No. 2 Washington held off an unlikely late comeback attempt to win 37-31 over No. 3 Texas and advance to the national championship game against No. 1 Michigan on Jan. 8.After the teams were tied at 21-21 at halftime, the Huskies (14-0) outscored the Longhorns (16-10) in the second half. With 2:44 remaining, Grady Gross’ third field goal of the game gave the Huskies a two-possession lead at 37-28.But then things started to get interesting. With just over a minute remaining, Texas scored a field goal to cut Washington’s lead to six points, but the Huskies recovered the onside kick. However, because Texas had two timeouts and running back Dillon Johnson suffered an apparent foot injury on third down, Washington didn’t get much time off the clock.
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Instead of getting the ball back with about 20 seconds remaining, Texas had one last chance with 45 seconds remaining because the clock had stopped following Johnson’s injury. Texas got down to the Washington 12-yard line, but Quinn Ewers’ pass to AD Mitchell in the end zone fell incomplete as time expired.Texas (12-2) couldn’t stop Washington QB Michael Penix Jr., who had one of the best passing performances in College Football Playoff history. Penix completed 29 of 38 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns while shooting lasers all over the field. The feared Washington deep passing game returned with a vengeance on Monday night, as evidenced by Penix’s 77-yard catch on Washington’s fourth play of the game, which set up the Huskies’ first touchdown of the night.
After the game was tied at halftime, Washington scored 10 points in a row to start the third quarter, thanks to a Texas fumble. Jalen McMillan caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Penix on Washington’s first drive of the half, and Washington added a field goal less than three minutes later after Texas RB CJ Baxter fumbled on the Longhorns’ first play of the drive.Since a 59-32 victory over Cal on Sept. 23, Washington has won 10 straight games by 10 points or less. The Huskies have thrived in close games all season, particularly late in the season. Prior to Monday night’s scare, Washington had won by seven points against USC, two points against Oregon State, three points against Washington State on a walk-off field goal, and three points against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game.After recovering the onside kick, Washington’s strategy appeared logical and obvious. Washington couldn’t kneel the ball three times and end the game because Texas had two timeouts. The Huskies required a first down.
Texas called a timeout after Johnson ran the ball on first and second down. Johnson ran up the middle on third down, as he had on the first two plays. However, his foot appeared to twist awkwardly as he was tackled, and he screamed in pain once he was on the ground.The clock stopped for Johnson’s injury and did not restart until Washington snapped the ball for its fourth-down punt.If Washington had taken a knee on third down — or any of the first three — it would have been kicking the ball back to Texas with about 20 seconds remaining. However, because of the clock rules in college football, the clock stops after an injury within two minutes and does not restart until the next play begins, Texas had roughly 25 seconds more than it would have gotten otherwise.
In retrospect, Washington should have taken a knee on the first three plays. Johnson would not have been carted off the field at the end of the game, and Texas’ comeback attempt would not have come this close. However, few coaches kneel the ball when they know a first down is required to end the game. And Washington coach Kalen DeBoer isn’t exactly a conservative. Washington threw nine consecutive passes with the lead at one point in the second half.After Germie Bernard fumbled a Texas punt and gave the Longhorns great field position, Texas scored its second touchdown of the game to tie the game at 14-14. However, Texas’ turnovers proved costly in the second half, despite Washington scoring only three points off the two fumbles.
Following Baxter’s fumble, the Longhorns punted on their next possession. Jaydon Blue fumbled at the Washington 22 with less than 13 minutes remaining on the next possession.Despite the fact that Washington punted the ball back to Texas, where the Longhorns quickly scored a touchdown to cut Washington’s lead to six points, Blue’s fumble was a huge missed opportunity. Texas would have only needed a field goal to tie the game on its final possession if it had gotten a field goal out of that possession — the Longhorns were well within kicker Bert Auburn’s range.Despite fumbles by its top two healthy running backs, Texas had great success running the ball against Washington, despite running only 28 times while Quinn Ewers attempted 43 passes. Ewers completed 24 of 43 passes for 318 yards and a touchdown, while Texas rushed 28 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns.