The Washington Huskies survived the Apple Cup, remaining unbeaten with a 24-21 win over Washington State.
What did we learn about Washington on Saturday?
A Flawed Team But Still Perfect
The Washington Huskies are a flawed team. The offense has regressed throughout the season and does not resemble the well-oiled machine that scored 56 points in Week 1 against Boise State, 59 against California, or even 52 against USC in the first week of November. The defense has improved but struggles for large chunks before making a timely play. Nonetheless, the Washington Huskies are perfect where it matters most: the scoreboard. Washington beat Washington State 24-21 to improve to 12-0, becoming the first PAC-12 team to finish the regular season unbeaten since the conference expanded to twelve teams in 2011. “We’re going to enjoy it here for a short time,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said after the win. “You do have to have a little bit of perspective for one second to take it in and understand the place and the history of the program and understand what 12-0 really took to get to.”
Offensive Daring and Ingenuity Saved the Day
Despite a relatively poor offensive showing, DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb flexed their offensive genius to decide the outcome. With one minute and 15 seconds remaining in a tied game, Washington faced a fourth-and-one at their own 29-yard line. After unsuccessfully attempting to force the Cougars to jump offsides, Washington called a timeout, running a play they had installed and saved for a critical moment. Michael Penix Jr. was given the option to hand the ball off to Dillon Johnson or pitch it to wide receiver Rome Odunze. Odunze, sprinting from the edge, was given the ball and ran for a 23-yard gain. Washington used that momentum to move into field goal position, and kicker Grady Gross nailed the 42-yard attempt to win the game.
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Concern Is Warranted
Washington deserves all the credit for finding ways to win and finishing the regular season unbeaten. Looking ahead to the PAC-12 Championship Game, concern for UW’s ability to win the conference crown and advance to the College Football Playoff is valid. Since beating Oregon in Seattle in the middle of October, Washington has looked far from national title worthy. They barely survived Arizona State 15-7 at home. They gave up 33 points to a bad Stanford team and only won by nine points. The Huskies beat USC, but it was not a walk in the park. Wins over Utah, Oregon State, and Washington State were nerve-wracking affairs. Meanwhile, the Oregon Ducks have gone in the other direction, obliterating the opposition. They beat Washington State by 14 points, hammered Utah by 29, beat Southern California more comfortably than Washington did, and completely dominated Arizona State and Oregon State to close the regular season. Washington is unbeaten, but the Ducks are deserved favorites in the PAC-12 Championship Game.
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