SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies football team was able to earn its first Big Ten win of the season despite being shorthanded.
The Huskies beat the Purdue Boilermakers 38-26 despite having several players either miss the game or knocked out of action during the contest.
Washington had a total of 10 players out entering the game. Some players, such as third-year quarterback Demond Williams Jr. and sixth-year wide receiver Christian Moss, were out due to injuries they suffered earlier in the season. Rotational players such as third-year defensive tackle Kai McClendon and first-year running back Ansu Sanoe, were listed as doubtful or out on the injury report in the days leading to the game.
Sixth-year running back Trey Cooley, who finished with over 100 yards rushing in a game for the first time since 2021 when he was with the Louisville Cardinals, exited the game on his final run of the game.
Here's an update on several injured players who either missed or exited Friday's game:
Trey Cooley, running back, sixth-year
Per UW head coach Jedd Fisch's weekly news conference Monday, Cooley suffered an AC sprain in his shoulder.
Cooley sat out of Sunday's practice but will be cleared to return this week and should be ready to go for the Huskies' next game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at 5 p.m. PT on Oct. 31 (Halloween).
Kai McClendon, defensive tackle, third-year
McClendon transferred to Washington this offseason from the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He missed all of last season due to an injury and missed the majority of offseason practices due to the same ailment. He was on a snap count that progressively increased as the season went on.
McClendon's absence from Friday's game was non-injury related and was due to a flu bug that went around the Huskies locker room. He'll be cleared for practice this week.
Ansu Sanoe, running back, first-year
Sanoe was another player who was plagued with the flu bug this week. The team didn't bring players with the flu on the plane to West Lafayette, Ind., as to not spread the disease. Both Sanoe and McClendon were in a "pretty contagious spot," per Fisch.
Sanoe will also be cleared for practice this week.
Ansu Sanoe gives @UW_Football the lead with his first career rushing TD 🙌
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 12, 2026
Watch on @BigTenNetworkpic.twitter.com/4M39PqaN0L
Ramzak Fruean, edge rusher, first-year
Fruean, one of two true freshman starters on the defensive line, was knocked out of the Purdue game with an undisclosed injury.
Fruean "should be good to go" against Nebraska, but will miss this week of practice and will be cleared Oct. 25.
DeSean Watts, defensive line, fourth-year
Watts also exited the game against the Boilermakers with an undisclosed injury. He'll be ready for the Halloween matchup against the Cornhuskers.
Demond Williams Jr., quarterback, third-year
Williams was out for the game against Purdue due to a rib injury he suffered against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Oct. 9. His status for the game against Nebraska is still to-be-determined. If he is cleared to play, he'll compete with fellow third-year signal-caller Elijah Brown for the starting quarterback job.