"I think this is a team that absolutely can get back," Greg McElroy drops major prediction for Big Ten team after 2024 season debacle

The Washington Huskies moved to the Big Ten last season after years of success in the Pac-12. In 2023, the team won the Pac-12 championship game and advanced to the national championship game, where they lost to Michigan. However, the 2024 offseason resulted in significant changes for the program.

The Huskies had to make adjustments to their coaching staff as Kalen DeBoer took the job at Alabama. They also moved to the Big Ten. As a result, their record fell from 14-1 in 2023 to 6-7 in 2024. While it was a steep drop off, there are some who believe the Hueskies can get back to contention in the near future.

On an "Always College Football" podcast episode in mid-June, analyst Greg McElroy was asked if he thinks the Huskies could be stuck in limbo for a few years, given how competitive the Big Ten has become. McElroy did not agree with the premise and spoke about how he thinks the Huskies can get back into contention.

"I think this is a team that absolutely can get back," McElroy said. "When you lose your coach… Let’s just take last year and kind of rip it off and just throw it away because I don’t think that’s going to be the norm in the near future."

Greg McElroy believes Washington can back into Big Ten contention because of QB Desmond Williams

Greg McElroy expanded on his opinion about the Washington Huskies and why he thinks they will be competitive in the Big Ten soon. Notably, he brought QB Desmond Williams, who made limited appearances for the Huskies last year as a freshman.

"Demond Williams has a chance to be one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten this year," McElroy said. "And by season’s end, assuming growth at the position, he could be one of the better players at the position in the country. That’s a realistic possibility with what could go down."

While only making spot appearances last year, Williams completed 82 of 105 passing attempts for 944 yards and eight TDs. McElroy believes he can become one of the best QBs in the Big Ten.

One of the biggest obstacles facing the Huskies next season will be their schedule. They are scheduled to play some of the toughest teams in the Big Ten, including Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon. They finish the regular season by playing the Ducks.

Edited by Alexander O'Reilly