In its 15th season under head coach Jim Owens, the team compiled an 8–3 record (4–3 in the Pacific-8 Conference, tied for third), and outscored its opponents 357 to 188.
[1] Washington opened with four non-conference wins, and junior quarterback Sonny Sixkiller was featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story.
[2] They lost the Pac-8 opener to defending champion Stanford in Seattle,[3] then at border rival Oregon by two points, as a short field goal attempt in the last minute missed wide right.
USC won by one point for UW's third loss;[7] in the Apple Cup, the Huskies notched a third consecutive win over Washington State.
[8] The Pac-8 did not allow a second bowl team until the 1975 season; the Huskies climbed to #19 in the final AP poll in January.