The Washington Huskies wrap up their 2026 non-conference schedule against a familiar cross-state foe in the Eastern Washington Eagles.
One of the notable Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs in the country, second-year coach Aaron Best has his quarterback and an assortment of young talent looking to elevate his team this fall.
Redshirt junior Nate Bell returns as the Eagles' starting quarterback as a rising dual-threat signal-caller at the FCS level. The 5-foot-10, 194-pound California native finished eighth nationally with 663 rushing yards and 19th with seven touchdowns on the ground. As a passer, Bell threw for 1,003 yards and 7 touchdowns over 10 games.
Last fall, UW exploded against UC Davis with a 70-10 win at Husky Stadium, with the
Aggies scoring all 10 points in the first half. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters held the FCS school to just 218 total yards of offense and 4-of-12 on third down, an area the Eagles struggled with in 2025, finishing No. 99 in the country at 33.5 percent (61-of-182).
Eastern Washington football is back! 🏈At the @BigSkyConf Media Day, @EWUFootball Head Coach Aaron Best broke down why he is so energized by this year's senior class and how the Eagles are preparing for the 2026 season.⬇️https://t.co/pKhwmswTyH
— SWX Local Sports (@SWXLocalSports) July 27, 2026
Coming off a pair of games against Pac-12 schools, Washington State and Utah State, junior quarterback Demond Williams Jr. should be nearing peak form going into his second full season as Jedd Fisch's starter.
In Week 2 against UC Davis last year, Williams threw for 254 yards and a touchdown, a 47-yard connection to freshman Dezmen Roebuck late in the third quarter, while also adding 64 yards and an 8-yard touchdown as a runner in the 60-point victory.
Given the situation at running back with veterans Trey Cooley and Jayden Limar expected to split time as the lead-back, it could be a career-type afternoon for the UW quarterback, which would give the offense optimal confidence heading into Big Ten play against Minnesota the following Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Early Opponent Outlook: Eastern Washington Highly Motivated to Face UW
