’s offense is at its best when Coleman is breaking tackles and punishing defenses. It will be tough with a banged-up offensive line, but if Coleman can get going early, Washington will have no problem moving the ball on Friday.
Key 2: Demond decides to take of early. In the first half on Saturday, Demond Williams Jr. looked just a bit off. His timing with usual number one connection Denzel Boston looked off and he hesitated on whether or not escape the pocket and run or look for something down field. In the second half, Williams cut the thinking out of his decision making. Williams utilized his game-breaking speed on critical drives in the fourth quarter, adding runs of 20 and 10 yards, the longest carries of the day for Washington.
Key 3: Fast start. Not scoring until 3:44 remaining in the third quarter probably was not the plan for Jedd Fisch on Saturday. For three quarters, the Washington offense was stuck in mud, which allowed Maryland to push the lead to 20. Luckily for Washington, the offense found its rhythm and Maryland made mistakes down the stretch typical of a young team. Although Washington is at home, it cannot afford to start slow again against an opponent that is more than capable of putting points on the board.
Prediction
The spread: Washington is favored by 10.5 points.
Kevin: Will I ever pick the Huskies to lose? Washington is the better team here, and Washington is a better team at home. I think the offense found its footing again in the fourth quarter of its game against Maryland, and I believe it will continue to perform well against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have not been able to stop Iowa and Minnesota in shootouts. I don’t think Rutgers can stop the Huskies, who have more talent than those two teams on offense. Kevin’s Pick: Washington 38, Rutgers 31
Danny: A miraculous come-from-behind win on Saturday could go one of two ways for Washington. It could experience a slight hangover from the dramatic performance, or it could continue its momentum and start fast. With the home crowd behind them I predict Washington to come out fast and get points on the board early. The lead will balloon to 20-plus points, and Washington will cruise to its second consecutive conference win. Danny’s Pick: Washington 38, Rutgers 27
Week 7 Picks
2025 Records
Kevin: (Straight up, 21-4; vs. the spread, 12-13)
Danny: (Straight up, 17-8; vs. the spread, 10-15)
No. 1 Ohio State (5-0) at No. 17 Illinois (5-1) (Saturday at 9 a.m., FOX)
The spread: Ohio State is favored by 14.5 points
Kevin’s pick: Ohio State 27, Illinois 13
Danny’s Pick: Ohio State 35, Illinois 13
No. 8 Alabama (4-1) at No. 14 Missouri (5-0) (Saturday at 9:00 a.m., ABC)
The spread: Alabama is favored by 3.5 points
Kevin’s pick: Alabama 33, Missouri 27
Danny’s Pick: Alabama 31, Missouri 24
No. 7 Indiana (5-0) at No. 3 Oregon (5-0) (Saturday at 12:30 p.m., CBS)
The spread: Oregon is favored by 7.5 points
Kevin’s pick: Oregon 27, Indiana 20
Danny’s Pick: Oregon 42, Indiana 24
No. 15 Michigan (4-1) at USC (4-1) (Saturday at 4:30 p.m, NBC)
The spread: USC is favored by 2.5 points
Kevin’s pick: USC 26, Michigan 23
Danny’s Pick: USC 28, Michigan 21
No. 18 BYU (5-0) at Arizona (4-1) (Saturday at 5 p.m., ESPN2)
The spread: BYU is favored by 1.5 points
Kevin’s pick: BYU 27, Arizona 21
Danny’s Pick: BYU 35, Arizona 17