Now that the 2026 signing day is previous (though UW didn’t add any scholarship gamers this week), the roster is usually set for the 2026 season.
Last 12 months I put collectively an inventory of 10 objectives for UW soccer for 2025. (https://www.uwdawgpound.com/2025/2/6/24360368/uw-football-goals-for-2025) UW did effectively, reaching 8 out of 10 of the objectives. (https://www.uwdawgpound.com/washington-football/72817/reviewing-the-2025-uw-football-goals)
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Because UW did effectively final 12 months, a few of this 12 months’s objectives will likely be somewhat extra of a stretch in comparison with final 12 months; others will likely be about the identical. Sure, it will be nice to have a purpose of successful the Big Ten and making the CFP, however whereas some Husky followers assume that making the CFP is feasible this 12 months, I’m setting the bar somewhat decrease and hoping that UW over-achieves in 2026. Here are the extra objectives that I’ve for 2026.
Football Goals
1) Win greater than half of the convention away video games.
Last 12 months the purpose was simply to win one sport away from Husky Stadium. UW truly received 4 out of the 6 video games they performed away from Husky Stadium-including the bowl sport. But, they solely received 2 of their 4 convention away video games. In 2026 they are going to play 5 convention away video games, so the purpose is to win at the least 3 of these.
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UW has a great probability of reaching this. Two of the away video games are in opposition to Michigan State and Purdue. While these video games are a number of time zones away, these had been two of the groups within the backside a part of the convention in 2025. At this level UW ought to be favored in opposition to Purdue-probably by a number of scores. Michigan State has a brand new coach, in order that they may very well be improved quite a bit; this sport could or might not be straightforward. Another away sport is Nebraska, which was a good (however not nice) workforce in 2025; taking part in them on the highway might not be straightforward. The closing two away video games are at USC and at Oregon. Both groups return their beginning QB and have added a variety of expertise since final season. Neither sport ought to be straightforward. So, mainly the purpose is to win the video games in opposition to each Purdue and Michigan State and win at the least one of many different 3.
2) Win at the least 5 of their dwelling video games.
This is similar purpose as final 12 months. UW will play 7 dwelling video games, together with 3 non-conference video games.
UW’s 3 non-conference video games are all in opposition to groups the place they need to be favored: WSU, Utah State, and Eastern Washington. The convention video games ought to be more durable. For the third 12 months in a row, UW will host the reigning nationwide champion-this 12 months that’s Indiana. This will, little doubt, be a troublesome sport. UW additionally hosts Iowa, whose protection ought to once more be very good-and preserve the sport shut. Penn State additionally involves Husky Stadium. They have a brand new teaching employees and may have a variety of new gamers, so it’s exhausting to know at this level how exhausting this sport will likely be, however we shouldn’t count on that it will likely be straightforward. And lastly, there may be Minnesota. The Golden Gophers struggled some in 2025, however could also be improved in 2026. Hopefully the house discipline benefit works in UW’s favor. Six dwelling wins in 2026 appears doable, however getting at the least 5 is the purpose.
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3) Win video games that they’re purported to win.
This is much like the purpose from final 12 months. Last 12 months they misplaced their sport at Wisconsin after they had been a favourite going into the sport. This 12 months, the purpose ought to be to win video games when they’re the favourite going into the sport. Right now UW ought to be favored in all 3 non-conference video games, plus (as talked about above) away video games in opposition to Purdue and Michigan State. UW must also be favored at dwelling in opposition to Minnesota. They may very well be favored at Nebraska. And UW may be favored in opposition to Iowa and Penn State, since each are dwelling video games, however it might be too early to know for positive.
Ideally followers would additionally wish to see UW beat a workforce when they’re the underdog. That would present progress towards shifting up within the rankings. But if UW is favored in all 9 of these video games, they usually win all of them, that will likely be progress as effectively.
4) Be ranked within the closing CFP (top-25) of the 2026 season.
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Last 12 months the purpose was solely to be ranked in some unspecified time in the future within the CFP rankings. UW did obtain that by being ranked within the first CFP rankings, after which dropping out after their loss to Wisconsin. This 12 months the purpose expands that and to be ranked within the closing CFP rating (simply earlier than the bowls).
This will certainly be a problem this 12 months given their schedule. Either UW must be ranked excessive going into the final 2 video games (most likely with a report of at the least 9-1), or they might must win what appears to be like now to be an upset in a kind of final 2 video games (Indiana and Oregon).
5) Be within the prime 25 in each scoring offense and scoring protection.
Last 12 months I had the purpose of being within the prime 50 in each scoring offense and scoring protection. UW simply exceeded these objectives, ending #17 in scoring offense (34.1 per sport) and #15 in scoring protection (18.7 per sport). All UW has to do is to complete like they did final 12 months to realize this purpose.
