Michael Penix Jr. Is Washington's Biggest Advantage vs. Texas In Sugar Bowl
AUSTIN, TX -- The Texas Longhorns are less than a week away from their College Football Playoff debut when they head to New Orleans to take on the Washington Huskies on Jan. 1 in the Sugar Bowl.
On paper, Texas seems to hold the advantage over the Huskies. They are 4.5-point favorites, they have the best defensive line and one of the top run defenses in college football, and their offense seems to have a clear advantage over the Huskies' defense in both the run and pass games.
However, in the game of football, an elite quarter can be the great equalizer for any perceived advantage in a game, and that is what the Huskies have in Michael Penix Jr.
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In his senior campaign, Penix has been one of the top quarterbacks in all of college football, finishing the season as a Heisman Trophy finalist with 4,218 yards and 33 touchdowns with just nine interceptions, while leading the Huskies to an undefeated record, a Pac-12 title, and a College Football Playoff berth.
And unfortunately, for the Longhorns, their biggest weakness is arguably Penix's greatest strength - the deep ball.
Through the regular season and Big 12 Championship Game, Texas has had its issues in pass defense, ranking 95th in the country and giving up over 240 yards per game. Meanwhile, the Huskies are No. 1 in the country in passing offense, averaging 343.8 yards per game through the air, and 9.2 yards per attempt - which is the 10th most in college football.
Penix is also tops in the country, throwing for 324.5 yards per game, and completing 66 percent of his passes with a 161.43 QB rating.
In other words, if Penix is allowed to do what he does best - throw the football - he could be a recipe for disaster for Texas on New Year's Day.
So how can Texas combat the force that has been Penix?
The best way is likely along the front. Texas has an excellent pass rush that 32 sacks on the season. Conversely, Washington also has one of the best pass protection units in college football, ranking fourth in the country in sacks allowed with only 11.
In other words, it might be up to the Texas defensive backs, which could be an issue.
Luckily for the Horns, their top corner, Ryan Watts, should be in line to return for the game. And given his big-bodied frame, he does match up well with the physical Washington receiver group, led by the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Rome Odunze, and 6-foot-2, 204-pound Ja'Lynn Polk.
But as Penix has shown for the majority of the season, he can sling it against anyone, anywhere.
So if the Longhorns are going to come out on top in New Orleans and make their way to Houston to play for a national championship, they'll need to buck that trend.
