Washington

The Pants Predicts: Iowa vs Washington

Published

1 year ago

October 11, 2024

The Hawkeyes are back at home with their tail between their legs after getting pummeled by Ohio State last week. Now they try to get back on track with a matchup with the Washington Huskies.

Our friends over at DraftKings Sportsbook expect them to have some success as they have Iowa favored by 3 in this one. The over/under is set at 42.5 total points, which puts the implied final score at 22.75-19.75 (call it 23-20).

Here at The Pants, we’re a bit torn. Of our participating staff, just over half is on the Hawks to get a win. Our average score prediction is Iowa 20.6, Washington 20.2. That puts us back on the under (finally!!) and taking the Huskies with the points.

Feels good to be pessimistic again, doesn’t it Hawkeye fans?

Anyway, here’s a look at our individual predictions for Saturday’s matchup.

SirNicholas33

I’m worried about this game. Really worried.

Washington owns one of the losses in the stat going around regarding travel in league play. You’ve probably seen it – Big Ten teams are 1-8 when having to travel two or more time zones, either east or west. The lone win is Indiana at UCLA.

Here’s the thing though – Washington completely dominated the game they lost, at Rutgers, only to be undone by missing not one, not two, but THREE field goals in a game they lost by 3 (misses from 42, 37, and 55 yards; the 55-yarder was at the buzzer). They outgained Rutgers 521-299. They had zero turnovers. And they lost. This is a good team that has two tough losses (the second loss was the Apple Cup in which they were stuffed on 4th and goal from the 1 in the final seconds of the game).

Now, perhaps their body clocks will be off with the early kickoff. We see west coast-based NFL teams struggle with early kickoffs when they get to the central or eastern time zones all the time, and they’re professionals. We’ve seen it in college – the Stanford team that smashed Iowa in the Rose Bowl started the season at Northwestern (early kickoff, so 9:00 a.m. on their body clocks) and lost by 10.

But if that is the card we have to play in hopes of winning this game…that’s not good, you guys. Not good at all. I do think their run defense is a little suspect and that’s an advantage for Iowa given they have Kaleb Johnson, but this is going to be nip and tuck the whole way. I think Iowa will hang on and win, but I will not be surprised at all if Iowa loses this, they’re 3-3, and any goals for the season are officially gone. Iowa wins, we exhale, then we kick on to the next make-or-break game.

Prediction: Iowa 24, Washington 21

JPinIC

I have to admit, the Huskies have performed better than I expected when they turned over their coaching staff and the vast majority of their roster this offseason. I thought this was a 6-win team and they’ve looked better than that, especially knocking off Michigan a week ago.

I will also say the Hawkeyes have underperformed my expectations on both sides of the ball so far this season. Not by a lot, but the secondary is not as sure as I thought it would be and Cade McNamara’s complete inability to stretch a defense with vertical throws has disappointed.

But at the end of the day, the Huskies are coming off an incredibly emotional win over a top-10 team that defeated them in the national title a year ago. That’s a prime set up for a letdown. Add in that they get to travel across two time zones, where Big Ten teams are 1-8 on the year (the lone win being Indiana at UCLA and Washington being among those to already lose such a game at Rutgers) and this has all the markings of a complete no-show from Washington.

Oh, it’s also at 11am CT/9am PT? Yeah, I think the Huskies really fall off from a week ago. This sets up like a Kaleb Johnson game to me. I expect him to get 20+ touches and turn that into 150+ yards and multiple scores. I still don’t have any confidence in the passing game, but I think we see some things work underneath based off the run and the defense creates multiple turnovers.

Prediction: Iowa 24, Washington 16

Bartt Pierce

This season is not going like I thought it would. The crazy thing is that I never expected us to lose to Iowa State. This season already has a pretty big downer vibe for me; I’m sure it’s because the Hawks don’t typically blow a lead at home like they did against ISU. Ohio State is one of the best three teams in the country. It’s time for the Hawks to stack some wins. Our offense is improved. Phil Parker and LeVar Woods are incredible coordinators. I just don’t feel like this is our year. Please prove me wrong, Hawks. I love you no matter what. It still has a must-win feel to me. A loss at home against Washington and folks are gonna start looking ahead to basketball and wrestling. I’m picking against our boys. It worked for me in 2020. Go Hawks!

