The 2024 season will bring forth a lot of change for the Big Ten Conference and college football as a whole. It will be the West Coast expansion for the Big Ten, with the addition of Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA joining the fold. The unfortunate demise of the Pac-12 has been the Big Ten’s gain, and the West Coast teams are looking to make an impact right away.
Washington has been one of the biggest success stories of the season. Two years ago, the Huskies floundered under former coach Jimmy Lake. Now, they have finished in the top 10 two years in a row. New coach Kalen DeBoer has turned Washington into a national contender, and the undefeated Huskies are headed to the College Football Playoff as the No. 2 seed.
A huge reason for this success has been the fantastic play of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Since his transfer from Indiana, the Tampa, Fla., native has been a superstar with two consecutive 30-plus touchdown seasons. He’s been one of the driving forces of Washington’s Pac-12 championship-winning season and has been named a Heisman Trophy finalist for his efforts.
Even as they seek national championship glory this year, the Huskies aren’t keen on being a one-year wonder. They don’t want to fade into the background with their move into the Big Ten. They want to become one of the featured players.
With a need at quarterback forming for next season, Kalen DeBoer is looking back into the transfer portal. According to 247Sports national recruiting analyst Chris Hummer, Washington is a “heavy favorite” to earn the services of former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers.
“The heavy favorite for Will Rogers is Washington,” Hummer said, via Transfer Portal Palooza. “He would be an excellent bridge quarterback after Michael Penix Jr. exits the program. He’s a plug-and-play starter and someone who has thrown for a ton of yards during his career. He would be great for that system.”
It’s a pretty beneficial situation for both sides. Washington gains an experienced passer who has put up gaudy numbers in the SEC. His 12,315 career passing yards ranks second-most in SEC history, his 94 career passing touchdowns good for fourth. For Rogers, he gets to bounce back after a rough 2023 season, joining DeBoer and Huskies team with championship aspirations.
If Rogers does transfer to Washington, he will be on the Hawkeyes’ schedule for 2024. Iowa hosts the Huskies on Oct. 12 next season.
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