We actually picked these Huskies to go 8-5 after seeing all the players with exceptional skills combined with a patchwork offensive line and what appears to be a somewhat stout defense. However, we did this under the assumption that the Huskies would open 5-0.

The UW may now have a hard time winning six games and becoming bowl eligible.

At times on Friday night, the Huskies appeared to be two touchdowns better than Rutgers. They were more physical. They had the better quarterback. Their running back Jonah Coleman defeated the Scarlet Knights exceptional rusher Kyle Monangai.

But the Rutgers loss likely eliminated twice-defeated UW from another playoff run, though this never materialized even with the twelve-team system. The Huskies have likely had their last national rankings for a while. They can’t keep their best players on the field, see Zach Durfee.

The Huskies must now regroup to take on Michigan. They will then play Iowa, Indiana, USC, Penn State and Oregon as their final opponents, wondering if they can win any of the remaining games. Things could get ugly before things change.

Worst of all, this UW team finds ways to lose football games. Vincent Holmes’ illegal substitution penalty was downright tragic, if not hilarious, with the redshirt freshman safety rushing onto the field to celebrate a Husky-blocked punt — before the game was over. And Holmes was a DeBoer guy brought in. Given this delay, Rutgers went in and scored immediately instead of turning the ball over.

It’s like the Huskies are paying back for all the breaks they got last year by winning 14 of 15 games.

All is not lost with this UW team, as long as people don’t try to compare it to the previous two DeBoer entries, which weren’t always perfect either.

Nearly two years ago, the Huskies lost 45-38 to a big underdog in Arizona State, and stumbled in the same way — or don’t you remember the ball ricocheting off Jaxson Kirkland’s helmet to be intercepted? — and had quarterback Michael Penix Jr. temporarily injured and in tears after the game in the desert before things turned magical.

What’s wrong with the Huskies? Why do they have one more defeat than last season? Why, after winning 25 of 28 games, have they dropped three of their last six?

The fact is, DeBoer has removed patience from the game plan, while Fisch is trying to restore it.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, visit si.com/college/washington