After shutting out Utah in the second half last week the Washington Huskies defense continued its dominating play in the Huskies’ 22-20 win over Oregon State The stellar performance by the Husky defense came at the right time on Saturday night on a cold and windy day that saw the elements have a dramatic effect on both offenses. The wind and often blinding rain made it difficult for receivers and ball carriers to hold on to the football.
EXPLOSIVE START
The Huskies drew first blood when Michael Penix Jr hit Rome Odunze on a 12-yard pass to give Washington a quick 7-0 lead. The Beavers answered with a 10-play 75-yard drive that leveled the score on a Damien Martinez three-yard run. A misplayed Oregon State punt resulted in a safety for the Dawgs who extended their lead to 9-2.
The Husky offense exploded for two second-quarter touchdowns while the defense held the Beavers offense to a 38-yard field goal. The Husky’s two scores were five five-yard runs by Penix Jr and another Penix Jr to Odunze Ariel connection for 32 yards.
The Husky defense forced a first-half fumble, stopped the Beaver offense just before the half, and started the second half with an interception.
GAME CLINCHING STOP
After giving up a touchdown and a field goal in the third quarter the Husky defense made the stop it needed to keep the undefeated record intact. The Beavers started their final drive from the five-yard line and advanced the ball to the 47-yard line. On 4th and 4 DJ Uiagalele’s pass to Jack Velling fell incomplete and the Husky offense did the rest.
Michael Penix Jr and the offense took over at 2:08 and ran the game clock to zeros for the win. For the day Penix completed 13 of 28 passes for 162 yards. He has thrown for 30 touchdowns this season. The Huskies snapped a nine-game home winning streak for Oregon State.
POST GAME NOTES
Game Notes
Washington at Oregon State
Reser Stadium, Nov. 18, 2023
Washington is 11-0 for just the second time in school history. The only previous time was in 1991,
when the Huskies ran the table and finished 12-0 (11-game regular season, followed by a win
over Michigan in the 1992 Rose Bowl).
With the win, UW has clinched a place in the 2023 Pac-12 Football Championship Game, Dec. 1
in Las Vegas. It will mark the Huskies’ third appearance in that game, after wins over Colorado in
2016 and Utah in 2018.
Washington has won 18 straight games, the second-longest active streak in the country, behind
Georgia, and the third-longest in Husky history (longer UW streaks: 40 straight wins 1908-16; 22
straight wins 1990-92).
Jabbar Muhammad had two interceptions tonight, making him the first Husky with two picks in
a game since Asa Turner had two in the 2022 season opener vs. Kent State. UW has 13
interceptions as a team in 2023, after recording just seven all of last season.
Michael Penix Jr. scored a rushing TD in his third straight game. He’d never rushed for more than
two scores in any one season during his college career.
With two touchdown receptions tonight, Rome Odunze has 11 this season and 22 in his career.
Those totals tie him for fifth on the single-season UW top-10 list, and tied for fourth on the career
list.
UW receiver Rome Odunze notched the seventh 100-yard receiving game of the season, finishing
the game with seven catches for 106 yards, and two touchdowns. For the season, Odunze now
has 1,206 yards, third in UW history.
Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer is now 101-11 as a head coach, and is 22-2 at UW.
