SEATTLE — On a cool Pacific Northwest evening at Husky Stadium, senior running back Jonah Coleman powered the Washington Huskies to a 38–21 season-opening win over Colorado State on Saturday night, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns in one of the most dominant performances of his college career.
Coleman, who transferred from Arizona along with head coach Jedd Fisch, fell just two yards short of his personal best—ironically set against Colorado in 2023.
“Jonah’s special,” Fisch said postgame. “He’s grown so much, and tonight might be the best I’ve seen him run the ball.”
Williams Efficient, Coleman Explosive in First Half
While Coleman was the star on the ground, new Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. showed impressive poise in his Washington debut. The sophomore completed 18 of 24 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown, operating the offense with efficiency and control.
Williams opened strong, completing eight of his first nine passes. A key early moment came on a fourth-and-short conversion, where he hit Coleman for a 22-yard gain. On the very next play, Coleman dashed 26 yards to the end zone, giving Washington a 7–0 lead less than four minutes into the contest.
“When the ground game’s working like that, it just makes my job easier,” Williams said. “It opens up the whole field.”
Back-and-Forth Battle Through Three Quarters
Though Washington consistently found the end zone, Colorado State refused to fold early. Each of the Huskies’ first three touchdowns was followed by an answer from the Rams. A bobbled snap by Williams deep in Washington territory late in the second quarter set up a Jalen Dupree touchdown run that knotted the score at 14–14 heading into halftime.
In the third quarter, with the game still in the balance, Denzel Boston delivered one of the night’s signature moments—hauling in a one-handed touchdown catch while being interfered with. That grab gave Washington a 28–21 lead and finally shifted the momentum for good.
“That was just insane,” said Williams of Boston’s circus catch. “You trust your guy to make a play, and he made a huge one.”
Washington Pulls Away Late
After Boston’s highlight catch, Washington tightened the screws on both sides of the ball. Grady Gross added a short field goal in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 10, and with under two minutes remaining, Coleman iced the game with a 3-yard touchdown run—his second of the night.
The Huskies closed the game with 283 rushing yards, including 166 yards in the second half alone, as they wore down a Colorado State defense led by new coordinator Tyson Summers.
“We didn’t know much about their scheme or players,” Coleman said. “It took us a half to figure it out. But once we did, we just kept pushing.”
Notable Performances & Stats
Jonah Coleman (Washington): 177 rushing yards, 2 TDs; 22 receiving yards
Demond Williams Jr. (Washington): 18/24 passing, 232 yards, 1 TD
Denzel Boston (Washington): 92 receiving yards, 1 TD — 4th highest in his career
Owen Long (Colorado State): 13 tackles (11 solo), continuing a strong defensive career
Washington’s defense also did its part, holding the Rams to just 265 total yards, most of which came in the first half.
Streak Continues at Husky Stadium
The win marked Washington’s 21st consecutive home victory, the longest home streak in modern program history and a reflection of just how dominant the Huskies have become in Seattle.
“This place is electric,” said Fisch. “There’s nothing like coaching at Husky Stadium. The fans, the energy—it’s incredible.”
Historically, Washington owns an even longer unbeaten home streak: 45 straight wins from 1908–1917, part of a 64-game stretch without a home loss.
Looking Ahead
Colorado State (0–1) returns home next weekend to face Northern Colorado on Saturday.
Washington (1–0) stays at home for a Sept. 7 matchup against UC Davis, as they continue to build toward a potential College Football Playoff run.
