INGLEWOOD — A purple haze hovered like a metaphorical halo over SoFi Stadium. How many times could Jedd Fisch set the record straight?
Washington’s head coach had already addressed Friday that he was planning on remaining with the Huskies beyond the Bucked Up LA Bowl on Saturday night.
Fisch had been linked to jobs across the nation as openings appeared — UCLA and Florida in particular — and the question is sure to arrive postgame once again after Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham committed himself to the Sun Devils, denying Michigan, which fired former head coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday following an investigation that found Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
Saturday was either Fisch’s final Washington (9-4) hurrah, or a high note heading into the offseason in a never-in-doubt 38-10 victory over Boise State in the LA Bowl.
Tied at three in the second quarter, after multiple empty possessions, Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. found wideout Denzel Boston alone downfield. Steeped in their own territory, the Huskies’ 78-yard touchdown opened up a 10-point lead that would only further build.
Williams put a cap on his stellar sophomore campaign, recording a 214 passing yard performance – along with four touchdowns – to eclipse 3,000 passing yards in 2025.
Huskies linebacker Xe’ree Alexander, who secured an interception in the first quarter, contributed to Washington’s second-quarter defensive stand following Williams’ deep ball. The junior, by way of Central Florida and Idaho, stuffed Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen one yard short of the line to gain on fourth-and-2 from the Washington 44-yard line.
Alexander’s stop turned into a 6-yard Williams touchdown pass to Dezmen Roebuck, and after Madsen’s second interception, an errant, off-balance throw into the waiting hands of defensive back Rahashawn Clark, Williams found wideout Raiden Vines-Bright for a 3-yard touchdown pass.
The Broncos (9-5), Mountain West champions, failed to get much going against Big Ten opposition, outside of a stellar 41-yard kick return from running back Malik Sherrod to begin the game. Boise State’s first drive stalled and the Broncos settled for a 52-yard field goal off the boot of Colton Boomer.
One lead for the Broncos, the only one it’d have at the LA Bowl, as their quarterbacks — Madsen and Max Cutforth — combined for five interceptions.
When the Boise State fans had the opportunity to cheer – for which about 60 percent of the sparse 20,260 fans in the crowd favored the Broncos – it was for their retiring kickoff tee-retrieving dog Blitz.
During a third-quarter television timeout, the black labrador defeated LA Bowl host Rob Gronkowski in a race to the 50-yard line and back to the end zone.
Two years ago, when UCLA beat Boise State in the LA Bowl, Gronkowski won the race. On Saturday, Blitz was the closest the Broncos had to a touchdown – until a last-gasp rushing score just before the game expired – and a bowl-game triumph.
