SEATTLE — Will Rogers threw a pair of first-half touchdowns to Denzel Boston, Jonah Coleman added a second-half touchdown run, and Washington made its Big Ten Conference debut with a 24-5 win over Northwestern on Saturday night.
The Huskies (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) rebounded from last week's stinging Apple Cup loss to rival Washington State in their first conference game by thumping the overmatched Wildcats.
Rogers was excellent in the first half when he found Boston on touchdowns of 46 yards on Washington's second possession and a 13-yard strike in the second quarter.
Coleman scored on an eight-yard touchdown run less than a minute into the fourth quarter, capping a drive where he made an excellent catch then cleanly hurdled Northwestern Evan Smith as part of a 16-yard reception.
Rogers finished 20 of 28 passing for 223 yards, while Boston had seven catches for a career-high 121 yards.
The Wildcats (2-2, 0-1) played without top running back Cam Porter due to a lower-body injury. Porter was Northwestern's leading rusher on the season and the offense suffered with him unavailable. The Wildcats had just 59 yards rushing and their inability to get any push against Washington's defensive front was most obvious near the goal line.
Northwestern received a gift when Rogers fumbled a snap and the Wildcats recovered at the Huskies 33. Northwestern had first-and-goal at the 4, but couldn't convert on three attempts, and fourth-and-goal from the 1 opted for an 18-yard field goal rather than going for the touchdown.
The kick by Jack Olsen pulled the Wildcats within 17-5.
Early in the fourth quarter, Northwestern received a 96-yard kickoff return from Joseph Himon II to the Washington 2. A penalty moved the ball to the 1, but the Wildcats failed on four attempts – three of them passes – and turned the ball over on downs.
Northwestern finished with 112 total yards. Quarterback Jack Lausch was 8 of 27 for 53 yards passing and two interceptions.
The takeaway
Northwestern: The Wildcats will gladly take the early bye week to get healthy and start to figure out their offensive woes. In its two games against Power Four teams so far this season (Duke and Washington), Northwestern has been held under 300 yards total offense in both.
Washington: The competition wasn't the best, but the Huskies continue to be stout defensively. Take away the first half last week against Washington State when the Cougars scored 17 points, the Huskies have allowed just 24 points in the other 14 quarters this season.
Up next
Northwestern: has a weekend off before hosting Indiana on Oct. 5.
Washington: at Rutgers next Friday.
