Tempers flared, defenses clashed, and Ohio State emerged victorious with a narrow 14-7 scoreline against Texas in Week 1, a game widely dubbed “the best of the season” for some good reasons. For one, it was a clash of the Manning prince, who was promised for the Longhorns, against Ryan Day, a head coach who had already shown his mettle with the 2024 natty.  But the script turned 360 degrees. “When you start a season, you want to set the tone,” said Ryan Day before the Texas clash, and for now has seen teams dance to his tunes, including Texas. Of course, Grambling and Ohio in Week 2 and Week 3 were no match for OSU’s NFL-caliber roster, but Julian Sayin finally seems to have found his rhythm. Even then, the real test for the team awaits in Week 5, against Washington, a matchup already dubbed to be better than what Texas and Arch Manning posed against OSU by a notable OSU alum.

The Washington Huskies surely are a team that has gone largely under the radar, as far as predictions are concerned. They are currently unranked and don’t really feature in major betting odds or analysis. That’s exactly what makes the Huskies a sleeping giant this season, one wrong poke and you might just see your season crash. The team returns with their 2024 find QB, Demond Williams, along with a 1,000+ yarder, Jonah Coleman, from the 2024 season. Add receivers Denzel Boston and Omari Evans to the threat in the air, and the Washington Huskies surely start to look like a solid team. And that’s exactly why Kirk Herbstreit, an OSU alum and their former QB, has an interesting possibility.

Herbstreit appeared on his recent podcast episode with Joey Galloway and talked about how OSU may need to be cautious against the Huskies, a game that will be played in Seattle. “Ohio State, by the way, what a test they’re going to have this week at Washington. I don’t care. I don’t even know if Washington’s ranked. I don’t think they are. If you’ve ever been to Seattle to watch a college football game, you know how tough it is. And they got skill. Demond Williams is playing as well as any quarterback in the country,” said Herbstreit. As for Demond Williams, the guy is a whole new revelation this season.

Demond Williams Jr’s 2024 season was by no means unsuccessful, as he notched up 944 yards at a stellar 78.1% completion rate in just the 3 games he started. This year, though, Williams has turned on ‘god’ mode and has already notched up 1,722 yards in just three games for 6 touchdowns at an impressive 73.5% efficiency. His performance against Washington State was especially notable, as he passed for 298 yards at an unwordly 84.2% completion rate, for four touchdowns, showcasing his prowess. So, all things considered, Williams could be a headache for Ryan Day in Week 4. No wonder Kirk Herbstreit touts the matchup to be bigger than Texas’.

“I think Ohio State at Washington is a bigger test than Arch Manning and Texas coming to Columbus and what proved to be a game that was pretty challenging, even though Arch didn’t play that well,” said Herbstreit. On top of that, Washington can diversify its threat through its already elite running game against OSU, causing problems.

Jonah Coleman has already notched up 347 rushing yards, with Demond Williams himself having notched up 220 yards in the rushing game. That gives the team a real RPO threat to offer, and with other RBs like Adam Mohammed (145 rushing yards till now) and Jordan Washington proving reliable, OSU will have to be on their toes in the game. Not to mention the receiving threat that Jonah Coleman also offers, as he has already garnered 150 yards in the air with Denzel Boston and Dezmen Roebuck as primary wideouts. The offense then is truly balanced, with almost 50% of the yardage coming from the ground, making the Huskies an all-around threat. That said, there are some issues that Ohio State can surely capitalize.

Jedd Fisch opens up on the Washington Huskies facing Ohio State

The offensive line for the Huskies this year is relatively new, since Jedd Fisch is relying on transfers like Carver Willis and Geirean Hatchett. Still, losing veteran players like the starting center D’Angalo Titialii and other linemen like Enokk Vimahi and Gaard Memmelaar has hurt the team, which is showing in the games, too. For instance, despite the Huskies dominating the WSU game, finishing it 59-24, the O-line gave away 3 sacks, raising concerns. Not just that, but against Colorado State in Week 1, despite winning 38-21, the Washington Huskies gave away yet another 3 sacks, which needs to improve if Jedd Fisch wants to win against Ohio State.

“We’re really excited about the game. We know we have a fantastic opponent coming in, the number one team in the country…Our game is the game that everyone will tune in on across the country at 3:30 in the afternoon Eastern time, 12:30 Pacific on CBS. So what else do you need to know? What else do you need to do? I think our players are ready. They’re excited. They’re fired up,” said Jedd Fisch about the OSU game in Week 5 in his recent press conference. The verdict?

All things considered, Ohio State is still arguably the best team in the country right now. Winning against a natty favorite like Texas is one thing, but shutting them out, even after losing your DC and some major contributors, shows the groundwork that Ryan Day has done at OSU. Add that to a world-class offense that has Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and a formidable O-line, along with a QB in Julian Sayin who passed for 347 yards in his last game. It surely wouldn’t be ‘easy’ for the Washington Huskies and Jedd Fisch. The message, though, is simple: Ryan Day and OSU need to watch out in Week 5!!