On Saturday, the Washington Huskies will play in arguably their biggest game since the 2024 national championship game, where they lost to Michigan. Or as I like to call them, "that team up north."   

The Huskies were shells of their former selves last season after losing key pieces like Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Michael Penix Jr. They went 6-6 in the regular season and lost a heartbreaker to Louisville 35-34 in the Sun Bowl.   

Undoubtedly, a disappointing first year under Jedd Fisch and in the Big Ten conference. So far, Fisch and the Huskies are off to a great start, making up for last season's disappointments. They looked strong in their 3-0 start, especially when reclaiming the Apple Cup in week four.   

As it stands, the Huskies are unranked in the AP Poll while the Buckeyes are listed as the number one team in the country. The Buckeyes have looked near perfect to start their season and look poised to make another run for a national championship. They’ve been on fire since beating Texas in a top-three matchup week one and silencing the Arch Manning hype.   

The Huskies are a respected football program with a proven history of being a consistent winner. However, that has not prevented them from being overlooked in the buildup to this game. Last season's woes and their current unranked status do not play to their benefit.  

However, looking at how they have performed so far this season, the Huskies match up to the Buckeyes more than some may admit.   

Starting with the quarterbacks, the potential for a shootout is undeniable with the excellent passing abilities of the Huskies’ Demond Williams and the Buckeyes’ Julian Sayin. The stat sheet alone shows how evenly matched these two are.   

Sayin has thrown for 779 yards and eight touchdowns with a 78% completion percentage. Williams has thrown for 778 yards and six touchdowns with a 73% completion percentage.  

The one leg up Williams has is his zero interceptions, while Sayin has three. His interceptions have come from rare poor decision-making when Sayin tried to force the ball in tight windows or threw the ball way too late on an out-route.

When Williams steps on the field, defenses not only have to worry about his passing ability, but they also need to respect what he can do on the run. With 230 yards rushing, he’s bound to eclipse his total of 280 within the next few weeks. The Huskies will need to force the elite Buckeye defense to respect Williams’ dynamic play style.   

On defense, the Huskies are in the top 50 in points allowed per game. When squaring up against a high-powered Buckeye offense, the Huskies need to play the game of a lifetime. It might as well be the world championships for chess.  

They will need to find a way to make Sayin uncomfortable while also limiting wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Before their bye week, Smith and Sayin began to find chemistry. Smith has been touted as the best receiver in the nation.  

The Huskies are equipped to get the job done. With homefield advantage, they have every opportunity to do the unthinkable and upset the reigning national champions. If they can pull it off, the outlook on the Huskies program and season changes drastically. They can catapult themselves into playoff contention and set themselves up for a top spot in the conference.   

To my own dismay, if the Buckeyes can’t get over the hump against Michigan in November, the Huskies' win over the Buckeyes could pay off in astounding ways.   

A mutual dislike for the Maize and Blue might be where the commonalities end for Huskie and Buckeye fans. When they step onto the field Saturday, they will be out to prove they belong in the Big Ten.