It wasn’t always pretty, but in the end, Washington is 1-0 after a 38-21 victory over Colorado State.
Few things can flip momentum on its head like a well-timed takeaway. Washington safety Makell Esteen proved that theory to be true when intercepting Colorado State’s Nicholas Fowler-Nicolosi in the third quarter. Washington led 28-21 at the time of Esteen’s interception, and the Huskies looked far more confident from that point on, allowing zero points the rest of the way.
Esteen’s interception was a much-needed jolt for a Husky defense that had allowed consecutive scoring drives and looked to be depleting in both confidence and energy. Leading 28-21, Washington marched downfield before stalling and turning to Grady Gross, who pushed the lead to 31-21. In response, the Husky defense forced a turnover on downs. Then a powerful, thunderous Coleman run carried Washington near the goal line. Jedd Fisch gave it right back to him, allowing Coleman to secure his second touchdown of the night.
How it all happened:
Washington was the first to find the endzone, opening the evening with a six-play, 59-yard drive capped off by a 26-yard touchdown run by Jonah Coleman. Unfazed by the daunting task ahead, Colorado State marched without fear, scoring a touchdown of its own to ease its nerves.
If Washington is going to reach its ceiling this season, it’ll need a heavy dosage of Coleman. He finished Saturday’s season opener with 177 yards and two touchdowns on just 24 carries. The scary part? It looked easy for him, and the slimmed-down version of him certainly seems to have more burst and quickness than the Coleman of last year.
Washington regained the lead early in the second quarter when Adam Mohammed scored from one yard out to put the finishing touches on a drive that stretched 88 yards in seven plays. CSU running back Jalen Dupree joined Tahj Bullock as a Rams with a touchdown run, knotting the score at 14-14.
Washington continued to add points when USC transfer tight end Kade Eldridge scored from one yard out, finishing a seven-play, 59-yard drive.
CSU’s final points of the game were scored when Fowler-Nicolosi found Jaxxon Warren wide open from 20 yards out. In response, Washington quarterback Demond Williams found wide receiver Denzel Boston for a highlight grab in the back corner of the endzone. Before Colorado State could match the score, Esteen slammed the door and never looked back at CSU’s rally.
In the end, Washington ended Saturday scoring on its last four drives, while Colorado State’s last three ended in two turnovers on downs and an interception.
Key performers:
The offensive line, as a whole, gets praise here because that unit has significantly improved when looking back at last season. Anytime a running back runs for 177 yards, and a quarterback throws for 226, with an additional 68 rushing yards, that o-line is doing something right.
Speaking of that quarterback, Demond Williams will be a treat to watch this season. His quickness as a runner and confidence as a passer really stand out because he doesn’t overly rely on one or the other. Dual-threat quarterbacks are at their best when they balance their strengths and avoid becoming one-dimensional. Obviously, we’ll need to see him against tougher foes, but Demond certainly looks like a star in the making.
Northern Arizona transfer Alex McLaughlin was all over the field and let Colorado State hear about it. That level of mean is what this program needs on the defensive line, and hopefully it translates to his teammates.
Next, Washington will host UC Davis at 8 p.m. on Saturday (Big Ten Network).