The final game of the Pac-12 Conference is in the books, with the Washington Huskies’ 34-31 win over the Oregon Ducks.
A game that was expected to feature plenty of points from both sides started slow, with just 10 points scored in the first quarter. Yet eventually, the intensity picked up on both sides, delivering a Pac-12 Conference Championship to remember. Star quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix showed why they’re some of the best passers in college football and could have a bright future in the NFL too, but they were far from perfect.
While the Huskies got the final laugh, there were several other individual winners and losers from the Pac-12 Conference Championship. Here’s our list.
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Winner: Michael Penix Jr. shows what he’s capable of on big stage
In one of the biggest games of his football career, Washington’s sixth-year senior QB delivered from start to finish. Penix led scoring drives on each of Washington’s first four possessions, helping Washington get out to a quick 10-0 lead after the first frame. The Huskies matched that effort in the second quarter with another 10 points before getting shut out in the third quarter.
Yet, Penix didn’t fold in the clutch. Washington’s QB marched the Huskies on two long touchdown drives to close out the night and effectively send the Ducks quacking home as losers for the second time this season.
First, Penix led a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Dillon Johnson’s one-yard touchdown. This drive took 4:28 seconds, helping chew up valuable time, with the Ducks taking a 27-24 lead at the time.
Then, Penix left his best for last, leading a convincing 12-play, 82-yard touchdown drive capped with a two-yard pass to Quentin Moore to make the score 34-24 while chewing up 6:20 of the game clock. This left the Ducks with just 2:44 to make up a 10-point deficit.
While Penix had his moments of glory, we’d be lying if we said his night was perfect. In an odd string of events in the third quarter, Penix and Nix exchanged interceptions within a matter of three plays.
However, Penix’s mistake didn’t cost him, as he remained unphased by his mental error and came back firing, leading the Huskies to a College Football Playoff bid.
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Loser: Bo Nix comes up short vs. Washington, again
The first time these two teams matched up earlier this season, Oregon fell short by just three points. More accurately, they were about a foot away from going to overtime. Round 2 provided a similar story between two teams that are clearly a good match for one another, with veteran QBs leading the charge.
Only, both times Bo Nix has come up short of the sticks.
The first time around, Nix was incredibly efficient, completing 75 percent of his passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns, but he was mostly bottled up on the ground. Nix tallied just 14 rushing yards on seven attempts in Game 1.
In the Pac-12 Conference Championship, Nix wasn’t quite as efficient. He completed just 61 percent of his passes for 239 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Yet, he was much more effective with his legs, largely thanks to a 44-yard dash, which helped him total 69 yards on six carries.
Ultimately, Nix’s interception didn’t lead to more points for the Huskies, but in what was a three-point loss, it’s hard not to wonder how the outcome could have been different if he had protected the ball instead. Then again, Penix made the same mistake, and he still won.
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Winner: Terrance Ferguson keeps Ducks alive
The Ducks did lose, but Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson has to be considered a winner. He scored two of the team’s four touchdowns, both of which came at crucial moments in the game.
Ferguson’s first act came on a fantastic one-handed catch just before halftime to give Oregon hope, narrowing the lead to a reachable 20-10 game.
Then, Ferguson kept the momentum going coming out of halftime, helping the Ducks spark a rally with another two-yard touchdown from Nix.
Considering Ferguson only had three touchdowns all season, this was a night the young Duck will never forget.
Loser: Dan Lanning fails to exorcise demons against Washington
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has a really hard time defeating Washington. This is his third loss against the Huskies in the past two seasons, and they’ve all been by just three points each time. He won’t have to worry about Penix beating him again next year, as the Huskies QB will finally be off to the NFL, but Coach Lanning also won’t have the veteran leadership of Nix leading one of the nation’s top offenses either.
Somehow, someway, Coach Lanning must find a way to win these close battles against other ranked opponents, especially rivals such as Washington. For the past two years, the Huskies have gotten the better end of the bargain.
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Winner: Washington Huskies off to biggest game in program’s history
When it comes to naming the top coaches in college football, the first people that come to mind are the usual suspects like Nick Saban or Kirby Smart, among others.
One name that doesn’t get enough recognition is Washington’s Kalen DeBoer. He’s a bit of an unknown, but it’s time to start taking the former Fresno State head coach seriously.
You’ve likely heard, but DeBoer’s Huskies are still undefeated, at 13-0 this season, and this isn’t some sudden surge. He also, with Penix’s help, led Washington to an 11-2 record in 2022.
A year ago, Washington’s season ended with a 27-20 win over Texas in the Alamo Bowl. This time around, they’re headed for the College Football Playoff, and DeBoer’s a big reason why.
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