Michael Penix Jr. passed for 332 yards and two touchdowns, both to Rome Odunze, as No. 5 Washington outlasted No. 18 Utah for a 35-28 victory on a windy and wet Saturday afternoon in Seattle.
Dillon Johnson added 104 yards rushing and a score for the Huskies (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12). Grady Gross kicked two field goals for Washington, but his third attempt, a 32-yarder with 1:38 remaining was blocked, giving the Utes one last chance.
The Huskies’ Dominique Hampton intercepted a fourth-and-10 pass at Utah’s 43-yard line with 44 seconds left to seal the victory.
The Utes (7-3, 4-3) saw their chances for a third consecutive Pac-12 title come to an end.
Bryson Barnes completed 17 of 30 passes for 267 yards, with two TDs and two interceptions, for the Utes and Ja’Quinden Jackson rushed for two scores.
The Huskies outscored Utah 11-0 in a wild third quarter to take a 35-28 lead.
Gross kicked a 38-yard field goal to pull Washington within 28-27.
The Huskies regained the lead as Penix threw a 33-yard scoring strike to Odunze down the middle. A two-point conversion attempt failed, as tight end Devin Culp couldn’t hold on to a pass from Odunze and he slipped it the back of the end zone, making it 33-28.
It appeared the Huskies might put the game away when Alphonzo Tuputala intercepted a pass at his own 23 and raced down the right sideline, headed for a pick-six. But Tuputala dropped the ball before he crossed the goal line and began celebrating while Utah offensive lineman Michael Mokofisi raced back and fell on the ball at the 1-yard line.
The Huskies got something out of it, as Jackson was tackled in the end zone on the next play by Carson Bruener and Tuli Letuligasenoa for a safety, giving Washington a 35-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Utes took a 28-24 lead after a back-and-forth first half, scoring touchdowns on their last four drives.
The Huskies opened the scoring on a 2-yard run by Penix around the left end.
The Utes responded with Jackson’s 2-yard touchdown run.
Washington had to settle for Gross’ 41-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead after the first quarter. Barnes threw a 6-yard TD pass to Miki Suguturaga to give the Utes their first lead.
Penix answered with a 34-yard scoring strike to Odunze in the back right corner of the end zone to make it 17-14.
The Utes needed just two plays to regain the lead, as Simone Vaki took a screen pass and outraced the UW secondary down the left sideline.
Dillon Johnson’s 5-yard run put the Huskies back up before Jackson scored on a 7-yard run with 57 seconds left in the second quarter to give Utah a four-point advantage.
–Field Level Media
