The Prediction – Washington Huskies @ Indiana Hoosiers

The last time we saw our beloved huskies, they were getting beaten up in Iowa while we were drinking our morning coffee. It's 9 a.m. PT kickoff time again for the Dawgs, but at least they've had a week off to recover and acclimate in advance. Can the Huskies pull off their second upset against a top-10 team this year? Can they win their first game of the season on the road at Husky Stadium? Here you can find out what our employees have to say.

Max Vrooman

In my Big Ten team talent rankings this offseason, Indiana ranked 8th as I ranked the Hoosiers among the best of everyone out there. Turns out I wasn't high enough. They were absolutely dominant, albeit against an easy schedule (wins over SP+ #'s 32, 52, 73, 79, 117, 122). The advanced metrics say Washington should be their toughest opponent so far, but UW is only 5 spots better than Nebraska, which beat Indiana by 49 points last week.

If there were no injuries, it would be easy to eliminate any chance of UW winning in this game. The Huskies are 0-3 on the road at Husky Stadium despite defeating their opponents in all three games. There is no sign that this team can avoid the fatal mistake along the way. Add to that the fact that it is a 9a body clock game and is on college game day, so it will be one of the louder crowds in school history and…

The arguments for a UW win are these. According to SP+, this is the top-ranked offense in the country, but it is missing its potentially All-American quarterback Kurtis Rouke, who is out with a thumb injury. Backup Tayven Jackson is a former top recruit and has pitched in big relief this season, but it's only 18 throws and he had 2 TDs and 5 INTs last year. If he turns into a pumpkin under the pressure, UW has a chance. The Huskies also have a bye week and should be as healthy as they have been since the opener. If Fish feels comfortable finally giving Jonah Coleman more than 20 touches, that would help. We also hope that UW has learned from the 9a PT start against Iowa and that the preparation changes they are making are helpful.

I'm calling for a big game from Denzel Boston against Indiana's corners, who are very good but are also 5'9 and 5'11. The TD run continues for him. But UW’s problems in the red zone will hit them again.

Indiana 34 – Washington 20

Mark Schäfer

It's now Game #8 for the Huskies, and it's sure to be a tough game. All odds are against the Huskies. It's an away game in Bloomington, against a very well-coached and balanced IU team with college game day in-house and an undefeated Hoosier team on the other side. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right?

NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND! These Dawgs are coming off a bye week and are poised to shock the college football world with a healthier Husky team (namely Jonah Coleman and Zach Durfee). Another plus for them is Tayven Jackson at QB, who has spent most of the season backing up Kurtis Rourke but is in the starting lineup because Rourke is out with a thumb injury. If the Huskies can find ways to rattle him and capitalize on his potential mistakes on offense, then we may have a chance. But that all depends on Jedd preparing these huskies, which the jury is still out on. Still, I'm an optimist through and through, and as we've discovered, I can never beat the Huskies! A win here could give the Huskies momentum heading into next week against USC and provide more optimism for their efforts toward a bowl bid. And I think they can do it, it's just a matter of preparation.

Washington 24 – Indiana 20

Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire

Andreas Berg

Indiana's magical run so far in 2024 has some echoes of UW's great 2023 season. They have the fast-rising coach, the explosive offense led by a veteran quarterback, and the defense that might keep games a little closer than the offense would, and a bevy of unusual playmakers throughout the offense that keep the defense off balance bring. Like the Dawgs last year, the Hoosiers love to pass the ball and are great at it – ranked No. 1 nationally in success rate and No. 2 in the EPA in passing. Likewise, the excellent passing game has made it easier to run the ball effectively as the defense has focused on multiple receivers pushing them into the backfield. The headline in this game is of course the absence of IU quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who has provided the IU drink so far. Backup Tayven Jackson was a four-star recruit who originally committed to Tennessee. Even after graduating from high school, it was a shock to Jackson that he played on a running team that didn't particularly showcase his passing ability, and that he didn't play enough in college to change that level of experience. UW's secondary has done a good job most of the year and it will be up to them to confuse Jackson and hopefully create turnovers.

The Indiana defense also looks vaguely like UW's 2023 iteration: more good than great, probably 25th in the country, but good enough to let the offense run wild. They were good at moving opponents off the field quickly, but not so good at keeping points off the field when the opponent moved the ball. It's a reversal of the UW offense: “Break but don't bend.” We return to the same questions we've seen in the past: Can UW avoid penalties, finish drives and convert yards into points? The Huskies haven't been able to do that consistently, especially away from home.

Indiana is very good. Rourke was an important cog, but he's not the only great player on this team. If there was another brand name next to that resume, the team would easily be in the national top 10. UW has what it takes to beat a team like that, but haven't put it together often enough to be confident in it.

Indiana 31 – Washington 21