Prediction: Washington 20, Iowa 13

MattReisener

This game feel like a must-win for Iowa if they want to avoid watching this one-promising season go sideways fast. Unfortunately, Washington is far from a pushover. One year after having one of the worst pass defenses in football, the Huskies have a legitimate claim to being the best pass in football at this same metric, leading the FBS in opponent completion percentage (46.7%), yards per pass attempt (4.5), and passer rating (85.31). Even after losing several key players from their national-runner up team, the Washington offense is still formidable thanks to quarterback Will Rogers, running back Jonah Coleman, and a dangerous duo of wide receivers. Given Iowa’s struggles defending the pass this season, the balanced Washington attack could create opportunities for the Huskies to attack Iowa downfield.

Still, the Hawkeyes may have a slight advantage in this game. Kaleb Johnson should be able to move the ball on the ground, Washington’s tendency to commit penalties should play right into the hands of Iowa’s bend-but-don’t-break defense, the Husky kicking game has been shaky this season, and the home crowd should be rocking in this high-profile matchup. Washington may also be susceptible to a let-down after avenging their national championship loss to Michigan last week, which could be compounded by what will feel like a 9:00 AM kickoff for a west coast team. If Iowa can avoid turning the ball over and surrendering big plays, the Hawkeyes should be able to eek out a win.

Prediction: Iowa 21, Washington 20

GingerHawk

Before the season I had this game down as a loss and I’m still debating whether or not to change my mind. The Huskies lost a lot from last year’s national championship runner up team but that doesn’t mean they’re a shell of their ‘23 self. Michael Penix Jr. is off to the NFL but in his place, Will Rogers has already thrown for over 1600 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only one interception. He’s connected with receiver Denzel Boston for 8 of those scores. They’re actually ranked #8 in total defense on the year as well, allowing 256 yards and 13.17 points per game.

Iowa’s offense is much improved but this will still be a battle. Cade needs to take better care of the ball than what we saw last week and be smart with his throws. Lean on Kaleb Johnson and the running game where the Husky defense isn’t as strong. Defensively, this is a prove it game for Iowa’s secondary after giving up more big plays than we’re used to seeing. Throw out last week’s game, nobody else Iowa will face has Ohio State’s receivers. But the Rogers-Boston connection can be dangerous, so this will be an opportunity for Iowa’s pass defense to put those doubts to rest.

I want to believe Washington emptied the tank last week to get revenge against Michigan, and that coupled with the famous 2+ timezone jump and early kickoff will work against the Huskies this weekend. Because I’m a man of my word I’ll stick to my preseason prediction, but I am this close to going the other way.

Prediction: Washington 24, Iowa 21

So that’s how we see things playing out on Saturday. How about you, Hawkeyes fans? Let us know in the comments below.

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Washington

Ice Cube, HARDY, Weird Al and more: Washington State Fair 2026 Concert series

Published

24 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

Ice Cube, HARDY, Weird Al and more: Washington State Fair 2026 Concert series

The genre-defying lineup has arrived for the Washington State Fair in September.

The list includes plenty of country music, rap and hip hop, soulful sounds, a popular children’s performer and kicks off with the parody stylings of “Weird Al” Yankovic.

The Washington State Fair is going on 126 years this season and always delivers a wide range of music and entertainment on the Grandstand Stage, in addition to the rides, farm animals, food, games, shopping and more. The Fair runs Sept. 4-27, except for Tuesdays and Sept. 9.

(Image: Ryan McBoyle / Seattle Refined)

“Weird Al” Yankovic with Puddles Pity Party – Sept. 5

Little Big Town with Ingrid Andress – Sept. 6

Dancin’ in the Dirt concerts:

Gretchen Wilson – Sept. 10
Dylan Marlowe – Sept. 11
Chase Rice – Sept. 12

“Be Like Blippi” – Sept. 16

Bailey Zimmerman plus Chandler Walters – Sept. 17

Jon Batiste – Sept. 18

Ice Cube – Sept. 19

Lauren Daigle with guest Leanna Crawford – Sept. 21

HARDY with McCoy Moore – Sept. 24

Trey Songz and Tyga – Sept. 25

If you can’t wait until September, head to Puyallup this weekend for the Washington State Spring Fair, running April 10-12 & 17-19.

PHOTOS | 25 favorite photos from the 2025 Washington State Fair Concert Series

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Washington

DC’s highly qualified workers can’t find jobs: ‘What is happening?’

Published

1 day ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

DC’s highly qualified workers can’t find jobs: ‘What is happening?’

Alicia Contreras was in Tunisia, working as the deputy country representative for Libya for USAID, when she received the news: she was fired. The Trump administration had ceased the cooperation agency’s operations and terminated most overseas staff. What she didn’t expect back then was that after a double major, an MBA and 17 years of experience as a public servant, she wouldn’t be able to find a job back at home.

Contreras moved back to the Washington DC area last September and immediately started her job search. She looked for positions in both the public and private sectors, in-person, hybrid and remote. She focused her search mostly on the US capital city and its two nearby states, Maryland and Virginia, because of her family commitments: she has two children, ages three and six. Six months later, none of her close to 100 applications have been successful.

“The job market is pretty bad here. I got a request to do like an AI video interview, but other than that, most of it has been rejections,” she said. “I feel like it’s saturated.”

Hers is not an isolated case. Washington DC’s unemployment rate is now the highest since August 2015, excluding the pandemic, according to the most recent data. More than 300,000 jobs have been cut from the federal government, the region’s largest employer, since 2024. The cuts came after Donald Trump led a purge of federal employees, a move he said was meant to “eliminate waste” and a task he assigned to Elon Musk and his “department of government efficiency” (Doge).

By January, federal public employment had fallen to its lowest level in at least a decade, affecting many other businesses and sectors. As a result, DC now has the highest unemployment rate in the country (6.7%), followed by California (5.5%). And the experts don’t believe the situation will improve in the short term.

According to data from Indeed, the job listings website, job openings reflect this situation. “If you look at our most recent data, DC job postings are 30% below where they were pre-Covid, and that is the softest among all states in the US,” said Laura Ullrich, Indeed’s director of economic research. “And it’s broad-based, especially if you compare it to some other states. In South Carolina, for example, we’re 28% above pre-Covid. There are still some sectors that are below pre-pandemic levels, but not many of them. In DC, there’s a pretty broad group of sectors.”

The federal government reduced funding for grants, generating a big fall in jobs in scientific areas and other sectors. Also, the administration’s efforts to shrink the federal government led to widespread termination of federal contractors. As a result, an employee of a consulting firm, who requested his name not be used, was fired in January last year, along with another 75 colleagues, representing 85% of the total workforce. “At the beginning, I got zero, nothing, not even a bite, not even a phone call. I was like: ‘What the hell is happening?’ But I was talking to a lot of people and a lot of friends, and they were all the same,” he said.

A year and two months later, he’s had about 15 interviews, but nothing has landed. “It’s been a very, very difficult process … especially with all of that education and training now being in this position”. He went to Bates College, a top-tier, small liberal arts college in Maine, and to the also top-tier private Georgetown University in DC, where he obtained a master’s in science and international development.

Something interviewees for this article mentioned is that many of their former colleagues or friends are having a hard time not only finding a new position, but finding something that offers equivalent pay to what they had before. Consequently, many are taking salary cuts, or are going from high-level senior positions to junior or mid-level positions.

“I’ve been told ‘you’re overqualified’ many times,” said Felipe Mendy, an Argentinian veterinarian and first-time father of a three-month-old who’s been unemployed for two years. “Firstly, I thought it was a matter of language or culture. I thought that maybe I needed a US degree … but then I started meeting many who went to very prestigious universities and also couldn’t find a job. Many highly qualified people with experience at organizations such as the Organization of American States or the World Bank are working at coffee shops.”

He experienced that himself. Mendy lived in Washington for the past six years, where he and his wife moved because of her job as an economist. After he lost his job in a US company specializing in animal nutrition, he helped coach a rugby team and walked neighbours’ dogs while applying for jobs that matched his qualifications, which include an MBA.

He did some consulting for a small recruitment firm too, where he clearly saw what was happening in the job market: he would publish a job position, and hundreds of people applied, something the firm had never seen, and which affected its business. “Many had nothing to do with the job, but applied.” At a certain point, many of their clients decided that they didn’t need help recruiting and the firm had to let him go.

A month ago, the couple decided to stop his job search and go back to Argentina, where he quickly found a position at a Danish multinational firm. “With just one salary, we couldn’t live in that city, it wasn’t viable. And we downsized, tightened our belts, but at a certain point we thought: ‘For what?’ After my US experience, I’m a lot more valuable back home.”

Affordability is a big issue for those searching for a position. DC is one of the most expensive cities in the US, where the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $3,100, according to the online rental marketplace Apartments.com. The high cost of living makes staying in the city while unemployed an expensive privilege. “We’ve had to budget a lot. My husband is working three jobs. He has no choice, because he has to make up for my salary, and we have to pay for childcare, our mortgage and food,” said Contreras, who feels lucky that her family is able to get healthcare through her husband’s job so they don’t need to pay for insurance out of pocket.

