PAC-12 Championship Game Review
Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. paraphrased Geno Smith when speaking after leading his team to the conference title: ‘They tried to write us off, but we ain’t write back’. It seems unfathomable that the only team in the conference with a perfect record and a victory over their title-game opponents earlier in the season would be considered underdogs, but underdogs they were with Oregon favoured by over 7.5 points. The Ducks had been steamrollering everyone that crossed their path following their loss to the Huskies in Week 7 whereas Washington were winning by much smaller margins. But a win is a win, and one thing Washington has proved is that they know how to win.
Washington did their best to flip the narrative early on, scoring on their first two drives whilst forcing two consecutive three and outs for Oregon, with Bo Nix unable to find a connection with his receivers. Washington looked to be running away with it, finding themselves up 17-3 after Germie Bernard ran it in on a trick play pop pass from Dillon Johnson following Penix’s bomb to Jalen McMillan that took the Huskies halfway down the field in a single stroke. Grady Gross added a field goal on the following drive to make it 20-3 with 1:39 left in the half.
The Ducks then woke up and drove seventy yards down the field in ninety seconds and Nix found TE Terrance Ferguson in the endzone with 2-yard pass. Oregon came out fighting in the second half, with head coach Dan Lanning sticking to his aggressive style, going for it twice on fourth down, despite this being his undoing the last time the teams met, and successfully converting on both occasions. This kept the drive alive and allowed the Ducks to draw closer with a second touchdown pass to Terrance Ferguson.
Penix and Nix both threw interceptions before Washington turned the ball over on downs at the Oregon 28-yard line. Oregon used this opportunity to score within four plays, including a 44-yard run from Nix, and take the lead thanks to a Jordan James touchdown. Washington was able to regain the lead thanks to Johnson’s TD and the defense were subsequently able to force another three and out and get the ball back with 9:04 left in the fourth quarter. The Huskies were able to whittle the clock down to 2:44 before scoring on a 2-yard pass to Quentin Moore to extend their lead to ten.
It looked like time was against the Ducks but on the second play of the next drive, Nix found Traeston Holden for a 63-yard touchdown where he tiptoed the line into the endzone whilst under pressure from defenders. With a little over two minutes left, Oregon were in with a chance. Unfortunately for Oregon, the onside kick was unsuccessful and Washington gained two first downs, including a fifteen-yard rush on third and nine from Johnson to seal the win.
Penix may have won MVP and a spot as a Heisman finalist with his 319-yard performance, but Johnson was the star for Washington. Behind an exceptional performance from the offensive line, Johnson was able to assert his dominance on the ground to the tune of 152-yards and two touchdowns that was the driving force behind the victory.
Washington’s defensive line was able to create the opposite effect on Oregon’s ground game, holding Bucky Irving to just twenty yards. Washington’s secondary was also able to shut down leading receiver Troy Franklin, allowing him only 34-yards, unlike Washington’s Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan who recorded 102 and 131 yards respectively. Despite the lack of opportunity for his playmakers, Nix was still able to account for 239-yards and three touchdowns. Despite his playoff aspirations being over, Nix’s performance this season has been enough to earn him a place as a Heisman finalist alongside Penix as well as LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.
And with that a spectacular season of PAC-12 football, the last before all but two teams depart for other conferences, comes to close with a thrilling finale. The win has earned Washington the second spot in the College Football Playoff ranking meaning that they will now face the third ranked Texas in the Sugar Bowl on 1st January. Whilst Washington is battling it out for a place in the National Championship game, Oregon will make do with a matchup against Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl.