Michael Penix Jr. threw four touchdown passes, including an 18-yarder to Rome Odunze with 1:38 remaining, as No. 7 Washington edged No. 8 Oregon 36-33 in a Pac-12 Conference showdown Saturday afternoon in Seattle.
Oregon’s Camden Lewis just missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt wide right on the final play that would have forced overtime.
The Huskies (6-0 overall, 3-0 Pac-12), stopped Oregon (5-1, 2-1) three times on fourth-and-3. Two of those were in the red zone and the other came with 2:11 left in the game as the Ducks went for it from Washington’s 47-yard line.
Penix completed a 35-yard pass to Ja’Lynn Polk, then hit Odunze down the left sideline for the winning score.
Penix was 22-of-37 passing for 302 yards, with Odunze making eight catches for 128 yards and two scores. Dillon Johnson rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.
Oregon’s Bo Nix was 33 of 44 for 337 yards and two touchdowns. Bucky Irving rushed for 127 yards and a score, and Troy Franklin had eight receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown.
Oregon took a 33-29 lead on Jordan James’ 10-yard run up the middle with 12:58 remaining.
The Huskies’ drove to Oregon’s 1-yard line on their next possession but failed to gain any yards on two consecutive runs. On fourth down, Tybo Rogers was stopped for a 1-yard loss by defensive lineman Taki Taimani, a transfer from Washington.
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, leaving the Huskies with a 29-26 advantage.
Penix threw a 17-yard scoring strike to Odunze to put Washington up 29-18, and Nix tossed a 30-yarder to Franklin and a two-point conversion pass with 1:36 to go to pull the Ducks within three.
The Huskies took a 22-18 halftime lead as Penix threw a pair of 26-yard touchdown passes — to Giles Jackson and Polk — and the defense made a late goal-line stand.
The pass to Jackson gave Washington a 7-0 lead with 10:49 left in the first quarter.
The Ducks responded with a 90-yard drive, with Irving scoring on a 12-yard run up the middle. Tight end Patrick Herbert rushed for the two-point conversion to give Oregon an 8-7 lead.
Penix hit Polk in the back right corner of the end zone to make it 14-8 after the first quarter.
Nix threw an 11-yard scoring strike to Herbert early in the second as the Ducks regained the lead, 15-14.
Johnson scored on a 7-yard run and Penix threw a two-point conversion pass to Jack Westover to put the Huskies up 22-15.
Lewis kicked a 45-yard field goal with 2:04 left in the half to make it 22-18.
–Field Level Media
