With Big Ten Media Days wrapping up on Thursday, talking season is officially in the books, and if I may be so bold, thank GOD!
Now we can finally look ahead to the start of college football season, and with that, the picture of 2026 as a whole starts to come into focus.
Speaking of the Big Ten, after looking through the conference’s predicted order of finish, I have zeroed in on one dark horse that my shock a ton of people this coming season.
ONE OF THESE EIGHT COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS WILL BE HOISTING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY IN 2026
I have been seeing the USC Trojans getting a lot of love as a “sleeper” in the Big Ten conference, and while I really like how 2026 is shaping up for Lincoln Riley and the Men of Troy, they were picked to finish fourth by the media.
I wanted something a little more exciting, and after scrolling a little deeper down the list of teams, I think I may have found my Big Ten sleeper.
All the way down at seventh – not a doormat but certainly not a favorite either – you’ll find the Washington Huskies, and I absolutely love what they have going on heading into the season.
For Washington, it starts at the top with head coach Jedd Fisch.
This might be my bias showing, but Fisch was my top pick for the Florida Gators when it became obvious that Lane Kiffin was heading elsewhere. I believe he’s one hell of a coach, but the numbers back this up, as well.
Fisch’s previous stop before arriving in Seattle was with the Arizona Wildcats, and in year one he inherited a mess of a program, bottoming out at 1-11.
INDIANA COACH CURT CIGNETTI BECOMES UNSTOPPABLE THANKS TO LATEST DEVELOPMENT ON RECRUITING TRAIL
Year two was appreciably better at 5-7, but still nothing to write home about.
In year three, however, Fisch and the Wildcats were the talk of college football, shocking everyone with a 10-3 record and putting players like QB Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan on the map.
Surprisingly, Fisch didn’t stick around for another year with Fifita and McMillan in Tucson, opting to take over for the newly departed Kalen DeBoer at Washington.
The cupboard was left pretty bare for Fisch when he touched down in the Pacific Northwest, as the new Huskies head coach had to replace 20 of his 22 starters from the team that went to the national championship game just a season prior.
Fisch showed his chops once again, guiding the Huskies to a 6-7 record and a berth in the Sun Bowl despite having to patch together an entire team from scratch.
After a 9-4 season and a bowl win in 2025, it’s safe to see why I’m so optimistic about the Huskies given Fisch’s track record of ascending each subsequent season.
Washington didn’t take a ton of players in the transfer portal, and while some might view that as a negative, I think it’s a sign of things stabilizing for the team.
The Huskies rank in the top 15 nationally in returning production at 65%, just a tick under Oregon and UCLA for tops in the Big Ten and certainly a far cry from his first season in Seattle.
The biggest reason for optimism among those returning starters is quarterback Demond Williams Jr.
After spot duty and a few starts in 2024, Williams blossomed into a legitimate threat both through the air and on the ground and was one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal before he opted to return to Washington for his junior year.
Other talented returning starters include offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi and safety Alex McLaughlin, both of whom are generating plenty of buzz in the preseason.
The schedule sets up very nicely for the Huskies, too, as they play five of their first six games within the friendly confines of Husky Stadium and won’t leave the Pacific Time Zone until mid-October.
They also avoid Ohio State and Michigan while they get both Indiana and Penn State at home this year.
If you need a Big Ten darkhorse to ride with in 2026, I suggest you look no further than the Washington Huskies.
They have the coaching, the returning production at key positions, and the schedule to be a real threat this coming season.
Buy stock in Fisch and company now, because it won’t be getting any cheaper.
