Denzel Boston compiled 167 all-purpose yards and caught two touchdown passes as Washington won its inaugural Big Ten Conference game, defeating Northwestern 24-5 on Saturday in Seattle.
Jonah Coleman added 67 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown for the Huskies (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten). Will Rogers III completed 20 of 28 passes for 223 yards and two TDs and Boston had seven catches for 121 yards. Boston also had 46 yards on four punt returns.
Washington, which reached the CFP championship game last season before losing to Michigan, bounced back from last weekend’s 24-19 defeat to Washington State in the Apple Cup.
The Huskies’ defense, coordinated by Steve Belichick, son of legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick, allowed just 112 yards and made goal-line stands on back-to-back possessions in the second half, limiting the Wildcats to an 18-yard field goal by Jack Olsen.
Northwestern’s only other points came when Rogers was called for intentional grounding in his own end zone in the second quarter, resulting in a safety.
Northwestern (2-2, 0-1) was limited offensively without leading rusher Cam Porter, who missed the game with a lower-body injury.
Jack Lausch, making just his second start, was 8-of-27 passing for 53 yards and two interceptions. Lausch also led the Wildcats in rushing with 21 yards on 13 attempts.
Northwestern’s Joseph Himon II returned a kickoff 96 yards to the 2-yard line early in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats turned over the ball on downs.
The Huskies built a 17-2 halftime lead.
After Washington went three-and-out on its first possession, Rogers hit Boston with a 46-yard scoring strike down the middle the next time the Huskies had the ball.
A 21-yard field goal by Grady Gross early in the second quarter gave the Huskies a 10-point lead. Rogers hit Boston in the back of the end zone with a 13-yard strike with 10:12 left in the half to make it 17-0.
Coleman’s 8-yard touchdown run capped the scoring with 14:02 remaining in the game, finishing an 11-play, 77-yard drive that took nearly six minutes.
