Washington improved to 13-0 and likely locked up a College Football Playoff berth in a thrilling win.
Ari Wasserman and The Athletic College Football Staff
(Photo: Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Athletic Staff
Washington outlasts Oregon in thriller for Pac-12 title
No. 3 Washington defeated No. 5 Oregon 34-31 on Friday to claim the 2023 Pac-12 Championship. The win is expected to ensure a spot in the College Football Playoff, which will be announced Sunday. The Huskies have now beaten the Ducks twice after winning the earlier matchup 36-33 on Oct. 14 in Seattle.
Leading 27-24 midway through the fourth quarter, Washington QB and Heisman hopeful Michael Penix Jr. orchestrated a 12-play, 82-yard drive that culminated in a 2-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Moore that put the game out of reach. Penix finished 27 of 39 for 319 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Oregon’s potential postseason opponent is yet to be determined. All eyes now turn to Saturday’s matchups of No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Alabama in the SEC Championship and No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 18 Iowa in the Big Ten Championship.
Pac-12’s farewell was a spectacle befitting Conference of Champions
A 108-year-old football conference took its last breath here Friday, surrounded by 65,000 spectators dressed in either purple or neon green, with millions more watching with appreciation from afar.
On its last day on Earth, Pac-12 football enjoyed arguably the finest night of its life. It was tense. It was thrilling.
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Michael Penix Jr. makes a spirited case for the Heisman
USA Today
The deadline for casting Heisman Trophy ballots is Monday, which meant Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. still had time to remind voters why he was widely considered a front-runner for the award through the first month and a half of the season.
While short of sublime, his performance in a 34-31 victory over Oregon in the final Pac-12 championship game could resonate with some because it highlighted the importance of resilience and leadership and summoning the ability to turn darkness into light.
Read more here.
Washington could be scary in College Football Playoff
As purple and white confetti spilled from the rafters of Allegiant Stadium onto the Pac-12 champions for the final time in the conference’s illustrious history, Washington players were barking into cellphones streaming live onto social media platforms.
Washington, a 10-point underdog, just completed its 34-31 win over the Oregon Ducks. The Huskies players saw the point spread, heard the pundits and they knew — despite not losing once this season — that few believed they could win this game.
Read more here.
Oregon’s Bo Nix has no regrets at the end of a wild ride
USA Today
He woke up Friday morning as the favorite for the Heisman Trophy, but as he sat on the team bench Friday evening with a towel draped over his head, that was the last thing on Bo Nix’s mind.
“Football is a tough game, and sometimes you put it all out there and you come up short,” Nix said later. “I wanted the moment to last longer than what it can.”
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How'd this game affect Heisman?
Jayden Daniels is now a commanding favorite for the Heisman Trophy at every sportsbook you can find. BetMGM has Daniels at a whopping -1400 to win. The implied odds on that mean they think Daniels has a better than 90 percent chance to win the award. Bo Nix was the favorite at -150 earlier this week. After Oregon lost, Nix threw a key interception and had a season-low 239 passing yards, Daniels has assumed the top spot in the odds. Penix is +1000 (10-to-1) while Nix is +1200 (12-to-1).
Prime time players make prime time plays
Oregon had no answer for any of the three standout Washington receivers or running back Dillion Johnson, who iced the 34-31 win on the final third-down play with 18 of his 152 yards. Michael Penix Jr. was 27 of 39 for 319 yards, with Jalen McMillan, Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn Polk combining for 22 catches for 290 yards. Polk had a circus catch to set up the scoring drive that put the Huskies up 34-24 with 2:44 left but Bo Nix quickly led the Ducks on a drive to make things interesting until the final seconds.
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An heck of a resume for Kalen DeBoer
Kalen DeBoer is 103-11 as a head coach.
24-2 at Washington.
Washington takes home the Pac-12 championship
DILLON. JOHNSON. MVP of the game, what an incredible ending and what a play call from Kalen DeBoer. Everyone, congratulations on watching an absolute classic as Washington does what so many teams cannot do:
They beat an excellent, well-coached football team TWICE
A great luxury to have for the Huskies
Every Washington receiver is WR1 on all teams besides Ohio State and LSU. And Odunze would compete for WR1 on both those teams. Incredible weapons, amazing.
Questionable decision
Why on earth would you call for an onside kick when you have all three timeouts? Washington has the short field with 2:08 on the clock.
Oregon strikes back quickly
Washington's defense was caught napping as Traeshon Holdon took a pass across the middle and ran around and by defenders for a 59-yard touchdown with 2:14 left. The Ducks trail 34-31 and the crowd at Allegiant Stadium is electric.
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This game, man
Hopefully, it's just setting us up for more great ones tomorrow. This could be one of the best weekends we've ever seen in college football.
One of the greatest Pac-12 what-ifs
Is going to be what would’ve happened if Jake Haener transferred back to Washington like he wanted to after Kalen DeBoer got hired?
The Athletic College Football
Postgame reaction
Stewart Mandel and Ari Wasserman share their thoughts on Friday night's Pac-12 Championship Game.
Enjoy it while it lasts
Watching this Oregon-Washington game and realizing the bottom third of the Big Ten will never have a chance again.
Conference realignment is going to be brutal for a lot of teams who will come to regret it.
Washington takes the lead late in the fourth quarter
Washington ate up 6:26 to go up two scores. Ryan Grubb play-calling tonight has been A+.
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The Huskies are loaded at WR
I'm a big Group A guy. But if Washington wins this and makes the CFP, those insanely-talented WRs should be enough to keep the Huskies in any game against anyone. So impressive.
Huskies retake the lead
Dillon Johnson has had a head of steam all night, crossing the hundred-yard mark in this game and the thousand-yard mark for the season. He also has two touchdowns on the night, the latter of which puts the Huskies back on top 27-24.
A little more than 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, and y’all this game has been a treat.
One quarter to go
Playoff berth on the line. Washington will have the ball at the Oregon 20, down 4.
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