No. 5 Washington recorded its fourth straight single-digit win, escaping with a 42-33 defeat of host Stanford on Saturday in Stanford, Calif.
The Huskies (8-0, 5-0 Pac-12) got 369 yards on 21-of-38 passing and four touchdowns from Michael Penix Jr., who repeatedly answered scores from the Cardinal.
Stanford (2-6, 1-5) began its rally from a 21-7 first-half deficit when Joshua Karty connected on field goals of 23 and 47 yards, made just 65 seconds apart before intermission.
The Cardinal then took their first possession of the second half 68 yards in four plays, culminating in Ashton Daniels’ 39-yard scoring connection with Elic Ayomanor.
Penix, who threw first-half touchdowns of seven yards to Rome Odunze and 92 yards to Ja’Lynn Polk, pushed the Washington lead back to two possessions with a 10-yard strike to Polk.
Polk finished with 148 yards on five catches and the two scores for the Huskies. Odunze hauled in six receptions for 89 yards.
Stanford pulled within two again when Daniels capped a 75-yard drive with a goal-line touchdown carry. Penix replied with a 24-yard scoring throw to Devin Culp for a 35-26 lead. The Cardinals cut it two again on Justin Lamson’s 2-yard plunge.
Zahran Manley’s interception of Penix in the end zone gave Stanford possession with 5:05 remaining and trailing 35-33, but the Cardinal could not capitalize. Washington regained possession when, on fourth down, Stanford running back Tiger Bachmeier passed out of a sweep pitch. An open Jayson Raines could not make the catch.
The Huskies put the game away on the ensuing drive with Dillon Johnson’s 13-yard run to the end zone.
Johnson led Washington with 84 yards rushing on 18 carries. Daniels paced Stanford with 85 yards on 18 carries and two scores, the other coming from five yards out in the second quarter.
Daniels went 31-of-50 passing for 367 yards in the loss.
The nine-point margin of victory was Washington’s widest over a stretch in which the Huskies beat Arizona by seven, Oregon by three and Arizona State by eight in the preceding three contests.
–Field Level Media