Washington WR Chris Lawson added to Biletnikoff watch list ahead of Michigan State trip

Washington sophomore Chris Lawson has gone from a little-used freshman to the leading receiver on a Big Ten offense, and on Monday the Biletnikoff Award took notice. The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation added Lawson to its watch list for the honor, which goes to the top receiver in the FBS at any position, according to Washington Athletics. Roundtable Sports reported he was one of four receivers added to the list this week.

The climb has been steep. Lawson, a San Francisco native, caught 10 passes on 89 snaps in 2025, per Roundtable Sports. Through nine games this fall he has 49 receptions for 727 yards and three touchdowns. That yardage leads the Huskies and ranks seventh in the Big Ten, and his 80.8 yards per game also sits seventh in the conference, the school said. Sports Illustrated noted he was not a starter when the season opened and moved up after a teammate's season-ending injury. His 49 catches trail only Dezmen Roebuck on the roster.

His best day came on Oct. 31 at Nebraska: career highs of 12 catches and 155 yards, including a fourth-and-18 conversion that set up the go-ahead touchdown with 1:30 left in a 17-10 win. That followed another 100-yard game at Purdue. He has also stayed productive through a quarterback change between Elijah Brown and Demond Williams Jr. Williams praised his receiver's weekly preparation at Tuesday's news conference. "I just admire the way he works every week," Williams said, as reported by Roundtable Sports.

Washington has not had a receiver this close to the award since Rome Odunze reached the finalist stage in 2023. For a program that has lost three games by four points or fewer, a dependable target in close finishes matters.

What it means for Michigan State

The Huskies are 5-4 and 2-4 in Big Ten play, one win from bowl eligibility with three games left. The schedule ends with Indiana at home and a trip to Oregon, so Saturday's game in East Lansing (BTN) looks like the most realistic chance to reach six wins. The season has swung both ways: Washington won at Purdue and at Nebraska, then lost 28-25 to Penn State, its third conference loss by a field goal or less after the 27-24 loss to Minnesota and the 25-21 loss at USC. Across nine games the Huskies have scored 237 points and allowed 197, about 26 to 22 per game.

On this site's board, Washington is favored on the road across 12 venues. Novig has the Huskies at -153 on the moneyline, and the shortest price anywhere is FanDuel's -150. Michigan State is +141 at Novig, with Kalshi offering the longest number at +146. Spread prices vary a bit more. Novig lists Washington -3.5 at +106, while BetMGM has the Huskies -3 at -118 and BetRivers has Michigan State +4 at -115. Novig's total is 43.5 at -106 on both sides, and DraftKings is a point lower at 42.5. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline ranges from 3.1% to 6.5%, so the venues agree on the favorite but not on how much they charge.

A total in the low 40s suggests a game close to Washington's 17-10 win at Nebraska, which was also Lawson's best game.