Entering Monday’s Sugar Bowl matchup against the No. 2 ranked Washington Huskies, the Texas Longhorn pass defense was a known weakness.
The Longhorns ranked 93rd in the nation in passing yards allowed per game and had seen itself crumble at the hands of rivals Oklahoma early in the season on a last minute touchdown drive. Despite a month of preparation, Washington’s senior quarterback Michael Penix Jr. exposed the flaws of the Longhorns, using his explosive left arm to dice up the defense en route to a 37-31 victory.
“It felt like every time they threw it, we were pretty good at coverage. They made the play,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “That’s a credit to them. They’re good offensively.”
Penix found his rhythm early, connecting with sophomore wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk for 77 yards on the fourth play of Washington’s first drive, with a touchdown run one play later through the hands of junior running back Dillon Johnson.
“We dug ourselves a hole with some self-inflicted wounds,” Sarkisian. “Give credit to Washington, they played a very good game.”
From there, it was an onslaught, with no semblance of life from the usually flexible and deep rotation of defensive backs. Penix and the Huskies dominated, with the team amassing 21 points on 255 yards of passing in just the first half. The Longhorns had 102 across three quarters.
“We just couldn’t get him on the ground. We couldn’t generate enough pressure,” Sarkisian said. “They really played on schedule all night and that makes it difficult.”
But Texas found ways to stay in the game, and, with 7:23 left in the fourth quarter, they found themselves down by just six points after a successful scoring drive. The Longhorn faithful was roaring, and Texas was a stop away from being in the driver’s seat.
Penix, however, had different plans. He delivered throughout the drive, no matter the scheme or pressure thrown at him. Texas quickly forced a third and two with the chance to take the ball back and give sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers a chance. Penix found senior tight end Jack Westover for the first.
Now, with a fresh set of downs, Penix targeted junior wide receiver Jalen McMillan for a gain of 14 yards.
Two plays later, a 32-yard pass to junior wide receiver Rome Odunze, who broke Washington’s single season receiving record during the game, was successful. Now inside the Texas redzone, the Huskies milked the clock and kicked a field goal, solidifying a nine-point lead with under three minutes to go.
“I thought there were some decent pressures in there, we just didn’t get him on the ground,” Sarkisian said. The Texas defense failed to register a single sack or quarterback hit.
In a similar vein to the aforementioned Oklahoma loss, Texas kept fighting. Despite being outplayed for the majority of the game, the Longhorns found themselves just 12 yards away from their chance at a championship game. The secondary on the other side, however, prevailed, and as time expired sophomore cornerback Elijah Jackson swatted the ball from junior wide receiver Adonai Mitchell’s hands. Washington was victorious.
“The resiliency the team showed in that fourth quarter, to find a way to have an opportunity to win the game, I think it is indicative of the character that we have on this team and the men that we have in that locker room,” Sarkisian said.
Penix passed for 430 yards on the night, completing 76% of his passes and throwing for two touchdowns. Four different Huskies notched five or more catches, with Odunze and Polk accruing 247 yards combined in the air.
The Heisman runner-up made six passes that resulted in 20 or more yards, including two over 50, solidifying his position as one of the best in all of college football and worthy of a national championship team.
Texas finished the 2023 season with its best performance in 14 years, which is not to be overstated. The Longhorns ended the year 12–2 with a Big 12 Championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff, a feat it had never previously achieved.
“This whole year we sacrificed a lot in order to build this team the way we wanted it,” senior linebacker Jaylan Ford said. “We went all the way up into the last play and I’m proud of my guys for never giving up.”
