Here's Why the Huskies Have the Nation's Best Offense

On the University of Washington's first football play of the season, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. handed the ball to Mississippi State transfer Dillon Johnson, who was dropped for a 2-yard loss by Boise State.

The UW wound up going 3-and-out on this droll season-opening drive, with Penix stepping out of the pocket and getting sacked, leading to a punt, which was hardly an indication of what was coming.

A month into the schedule, Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb's high-powered Huskies have not been denied for any lengthy amount of time by an opposing defense, from Montlake to Michigan State, They're ranked No. 7 in the latest Associated Press poll and No. 1 in everyone's hearts who love an offensive show.

They score on two of every three drives that involve Penix and the first-unit offense — 24 of 37 possessions so far — which is nothing short of incredible, if not generally unstoppable.

The UW has put together 10 drives in which it has scored instantaneously in five plays or less, ranging from 52 to 95 yards. Don't blink or you might miss something.

Respected college football analysts Kirk Herbstreit and Joel Klatt have been so impressed by the Huskies' unbridled offensive ways they've put the UW in their various final fours, with Klatt tagging this team as the nation's second best behind Georgia.

My top 4 AFTER week 4
1-@UW_Football (most dominant team)

2-@GeorgiaFootball (most talented team)

3-@FSUFootball (beat LSU/Clemson AWAY from Tally)

4-@TexasFootball (Big win in T-Town and trending up)

Next 2 @UMichFootball (Haven’t lived up to their standard offensively YET)…
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) September 24, 2023

Penix repeatedly says he has the best receiving corps in the country and his Husky pass-catchers return the favor by calling him the nation's best quarterback.

Considering all of that, DeBoer was asked if his offense is college football's most prolific and he sidestepped the question. Yet he didn't actually say no.

"To me, it's not about that," the UW coach said. "We're very confident obviously when we go out there — and we expect to score every drive. And it doesn't always happen, but if we just stick within ourselves, and do what we do, there's going to be a lot of confidence that we can put some points on the board."

The latest NCAA football stats don't lie when sizing up the Huskies, who currently are the national leaders in total offense (593.2 yards per game) and passing offense (467.2).

For that matter, Penix ranks No. 1 nationally in total passing yards (1,635) by a wide margin, with 226 yards more than Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, and in passing touchdowns (16), with one more than USC's Caleb Williams.

UW wide receiver Rome Odunze doesn't lead the country in any stat categories, but he's oh so close. He ranks second in receiving yards (544), leaving him 12 behind South Carolina's Xavier Legette, and second in average receiving yards per game (136), three behind Legette.

Piling up all of these receptions, completions, yards and touchdowns, the Huskies have won 11 consecutive games over two seasons — second among all Power 5 teams, trailing only two-time defending national champion Georgia, which has captured 17 consecutive games.

Nearly everyone agrees the UW makes it more entertaining on the offensive end as it piles up victories without interruption.

"What you would still find in the offense, with those players, it's still about winning," DeBoer said. "It's fun to go out and make plays and that obviously a big part of our success."

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