Home / Sports / Huskies Blackout: Big Ten Opener vs. Minnesota
Huskies Blackout: Big Ten Opener vs. Minnesota
22 Sep
Summary
- Washington opens Big Ten play against Minnesota in a blackout game.
- Coaches Jedd Fisch and P.J. Fleck express mutual respect.
- This is the first meeting between the teams since 1977.
The Washington Huskies are preparing to launch their Big Ten conference schedule this Saturday at 8 p.m. PT against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The game, hosted at Husky Stadium, is being promoted as a blackout event, with the Huskies sporting black jerseys to amplify the nighttime atmosphere.
Both teams enter the contest seeking their fourth victory of the season. Washington's non-conference performance included wins over two Group of Six teams, Washington State and Utah State, along with an FCS opponent, Eastern Washington. Minnesota defeated Eastern Illinois and Akron but fell to No. 24 Mississippi State.
Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch, who previously coached at Minnesota in 2009, spoke highly of his upcoming opponents and coach P.J. Fleck. Fisch expressed admiration for Fleck's coaching and the difficulty of winning at Minnesota.
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck reciprocated the respect, particularly praising Washington's quarterback, Demond Williams Jr., highlighting his dual-threat capabilities. This marks a significant historical matchup, as the teams last met on October 1, 1977, with Minnesota winning 19-17.
Historically, Minnesota leads the series 10-7. The teams previously played on October 2, 1976, with Washington securing a 38-7 victory.
