Week Two: Eastern Michigan Headed To Husky Stadium

Saturday, September 7

Husky Stadium

12:30 PM

University of Washington

Eastern Michigan

Tickets

Photo by: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures

September 02, 2024 | Football

Full UW Notes (PDF)

THE GAME: The Washington football team (1-0) returns to Husky Stadium for the second week in a row this Saturday as Eastern Michigan (1-0) travels to Seattle for the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Washington beat Weber State, 35-3, last Saturday in Seattle, while EMU beat UMass, 28-14, in Amherst. The UW-EMU game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. PT and will air on Big Ten Network. Following the EMU game, the Huskies take on Washington State in the Boeing Apple Cup, Sept. 14, at Lumen Field in downtown Seattle, The season then continues back on Montlake, as Northwestern travels to the Pacific Northwest for the Big Ten opener, Sept. 21.

QUICK HITTERS: Washington has won 15 consecutive home games, the third-longest, current home win streak in the nation (only Georgia and Michigan have longer) ... the Huskies' nine-game road win streak is tied for the fourth-longest current streawk in the nation ... UW had several "firsts" in the win over Weber State: Jonan Coleman was the first UW back to rush for 100 yards in his Husky debut since 1960, when sophomore Charlie Mitchell ran for 100 yards vs. Pacific in his first varsity game ... true freshman Demond Williams Jr. was the first UW true freshman QB to throw a TD pass in a season opener, at least since freshmen became eligible in 1972, and classmate Decker DeGraaf was the first true freshman TE ever to catch a TD pass in the opening game of his freshman year ... 34 players made their Husky debut in the Weber State game, including nine true freshmen ... not counting the four-game 2020 season, the Huskies have won 10 or more games in five of the last seven seasons ... Washington is 73-26 since the end of the 2015 season, and 26-3 over the last 29 games ... the current UW roster includes players who list hometowns from 19 different states, as well as in Germany and Canada ... UW's 110-man roster entering the year includes 25 true freshmen, 20 redshirt freshmen, 16 sophomores, 27 juniors, and 22 seniors ... the Husky roster includes five players in their sixth season at UW: DL Jacob Bandes, RB Cameron Davis, S Kamren Fabiculanan, LB Drew Fowler, and LB Alphonzo Tuputala ... those five are playing for their fourth different head coach in 2024.

TELEVISION: The Washington-Eastern Michigan game will air on Big Ten Network, with Mark Followill, Lincoln Kennedy and Alyssa Charlston calling the action. For more information on how to watch the Big Ten Network, go to GoHuskies.com/BTN.

RADIO: All Washington football games will air on the Washington Sports Network from Learfield, with Tony Castricone (play by play), former Husky tight end Cameron Cleeland (analyst) and former UW basketball player Elise Woodward (sidelines) on the call. Radio coverage begins four hours before kickoff on the network's flagship station – Seattle's SportsRadio KJR 93.3 FM – with "Husky Gameday" live from The Zone for Husky home games. Statewide coverage on the 16-station Washington Sports Network begins two hours before kickoff. The entire broadcast is available worldwide on the Huskies Gameday mobile app and the Varsity app. The UW broadcast of this game will also air on Sirius/XM channel 97 or 197. Additionally, the Husky Football Coach's Show airs each Monday during the season at 6:00 p.m. PT.

BIG TEN TIME: As has been well documented over the last year-plus, Washington has officially joined the Big Ten Conference ahead of the 2024-25 school year, effective on Aug. 2, 2024. The Huskies are joined be fellow former Pac-12 programs Oregon, UCLA and USC in making the move to the B1G, which now includes 18 schools. Washington was one of four founding members of the Pacific Coast Conference (along with Cal, Oregon and Oregon State), and, along with Cal, was one of just two teams that were a part of that league (which changed names to the AAWU, Pac-8, Pac-10 and Pac-12) for the entirety of its full-fledged existence from 1915 to 2024.

FUTURE SCHEDULES: Last October, the Big Ten revealed 18 football teams' home and away, conference opponents for the next for the next five seasons (2024-28). Here are the UW's home and road, Big Ten games, for the coming four years:
2025: home – Illinois, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers; road – Maryland, Michigan, UCLA, Wisconsin
2026: home – Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State; road – Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Purdue, USC
2027: home – Maryland, Michgan State, Nebraska, Oregon, USC; road – Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers
2028: home – Michigan, Northwestern, UCLA, Wisconsin; road – Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Oregon

FIRST TIME vs. EASTERN MICHIGAN: For the second week in a row, the Huskies are playing an opponent for the first time in program history, as Washington and Eastern Michigan have never faced one another in football. The Huskies have never played any of the three MAC programs from Michigan (Eastern, Central and Western Michigan), though the Huskies have played 14 games vs. Michigan and five vs. Michigan State.

