In its fifth season under head coach Don James, the team compiled a 9–3 record, finished in second place in the Pacific-10 Conference, and outscored its opponents 321 to 154.
[3][4][5] The conference opponents not played this season were Arizona and Stanford.
Washington won the Apple Cup over Washington State for a sixth consecutive year,[6][7][8] and the Sun Bowl over favored Texas.
[9][10][11][12][13] Defensive back Mark Lee was selected as the team's most valuable player.
Phil Foreman, Doug Martin, Antowaine Richardson, and Joe Steele were the team captains.