Top 10 Most Compelling Husky Plays of the Season: No. 6

Rome Odunze, first and foremost, is an exceptional University of Washington wide receiver, a consensus All-America selection this season, potentially a first-round NFL draft pick in April.

People might not remember this, but in the waning moments of the Huskies' 37-34 victory over Oregon in Eugene in 2022, the coaching staff felt comfortable enough to put Odunze at safety in a prevent defense to guard against a Hail Mary pass attempt.

Oh yeah, he also returns kicks. Not many, but when Odunze is called on, he does this well, too.

In a season full of heroic, heart-felt and sometimes weird moments, we count down in reverse order the 10 most memorable plays for Kalen DeBoer's 13-0 UW team.

At No. 6 is Odunze's electric 83-yard punt return for a touchdown that gave the Huskies an instant 14-0 first-quarter lead on the way to a 59-32 victory over California in front of the home crowd.

Rome Odunze with the 83-yard return for a TD 😱 pic.twitter.com/xwRKyb0ItT
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) September 24, 2023

With the game barely five minutes old, Odunze caught the ball directly behind the large number 20 painted on the field on the right hashmark. He took a step left, than a hard pivot right and back left again, making two Cal players miss him.

He ran around another guy at the 20. He went through a gap, leaving two Bears reaching for and missing him at the 35. He cut back on Cal punter Lachlan Wilson at the 45, putting him on the ground.

Picking up multiple blocks, Odunze looked behind him just once at the Bears 20 while teammate Ja'Lynn Polk ran alongside him with his left arm raised.

Once in the end zone, Odunze dropped the ball 6 yards deep — something linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala should have done four games later against Utah — and chest-bumped Polk, before getting engulfed by the rest of his teammates.

"I was just in the mindset of making a play and, when you have that mindset going out there, good things happen," Odunze said.

Fans got to see another side of this talented athlete, that of someone able to go long distance. His previous best gain was a 61-yard reception that didn't result in a score.

Odunze's return was the longest for the Huskies in eight seasons, since Dante Pettis raced 89 yards for a touchdown against Oregon State in 2015, and the 10th longest in school history, tying Ernie Steele, who went 83 against WSU in 1940.

On this particular day, the man named Rome was only filling in for teammate and regular returner Jalen McMillan, who was dealing with a knee injury.

Odunze hasn't returned a Husky punt since, with the coaching staff no doubt not wishing to tire him out or overuse him. Yet he's always available when heroics are needed.

UW TOP 10 PLAYS OF THE SEASON

1. TBD

2. TBD

3. TBD

4. TBD

5. TBD

6. Rome Odunze's 83-yard TD punt return

7. Grady Gross' Apple Cup 42-yard walk-off field goal

8. Edefuan Ulofoshio's 45-yard interception TD return

9. Ja'Lynn Polk's 92-yard touchdown catch

10. Alphonzo Tuputala's 76-yard interception return

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published. Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com or https://www.facebook.com/dan.raley.12

Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @DanRaley1 or @UWFanNation or @DanRaley3

Have a question, direct message me on Facebook or Twitter.