Although they had a bye, the Washington Huskies moved up one spot in this week’s Associated Press college football poll, landing at No. 19. This marks the first time since September 2003 that the Huskies have been ranked by the AP in consecutive weeks. That year, UW was No. 18 on Sept. 21 and Sept. 28 before losing to UCLA Oct. 4.
Washington is one of four Pac-12 schools ranked. Oregon, which shellacked Nicholls State, is No. 2, Stanford No. 5 and UCLA No. 16. Southern California fell out of the Top 25 after its shocking loss at home to Washington State.
The Huskies, who opened the season Aug. 31 with a victory over then-No. 19 Boise State, remained at No. 23 in the USA Today/Coaches poll.
The Huskies play at Illinois at 3 p.m Saturday at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Washington a 7½-point favorite. Washington hasn’t faced Illinois since 1972, when a Sonny Sixkiller team beat the Illini 31-11.