No. 3 Washington staged an impressive comeback after a 21-point run by No. 5 Oregon to secure a 34-31 victory in the final Pac-12 championship game, solidifying its spot in the College Football Playoff.
The undefeated Huskies led 20-3 with less than two minutes to go in the first half before Oregon reeled off 21 consecutive points to take a 24-20 lead. However, Washington regained the lead for good when Dillon Johnson scored a one-yard TD with 12:23 to go.
Washington then forced an Oregon punt and meticulously managed the clock on its next drive. Led by two spectacular catches by Ja’Lynn Polk, the Huskies extended their lead to 10 points.
A two-yard TD pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Quentin Moore extended the lead to two possessions with 2:44 to go. It was Washington’s second scoring drive of the night that took over six minutes as the Huskies aimed to limit Oregon’s time of possession.
Oregon scored a TD within 30 seconds of Moore’s catch, but after a failed onside kick, Washington secured a first down and ran out the clock despite Oregon having all of its timeouts left.
After Oregon used its first two timeouts following run plays, Penix connected with Jalen McMillan for a first down. The Huskies then converted another third down to seal the game with 61 seconds remaining.
With three other unbeaten Power Five teams playing on Saturday, Washington is poised for a top ranking on Sunday and anticipated to be named as a member of the playoff field, marking the first Pac-12 playoff team since 2016.
