Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer January 2, 2024, 1:02 a.m. ET
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- ACC Reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
- Graduated from the University of Florida.
NEW ORLEANS – Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had one of the most dominant performances in College Football Playoff history on Monday night. And yet, with one second left, he stood on the sideline and watched as Texas was 13 yards away from an improbable comeback.
Quinn Ewers took the fourth down snap and threw the ball to Adonai Mitchell in the corner of the end zone. Early in the fourth quarter, Ewers threw to Mitchell in almost the same spot for a 1-yard score. Washington's Elijah Jackson was on coverage for this touchdown.
He was back in coverage when the game was on the line. Jackson said he knew Ewers would reach out to Mitchell again. This time the cornerback was ready. Jackson leapt into the air to bat the ball away as time expired, securing the Huskies a wild 37-31 victory in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Now Washington will face Michigan in the CFP national title game on Jan. 8 in Houston, marking the Huskies' first chance at a national championship since 1991. All Jackson could think after he made the play was, “Damn, we're going to the national championship!” Then he sought out his mother in the stands.
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“This is the moment people dream about,” Jackson said. “Everyone wants the last game. Everyone wants to have the game on their shoulders.”
Although Penix threw for 430 yards — the fourth-best passing game in CFP history — Washington was never able to fully gain complete control. Texas kept the game within one point twice in the final seven minutes and tried to erase a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter. After making it 37-31 with 1:09 left, Texas attempted an onside kick, but Washington recovered.
After forcing a three-pointer, Texas got the ball back at the 31-yard line with 45 seconds left. The Longhorns had four attempts to win the game inside the Huskies' 15-yard line. But Washington would earn its 21st straight victory.
“You love seeing a team come through and find a way to win,” Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer said. “The defense had to stay out there and play everything until the end. I’m so proud of the resilience and finding a different way to win a football game.”
In the end, Penix completed 29 of 38 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first player with multiple 4,500-yard passing seasons in Pac-12 history.
Penix's decision to come to Washington in 2022 helped transform the trajectory of the Huskies' football program. But it all started with the hiring of DeBoer, an offensive mastermind who won three NAIA championships as head coach at the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota before working his way up the FBS ranks and landing in Washington.
One of DeBoer's first calls after taking office was to Penix, whom he had coached for one season as offensive coordinator at Indiana. Penix wanted to play for DeBoer and valued his comfort level, trust and belief in him not only as a coach but as an offensive innovator. In their two years together in Washington, they have won 25 of 27 games and are on the verge of achieving something much bigger.
“He set the tone pretty quickly, just made all the throws,” DeBoer said. “This guy has really been on another level all month in terms of his mission to make sure that happens, and I think you saw it in practice all week. There was just nothing he let pass that left us in any doubt that we would find a way to win.
Washington's victory in numbers
• Reached 1st national championship game; Pursuing second national title in AP Poll era (1991, co-champion with Miami)
• Became the first team in Pac-12 history to win 14 games in a season
• Won 21 consecutive seasons, the longest active winning streak in FBS and just under 1, the second longest in program history (22 from 1990 to 1992).
• Has won each of the last 10 games by 10 points or fewer, the longest such streak of any team in the AP Poll era (since 1936)
• 1st Pac-12 team to play in a national championship game since 2014, Oregon; I'm aiming for USC's first Pac-12 national champion since 2004
• Michael Penix Jr.: first player with 4,500 passing yards in consecutive seasons since Patrick Mahomes in 2015-16; First player to do so in Pac-12 history
– ESPN stats and information
Of course, the program was more than just Penix. While DeBoer has done an excellent job of utilizing the transfer portal, he also has nine sixth-year players who started their careers at Washington under a different coaching staff but were willing to commit and also believe in his message.
There are also other experienced seniors, including wide receiver Rome Odunze and linebacker Bralen Trice, who have taken the lead and helped establish the culture DeBoer wanted to instill.
Despite everything this team has accomplished this season, Washington entered the semifinals against the Longhorns as underdogs – the second game in a row in which it was not the favorite to win. This annoyed the Huskies so much that they used it as additional motivation.
Not long after the Huskies advanced to the national title game, they were already considered underdogs again. The Wolverines opened as a 5-point favorite at sportsbook ESPN BET, with an over/under total of 55.5.
“I just think we continue to prove everyone wrong, and we will continue to do so,” Trice said. “You can overlook us all you want, but we go out and prove everyone wrong every time.”
Penix, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, was the center of attention from the start on Monday, throwing one pinpoint pass after another to his strong and talented group of receivers. The first drive featured a 77-yarder for Ja'Lynn Polk. Then a deep pass over the middle to Odunze. This continued throughout the game, some beautiful rainbows, other darts and all landing where only his receivers could catch them.
This gave Polk and Odunze each 100 yards. As the third quarter ended, Penix had 372 yards passing, two touchdowns and just four incompletions as Washington fans chanted “Let's go, Huskies!”
“I have the best outside playmakers. So they just do it,” Penix said.
Although Washington threatened to blow the game away after taking a 34-21 lead early in the fourth quarter, Texas held on and its defense stepped up to keep the Longhorns in the game.
After Texas running back Jaydon Blue fumbled, Washington was unable to take advantage and had to punt.
On the ensuing drive, Ewers threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mitchell, a transfer from Georgia, to make it 34-28. Mitchell is an automatic starter in the CFP and has recorded a touchdown reception in all five CFP games he has played in.
“This is the moment people dream about. Everyone wants the last game. Everyone wants to have the game on their shoulders.”
Washington CB Elijah Jackson
Washington CB Elijah JacksonOn the next possession, Penix did everything necessary to move Washington down the field, including a 32-yard pass to Odunze on the left sideline that was enough to get into field goal range and make it a two-score game. game before Texas attempted a final comeback.
“The resilience that our team showed in that fourth quarter to find a way to win the game is, I think, indicative of the character we have on this team and the men we have on this team locker room,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “These guys are fighters. They fought together. No matter how bleak it looked there, they never gave up hope and believed. And I think that’s how you give yourself a chance at the end.”
Ewers said that on the last two plays — both passes — “he was just trying to give my guys a chance to make a play. Ultimately, that’s all you can really do.”
Ewers completed 24 of 43 passes for 318 yards and a score. Afterwards, the emotion was clear on his face as he fought back tears as he arrived at the post-match press conference.
“It’s tough, especially losing a game as close as this,” Ewers said. “But if you take a step back and look back at the whole season, I’m proud of the way we attacked every week. I know the entire team is extremely grateful for this opportunity we had today and I think we all played our hearts out.”
Texas came up just one play short. Instead, Penix and the Huskies were in the spotlight.
“The work isn’t done yet,” Penix said. “I feel like it’s definitely going to take more. I will put in the effort next week to make this team stronger. And, man, we’re just really excited about the opportunity.”