HUSKIES vs. THE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE: The Huskies have very little experience vs. teams from the Mid-American Conference, with just one game each against four different programs. The UW has won all four of its games against the 12 current members of the MAC (all were members at the time of their games against UW as well). The first three UW games vs. MAC teams came during an eight-season stretch between 1984 and 1991, and all were comfortable Husky home-game victories. The Huskies beat Miami (Ohio), 55-7, in 1984; Bowling Green, 48-0, in 1986; and Toledo, 48-0, in 1991. Much more recently, the Dawgs opened the 2022 season with a 45-20 victory over Kent State at Husky Stadium.

ROSTER TURNOVER: One main storyline for the 2024 UW football team has been about the amount of change that has occured since the end of the 2023 season. In fact, UW has just two returning, regular starters back from '23 (LB Alphonzo Tuputala and CB Elijah Jackson), and the Huskies lost 41 letterwinners off of last year's team, while adding 59 new players to the roster since the end of last season. On the depth chart for the season-opener in 2023, 44 players were listed on offense and defense. Just 11 of those 44 are still on the Husky roster (and just two of those 11 are on offense). In the season-opener vs. Weber State, a total of 34 players saw their first action in a Washington uniform. Nine of those 34 were true freshman.

GRADUATES: A total of 21 Huskies head into the 2024 season already having earned their undergraduate degree. Here's the list: RB Sam Adams II, S Cameron Broussard, DL Jacob Bandes, LB Carson Bruener, TE Owen Coutts, RB Cameron Davis, S Makell Esteen, S Kamren Fabiculanan, LB Drew Fowler, S Justin Harrington, WR Jeremiah Hunter, WR Giles Jackson, DL Deshawn Lynch, OL Gaard Memmelaar, TE Quentin Moore, QB Will Rogers, DL Logan Sagapolu, WR Camden Sirmon, OL D'Angalo Titialii, LB Alponzo Tuputala, OL Enokk Vimahi.

NFL CONNECTIONS: Much has been made of the UW coaching staff's NFL connections, including that coordinators Steve Belichick (Bill) and Brennan Carroll (Pete), as well as analyst Luke Del Rio (Jack) and GA Jake Lynch (John), are all sons of prominent NFL coaches and GMs. Three other staff members – Scottie Graham, Vinnie Sunseri and quality control analyst Caleb Wilson – played in the NFL. And, UW's player roster also includes a number of sons of former NFL players: Sam Adams II (Sam), Carson Bruener (Mark), Roice Cleeland (Cam), Quentin Moore (Mark), Russell Davis II (Russell), Dyson McCutcheon (Daylon; plus grandfather, Lawrence), and Justice Williams (Roland). Lastly, Daniyel Ngata (Joseph), Ryan Otton (Cade), Keleki Latu (Laiatu) each have older brothers who are current NFL players.

HOME vs. NON-CONFERENCE: Washington has been very tough to beat in home, non-conference games over the last several decades. Going back to (and including) the 1981 season, the Huskies have posted a 78-14 record against non-Pac-10/Pac-12 foes in Husky Stadium. Those 14 losses have come to Montana (2021), Nebraska (2010), LSU (2009), BYU (2008), Oklahoma (2008), Ohio State (2007), Notre Dame (2005), Fresno State (2004), Nevada (2003), Air Force (1999), Nebraska (1997), Notre Dame (1995), Colorado (1989) and Oklahoma State (1985). Notable wins wins during that stretch include victories over No. 11 Michigan State in 2022, No. 19 Boise State in 2013, No. 22 Boise State in 2007, No. 11 Michigan in 2001, No. 4 Miami in 2000, and No. 12 Nebraska in 1992. Prior to the 2004 loss to Nevada, Washington hadn't lost a home game to a non-league opponent since falling to Air Force, 31-21, on September 18, 1999. The Huskies had won 10 such games before that Nevada loss. UW had a 20-game home, non-conference win streak broken in 2021.

ALASKA AIRLINES FIELD AT HUSKY STADIUM: The Oregon game on Nov. 5, 2011, marked the final game in Husky Stadium prior to major renovations that were completed in summer, 2013. The Huskies re-opened their home field with a 38-6 win over then-No. 19 Boise State on Aug. 31, 2013. The 2023 season marks the 103rd season of play in Husky Stadium. Original construction on the facility was completed in 1920 when Washington played one game in the new campus facility. UW's all-time record in Husky Stadium stands at 414-185-21 (.685). Washington is 58-16 in home games since the stadium re-opened in 2013.