A near-flawless first half by Michael Penix Jr and the Washington offense saw the Huskies bolt to a 35-0 first-half lead. Penix Jr. finished the half with full game numbers completing 20 of 25 passed for 375 touchdowns and four touchdowns .
The attack mentality of the Husky offense saw them score on five of seven drives. Washington receivers Rome Odunze and Ja’Lynn each went over the 100 yards receiving mark with Jalen McMillan just four yards short of making it a trio with 96 yards. Penix Jr finished the game completing 27 of 35 passed for 473 yards. Husky tight end Jake Westover led the team with three touchdown receptions.
“There was a lot of confidence coming in,” UW coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Not because we were disrespecting Michigan State. It was more about just a great week of preparation, and that we were going on the road. We know this is an amazing environment, and our guys were fired up to do that and make a statement.”
In game that was over long before it finished the Huskies offensive dominance was matched by the Husky’ defense
DOMINANT DEFENSE
Despite the absence of safety Asa Turner, fifth-year junior Kamren Fabiculana and cornerback Devon Banks the Husky defense was just as dominant as the offense.
Senior edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetu returned after sitting out last week’s win over Tulsa and logged his first two sacks of the season. Junior defensive back Mishael Powell recorded his first career interception. The Husky defense Michigan State to just 3.7 yards per play and a mere 25 yards rushing in the first half.
“The pass rush (and) pressure was there consistently, at a higher level, than what we had the first two games,” UW coach Kalen DeBoer said. “That takes a whole group effort, but ZTF is certainly a big part of that.”
The Spartans averaged just 4.2 yards per play for the game with their lone touchdown coming late in the fourth quarter with both teams playing their respective backups.
POSTGAME NOTES
Post-Game Notes Washington at Michigan State Spartan Stadium, Sept. 16, 2023 Washington’s 713 yards of total offense are second-most in Husky history, behind only 734 vs. San Jose State in 1996 (the game in which Corey Dillon rushed for 222 in the first quarter).
It’s also the most total offense surrendered by a Michigan State team in Spartans history. The previous high was 666, by Nebraska in 1995.
Prior to the start of this season, Washington had had just eight games in its history with two players finishing with 100 or more receiving yards (including two such games last year).
So far this season, Washington has had two players with 100 receiving yards in all three games: vs. Boise State: Rome Oduzne (132) & Ja’Lynn Polk (101) vs. Tulsa: Jalen McMillan (120) & Odunze (107) at Michigan State: Odunze (180) & Polk (118) Michael Penix Jr. had passed for 375 yards at halftime, which would have been the 19th-most in UW single-GAME history.
Penix finished the game with 473 yards, the third-highest total in school history, behind only two other of his games (516 last season vs. Arizona and 485 last year at Washington State).
With only one season plus three games under his belt, Penix has six of the top-10 single-game passing yardage totals in Husky history. Penix’s four first-half TD passes tied the UW record, set by Jake Browning at California in 2016. Penix has thrown multiple touchdowns (two or more) in 13 of his 16 games as a Husky.
UW defensive back Mishael Powell notched his first career interception late in the first quarter. The Huskies converted the ensuing drive into a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Jack Westover. Husky WR Germie Bernard, who scored on a one-yard rush in the first quarter, is the fourth DIFFERENT UW wide receiver to scoring a rushing touchdown this year, joining McMillan, Polk & Odunze.
For what it’s worth, WR Denzel Boston scored on a 2-yard rush last year vs. Portland State. Safety Vince Nunley made his first-ever UW start, in place of the injured Asa Turner. Sophomore kicker Grady Gross notched his first career field goal with a 22-yarder early in the third quarter. He’d had just one prior attempt. He added a 29-yarder later in the third quarter.
Four UW true freshmen made their debut today: OL Landen Hatchett, RB Tybo Rogers, OL Zachary Henning, WR Keith Reynolds, EDGE Jacob Lane and CB Leroy Bryant. Washington scored 40 or more points for the ninth time in the 16-game UW tenure of head coach Kalen DeBoer.
The Huskies also scored 37, 38, and 39 points in games last year, falling just shy of 40. UW head coach Kalen DeBoer is now 93-11 as a head coach.
