Washington held off a late Texas comeback to secure a thrilling 37-21 victory in the Sugar Bowl as quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns to help the Huskies advance to the national championship game against Michigan.
The CFP's two remaining teams will face off in the most crucial division on January 8th in Houston, Texas. I game of the season.
For Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, Monday night's matchup was particularly tough considering he began his head coaching career in Washington in 2009, where he took over an 0-12 team and went 34-29 before moving to USC in 2014 , where he worked, was ultimately fired in his second season (2015).
The Huskies drew blood for the first time in New Orleans when Washington running back Dillon Johnson scored a two-yard rushing touchdown four minutes into the first quarter. Then kicker Grady Gross converted the extra point – his first of seven attempts.
However, the Longhorns answered right back as running back Jaydon Blue made a 5-yard run into the end zone to tie the score at 7-7. It took seven plays and 75 yards in 3:55 for the Longhorns to finally get on the scoreboard. Kicker Bert Auburn made sure to convert the first of three extra points.
Michael Penix Jr. completed 29 of his 38 pass attempts to beat Texas in New Orleans, LA
Johnson scored his second touchdown of the game two minutes into the second quarter, giving Washington another lead, 14-7, before Texas lineman Byron Murphy II took a handoff and muscled it across the goal line for a one-yard touchdown raced as the Longhorns tied the game for the second time in the first half.
Then, with 1:27 left before halftime, Washington quarterback Penix Jr. threw a 29-yard touchdown pass – his first of the night – to wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk. The Huskies thought they would go into halftime with the lead, but CJ Baxter stormed in with a 3-yard touchdown run to make the score 21-21 as both teams continued to share honors after two quarters.
Wideout Jalen McMillan gave Washington the lead four and a half minutes into the third quarter on a 19-yard pass from Penix Jr. Gross converted the extra point – his fourth of the night – before a Texas fumble gave the Huskies some breathing room but couldn't get the word out, managing only a field goal to extend their lead to 31- 21 expansions.
Washington started with the ball in the fourth quarter but was unable to convert in the first third of the final 15 minutes as Grady Gross converted a 40-yard field goal to increase the score by two touchdowns (34-21).
With 7:23 left, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers finally had his first touchdown pass of the night to Adonai Mitchell for a yard before Auburn converted the extra point to cut Washington's lead to 34-28.