Demond Williams Jr. does it all as Washington tops Rutgers
Demond Williams Jr. threw for 402 yards and rushed for 136 yards, both career highs, to propel Washington to a 38-19 Big Ten victory over Rutgers on Friday night in Seattle.
In the eighth start of his career, Williams was a one-man offense for the Huskies (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten), accounting for 538 of their 579 yards as Washington avenged a 21-18 loss at Rutgers last year.
Williams threw two touchdown passes, both to Denzel Boston, and ran for two more scores to help the Huskies overcome an early 10-point deficit.
Williams, a sophomore, became the 17th quarterback in FBS history to pass for more than 400 yards and rush for more than 100 in a game.
Jonah Coleman added 44 yards on 14 carries and scored his FBS-leading 12th touchdown for Washington.
Athan Kaliakmanis also threw for a career high in yards with 386 for the Scarlet Knights (3-3, 0-3), who have held leads in the second half in each of their conference defeats.
Kaliakmanis completed 31 of 50 passes with two touchdowns and an interception, which came in the closing minutes. His favorite target, Ian Strong, caught seven passes for 124 yards.
Antwan Raymond rushed 15 times for 89 yards and caught a 48-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter for Rutgers’ final points.
After trailing at the half 13-10, the Huskies scored touchdowns on their first four possessions in the second half to take over the game.
Dezmen Roebuck’s 59-yard catch and run set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Coleman less than two minutes into the second half to give Washington its first lead, 17-13.
Less than three minutes later, Williams’ second touchdown pass to Boston, which covered 38 yards, expanded the Huskies’ lead to 24-13.
After Rutgers answered with Kaliakmanis’ touchdown pass to Raymond, Williams responded again, scrambling 11 yards up the middle for a touchdown that gave the Huskies a 31-19 lead late in the third quarter.
With 6:52 left in the game, Williams hurdled into the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run that swelled Washington’s edge to 38-19.
Rutgers scored on the game’s opening possession as Kaliakmanis lofted a sideline pass to 6-foot-6 KJ Duff, who caught the ball over a defender for a 20-yard touchdown.
After Jai Patel increased the Scarlet Knights’ lead to 10-0 with a 35-yard field goal, Williams answered with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Boston early in the second quarter.
The teams traded field goals, bringing the score to 13-10 at the half.
–Field Level Media