That budgeting and, therefore, spending cuts, also affect the city’s private sector, particularly services used by workers, from cleaners to gyms and restaurants, that hadn’t recovered from the pandemic in part because many people continued to work remotely.

José Andrés, a Spanish chef and owner of many local restaurants, wrote in a recent X post that restaurants in DC are closing at a higher rate in 2025 than in 2024. “What we need is stability … Tariffs, tourism, Ice etc are affecting negatively the economy …” he wrote.

According to the Washington Post, 123 private companies in the DC area announced job cuts in 2025, affecting more than 13,000 workers, the highest annual total since the pandemic.

But besides affordability, overqualification and their futures, many also struggle with the impact of the Trump administration’s decisions and, in particular, the erosion of institutions that have played important roles. For that reason, Contreras has decided to run for the Maryland house of delegates, the state legislature, representing her district. “Most of my life I’ve been a public servant, and I want to continue to serve people and help our communities. That’s why I decided to do it. I want to make sure that I’m not just standing around and watching things fall apart. I need to fight back.”

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Washington

WA Supreme Court to consider Let’s Go Washington lawsuit challenging ‘millionaires tax’

Published

2 days ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

WA Supreme Court to consider Let’s Go Washington lawsuit challenging ‘millionaires tax’

Washington’s Supreme Court has agreed to weigh in on the constitutionality of a portion of the recently passed income tax on high earners, also known as the “millionaires tax.”

The law includes a clause that prevents it from being repealed by voters through a method called a referendum, something that conservative group Let’s Go Washington has alleged is unconstitutional.

RELATED: Washington’s historic income tax on high earners is now law

“The framers of our constitution said, ‘We don’t like taxes,’ and then, they were very strict about the rules of what could be taxed and how it could be taxed,” Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood said. “It’s mind-boggling… [to] say we’re going to make an exception to anything that’s tax-related and the people can’t do a referendum on it.”

Heywood and his group attempted to file a referendum petition on the new law last week, but the Secretary of State bounced their petition back, noting that a referendum was not allowed under this law. In response, Let’s Go Washington filed the lawsuit challenging the clause.

A referendum is a particular process that has to be filed within 90 days after the Legislative session has ended to repeal a law that was passed during that session. If 154,455 signatures can be collected by June, voters would have a chance to repeal the targeted law in November. Implementation of the law is frozen until voters have a chance to weigh in.

Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, who sponsored the tax, said the inclusion of a clause to bar a referendum isn’t unusual for legislation that involves taxes, and wasn’t put in to try to dampen voter participation. Many revenue-related bills often include a clause that prevents a referendum from being brought against them, because in the state constitution, revenue-generating bills are necessary to the functioning of government.

“That’s not some special measure to try to block public involvement in the process,” Pedersen said. “That is just a statement of fact under the Constitution, that this is a revenue measure and it’s not subject to referendum.”

RELATED: Is ‘millionaire migration’ really a thing? Lessons from states that already tax the rich

State constitution scholars agree.

Hugh Spitzer, a professor at the University of Washington School of Law and expert on Constitutional Law, said while there have been about a dozen instances over the past 100 years where the clause barring a referendum on a law has been challenged, the court has typically held that the clause is constitutional.

“The Legislature has to make tough choices about taxes and about budgets, and so it would interfere with the functionality of government if every time the Legislature adopted a tax or passed a budget bill, it went to referendum,” Spitzer said.

In the past, he said people have tried to bring a referendum against a number of laws, such as a law allocating money for highway construction, excise taxes on margarine, a timber tax — all had a clause barring a referendum petition, and the court did not rule that could be overridden.

“I would say that the petitioners or plaintiffs in this instance have an uphill climb to get the court to rule against the Legislature’s use of the existing public institutions clause,” Spitzer said.

The Supreme Court is expected to hold a hearing on the constitutionality of this clause at the end of April. If the justices rule the use of the clause is unconstitutional, Pedersen has said the Legislature may need to call a special session, as the state’s budget for the next four years was balanced partially with revenue collected from the tax.

RELATED: Coming soon: Lawsuit challenging Washington state’s ‘millionaires tax’

If the Supreme Court upholds the clause, there is still another opportunity for voters to weigh in.

Let’s Go Washington has said if their referendum petition is denied, they will be pursuing the initiative process to put a repeal of the law on the ballot, though an initiative requires twice as many signatures to be gathered.

“A referendum is a simple, easy to understand, up or down, yes or no vote,” Heywood said. “If it’s an initiative, you have to get people to understand ‘vote yes in order to vote no,’ and that’s a much harder sell.”

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