Last December, Washington traveled south to beat Texas.
The sequel has more at stake.
The Pac-12 champion Huskies were awarded the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff and will face No. 3 Texas (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1, the CFP selection committee announced Sunday morning. UW beat Texas 27-20 in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio last winter.
Meanwhile, Big Ten champion Michigan (13-0) was seeded No. 1 and will face No. 4 Alabama (the 12-1 SEC champion) in the Rose Bowl. The winners will meet in the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Houston.
“We are excited about what comes next and what lies ahead. This morning we learned that we would get a chance to play in the Sugar Bowl against a very good Texas team in a rematch from last year’s Alamo Bowl – assuming both programs continued.” “We want to progress and improve on where we are improve a year ago,” UW coach Kalen DeBoer said Sunday.
“But I’m excited about this opportunity for our guys and I’m definitely proud of what we accomplished Friday night in Las Vegas in the Pac-12 Championship. The score of 13-0 and the current score was definitely a goal. We’ve checked every box along the way, and there are more boxes to be checked.”
Granted, No. 5 Florida State (13-0) checked just as many boxes … but was still left out. Although the Seminoles beat Louisville 16-6 in the ACC championship game, a season-ending injury to standout quarterback Jordan Travis influenced the way the committee evaluated FSU. Back-to-back national champion Georgia (12-1) also slipped five spots to No. 6 after being upset by Alabama in the SEC championship game.
When asked if he could imagine coaching a 13-0 Power Five champion that missed out on a playoff spot, DeBoer replied: “Honestly, no. That would be extremely difficult. This is extremely unfortunate in this situation with four teams. Obviously next year the number changes to 12 (teams in the playoffs). But that would be really hard.”
Pac-12 Championship Huskies 34, Oregon 31
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Of course, some would say the Huskies were snubbed too. Their four ranked wins (over No. 8 Oregon twice, No. 14 Arizona and No. 19 Oregon State) are more than Michigan’s three (over No. 10 Penn State, No. 7 Ohio State and No. 17 Iowa). They also touted a superior balance sheet and strong schedule.
So should Washington have been No. 1?
“NO. I think I didn’t really feel that that would be the case. It’s probably more reality than anything I understood,” DeBoer said. “I think there’s an argument for it, but not one, that I have to represent.
“Because I understand that there are people who fight for every program unless you compete against each other. It is what it is. They had a great season there at Michigan, won their conference championship again and really executed their schedule for the most part.”
And for this the Wolverines were rewarded with the strategically superior location.
The CFP media guide states: “In assigning teams to sites, the selection committee will place the top two finishers in the most advantageous locations, weighing criteria such as ease of travel for its fans, home-field advantage or disadvantage, and general familiarity with the host city and itself.” Stadion. Number 1 is preferred.”
First place was definitely favored as Michigan avoided playing a quasi-road game against Alabama in New Orleans. Instead, UW (and its fans) were at a distinct geographical disadvantage against the lower-seeded Longhorns.
“For the program and the fans, the Rose Bowl is certainly what everyone thought and wanted because of our geographic location,” DeBoer said. “But here’s the deal: We’re in the last four and we get to play against a very good football team in an exciting place.”
This announcement comes two days after UW defeated No. 8 Oregon 34-31 in the final Pac-12 championship game, defeating the Ducks for the second time this season.
Texas, meanwhile, defeated No. 20 Oklahoma State 49-21 on Saturday, winning a Big 12 title and preparing for the playoffs. Longhorn quarterback Quinn Ewers completed 76.1% of his passes while throwing for 452 yards and four touchdowns (with one interception).
In Washington’s Alamo Bowl win last December, the Huskies led 27-10 in the fourth quarter before giving up 10 points late in a Texas home game in San Antonio. UW quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Wayne Taulapapa added 108 rushing yards at 7.7 yards per carry and another score.
“They are a different team. You have had more experiences. We are a different team. We’ve had more experiences,” DeBoer said. “Both teams have added to the talent we have in our squads. I think it maybe makes us a little more familiar with what they do, how they see us, and what to expect. But at the end of the day, it’s a whole year later and there are other things at stake right now in terms of what we’re playing for.”
So yes, these are different teams… with more than a few familiar faces.
DeBoer will once again tangle with Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, who went 34-29 in Washington from 2009 to 2013 and called the rematch “kind of ironic.”
“Washington still has a special meaning for me. “That’s where I got my first opportunity as a head coach and had five great years rebuilding this program,” Sarkisian said on the ESPN broadcast.
“Ironically, we played them in the Alamo Bowl a year ago and I think there’s a certain familiarity there,” he continued. “They have a great team. … We know we’re going to need that extra preparation to get ready for the game, but I know our kids are excited. Any time you get the opportunity to play against a team of Washington’s quality, an undefeated team and Pac-12 champions, it’s a big challenge, but one we look forward to.”
DeBoer certainly respects Sarkisian’s place in Huskies history.
Even if he’s in the way.
“When I talked to him a year ago, I knew I was letting him know that he was a part of this too,” DeBoer said. “For me, everyone who has gone through this program and put their heart and soul into what happened here is a part of history, a part of the tradition.
“I hope everyone always feels that way – alumni, former coaches. We have arrived at this point. There are ups and downs you go through and he did some things back then to improve this program.”
DeBoer has already taken the program to a higher level.
But there are more boxes to check.