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Last 12 months the protection was persistently good-never permitting greater than 26 factors in any sport. It was the offense that was inconsistent-scoring over 45 factors per sport of their wins and fewer than 10 factors per sport of their losses. Ideally, I’m positive Husky followers want to see the scoring be extra constant, however so long as the wins are there, I don’t assume that followers will complain an excessive amount of a few 13-10 win as a substitute of a 45-19 win.
6) Be within the prime 60 in Special Teams.
Last 12 months the purpose was to be within the prime 75 after being under 100 in 2024. UW improved in particular groups, however nonetheless didn’t obtain the purpose of being within the prime 75. But as a result of there was enchancment, and since they need to proceed to enhance, the purpose this 12 months is to be within the prime 60, which might be the highest half of FBS groups.
Coach Fisch has put some effort into enhancing Special Teams by bringing in 3 new specialists (2 kickers and a punter). Husky followers can hope that these specialists, plus continued work in that space, may end up in continued enchancment.
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Similar to final 12 months’s purpose, it doesn’t matter which of the superior stat rankings has UW within the prime 60, so long as at the least one does.
7) Win a bowl sport over a P4 workforce.
While I’m positive that Husky followers had been comfortable for the win over Boise State, most would have preferred to have performed in opposition to a workforce from one of many different P4 conferences. We don’t know but what bowls the Big Ten should the 2026, however we are able to nonetheless have a purpose of getting a ok report that they are going to face a P4 workforce of their bowl sport. And in the event that they do face a P4 workforce, then win.
Recruiting Goals
Recruiting for 2027 is in full swing with the coaches visiting recruits and making much more presents. This is a time when relationships are solidified in order that visits, each unofficial (like for Junior Day) and official visits (later this spring and summer time) are arrange.
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Coach Fisch was capable of put collectively a top-15 recruiting class for 2026. That was an enchancment from the 2025 class. What ought to the lifelike objectives be for the 2027 recruiting class?
1) Have a median recruit ranking (on 247Sports) of at the least 90.
Last 12 months the purpose was to have a median recruit ranking of 89. UW’s 2026 class completed with a median ranking of 89.69, so having a median of 90 doesn’t look like an enormous enchancment. But UW’s 2026 class was helped by having a 5-star (Kodi Greene) within the class. Will they get one other 5-star within the 2027 class? It’s doable. But Greene had a connection to the state of Washington, and I’m undecided that any of the opposite 5-stars within the 2027 class do, so getting one other one may very well be tougher. But that doesn’t imply that UW can’t nonetheless enhance their common ranking.
2) Get at the least 10 blue chip (4-star or 5-star) recruits.
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Last 12 months the purpose was to get at the least 9 blue chip recruits in UW’s 2026 class; UW truly received 12. Maybe the purpose ought to be the identical as they received within the 2026 class and even larger? But at this level it appears to be like just like the 2027 class could also be smaller than the 2026 class, so 10 blue chips appears extra lifelike at this level. They have already got two blue chips (Zerek Sidney and Braylon Pope) of the 4 commits thus far, so they’re on a path to realize this already-but it’s nonetheless actually early.
3) Sign at the least one recruit from exterior of Washington that’s rated within the prime 100 (247Sports Composite).
This is similar objectives as final 12 months. UW had 2 of the highest 100 commits on the 247Sports Composite within the 2026 class (Kodi Greene and Brian Bonner). Ideally you’d wish to see UW get higher and higher annually. But in some unspecified time in the future that isn’t going to be lifelike. And with plenty of applications throwing round large cash at recruits (greater than UW presently can), the very best that UW can most likely shoot for is to proceed to attempt to get one or two of the highest 100 recruits.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the purpose for UW in 2026 ought to be to construct off of what they did in 2025 and proceed to have UW within the prime half of the Big Ten. The objectives above ought to positively try this. The Big Ten has a variety of superb groups. A purpose of moving into the dialog for being within the Big Ten title sport could also be a little bit of aa stretch at this level. But particularly with the best way they performed within the bowl sport, UW confirmed that it has the potential to be in that dialog. Given the expertise that Coach Fisch added to the roster, in addition to what ought to be continued enchancment from the returning players-especially the O-line-we ought to count on UW to be improved in 2026.
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A purpose for the 2026 season might simply be so simple as successful at the least X variety of video games. And whereas that’s fantastic, typically only a win/loss report doesn’t all the time paint an entire sufficient image of how good (or not good) the workforce is. An 8-4 report with all the losses being shut ones to groups that find yourself within the CFP, would take a look at lot higher than 8-4 with 4 blowout losses, or losses to groups after they had been favored. Likewise, simply having a purpose of getting at prime XX recruiting class could be nice, however doesn’t all the time paint a ok image of a recruiting class.
Are any of the objectives above unrealistic? Should there simply be a purpose of successful extra video games than final season? Should the recruiting objectives be larger for the 2027 class than the 2026 class? What do you assume are lifelike objectives for 2026?