Michael Penix Jr. Seizes His Heisman Moment

Heisman moments aren’t always so obvious. But Michael Penix Jr. authored an unforgettable scoring drive that should send him to the top of voters’ polls and definitively push his school to the top of the Pac-12 hierarchy.

Penix visibly ailed in the late stages of Saturday’s contest against Oregon, grimacing and holding his midsection. He had already lost one of his top targets in receiver Jalen McMillan, who exited the game early with an undisclosed injury. And he was struggling. Entering Washington’s final possession, Penix had gone 5-for-his-last-11 for 42 yards. Despite all that, Penix composed himself to lead Washington on a go-ahead scoring drive. The senior quarterback lofted a perfectly-thrown 18-yard pass to star receiver Rome Odunze, giving the No. 7 Huskies a three-point lead with 1:38 left:

Just as it had done earlier, Oregon rallied. The No. 8 Ducks drove into field goal range, but as time expired, watched helplessly as Camden Lewis’ 43-yard kick sailed wide, sealing a 36-33 win for Washington in what was one of the most entertaining contests of the year.

Penix pointed to the heavens. Washington students rushed the field, coating the Husky Stadium turf in a sea of purple. “I’m just super excited,” Penix told ESPN after the game. “… I’m just so proud of this team.”

The Pac-12 is going out on a memorable note. Less than 24 hours removed from lowly Stanford pulling off the biggest comeback in school history, two conference heavyweights delivered a bout that lived up to the hype on a national stage.

Oregon and Washington’s offenses are two of the most explosive and efficient units in college football. Penix and Ducks QB Bo Nix are two of the most experienced and talented passers in the country, and went shot for shot early on. The teams combined for 491 yards and only two punts in the first half, as Washington went into the break with a 22-18 advantage — Oregon coach Dan Lanning had elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal with six seconds left in the second quarter, but Nix rolled out and tossed an incompletion. It would be a decision Lanning came to regret.

After Washington extended the lead to 29-18, the Ducks stormed back. Oregon took a 33-29 advantage early in the fourth and carried momentum throughout the final quarter until failing to convert a fourth-and-3 from Washington’s 47 with 2:11 left. Penix needed only two completions to give the Huskies the lead. Now the balance of power in the Pacific Northwest has shifted in favor of Seattle.

For Oregon, a clear cultural foundation has been established under Lanning, who’s in his second year leading the program. The Ducks’ aggression might have cost them against Washington. But considering the Huskies scored immediately after securing possession, his decisions are understandable — even if they’re regrettable in hindsight. Last season, Lanning elected to go for it from his own 34 yard-line late in a tie game against Washington. The Ducks failed to convert, setting up a go-ahead Huskies field goal. On Saturday, Oregon finished 0-for-3 on fourth-down attempts. Lanning blamed the defeat “100%”on his decision-making.

“We play to the differences,” Lanning told reporters. “If we get the fourth down, the game is over. They can stretch the field. We felt it was more advantageous to (try to end the game).”

Like Lanning, Washington coach Kalen DeBoer is in his second year and has already borne fruit from a quick rebuild. DeBoer lured Penix to Washington last season and won 11 games, finishing 12th in the final CFP poll. If the Huskies can keep their balance down the stretch, they could reach the Playoff for the first time since 2016, when they lost in the semifinal to Alabama — the last time the Pac-12 had a Playoff representative.

Perhaps this time, the Huskies are built for it. Midway through the fourth quarter, Washington had driven inside Oregon’s 10-yard line, but failed to score, turning it over on downs while trailing by four with six minutes to go. But their defense stymied the Ducks offense on the ensuing drive, setting up Penix’s game-winning TD pass. Washington’s bounce back was a display of championship mettle.

“I know there was a question about how tough we are,” DeBoer told reporters after the win. “I think we’re pretty dang tough.”

It starts with their quarterback, Penix, whose journey is well-documented. Two ACL tears left the southpaw’s career in peril, but a transfer from Indiana (where he earned second-team all-Big Ten honors in 2020) to Washington (where he claimed the same distinction in the Pac-12 last season) breathed new life into his journey. The 23-year-old has cemented himself as a 2024 draft prospect and will head into the backstretch of the season as the Heisman favorite, just as odds-on favorite Caleb Williams tossed three picks during the first half of USC’s visit to Notre Dame. Penix finished Saturday 22 of 37 for 302 yards and four touchdowns against one pick.

“I've got a lot of respect for (Penix),” Nix, who threw for 337 yards and two TDs, told reporters after the game. “He took some shots and hung in there.” 

Saturday marked the 115th meeting between Oregon and Washington. But it’s the first-ever contest both ranked in the top-10. The Pacific Northwest powers are going to play a key role in how the last Pac-12 champion is determined this year. They could potentially meet again — the conference title game will feature the school’s with the two highest conference winning percentages. Even if they don’t, at least they delivered an instant classic that left everyone wanting more.

“That was an amazing football game,” DeBoer said. "If there's one that I've been a part of that was bigger and better, I can't think of it right now.”