College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 (as of 2008) ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by all-time victories. The team has two of the nation's longest winning streaks, including an NCAA second-best of 39 wins in a row, holds the Division I-A unbeaten record at 63 consecutive games, and has had a total of twelve unbeaten seasons, including seven perfect seasons. Washington is one of four charter members of what became the Pacific-12 Conference and one of only two schools with uninterrupted membership from the beginning. From 1977 through 2003, Washington had 27 consecutive non-losing seasons—the most of any team in the Pac-12 and the 14th longest streak by an NCAA Division I-A team. Through the 2008 season, its 342 conference victories rank second in league history. The Huskies play on campus in historic Husky Stadium.

Washington is often referred to as one of the top Quarterback U's due to the long history of quarterbacks playing in the National Football League (NFL). All but two of the last 19 starting quarterbacks dating back to 1970 have gone on to the NFL, the most recent being Jake Locker, drafted eighth overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2011 NFL Draft. Until 2011, Washington was one of only four of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams to have never played a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team since Division I was split in 1978.[10]

Washington is the current holder of the 2010 Apple Cup, defeating cross-state rivalWashington State University 35-28 at Martin Stadium. The 2010 Holiday Bowl was Washington's first bowl game appearance in eight seasons.