After passing for more than 4,600 yards, 31 touchdowns, and an 80%+ quarterback rating (QBR), senior Michael Penix Jr. returns to Seattle in the quest to win a PAC-12 title and push for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The Huskies last raised the national championship trophy in 1991 (Coaches Poll) and shared that top honor with the Miami Hurricanes (AP Poll), who also finished the season at 12-0. Penix and company want a repeat in what will be UDub’s last season in the hallowed PAC-12.
Standing in the way is a trio of conference contenders–USC, Oregon, and Utah–and the ESPN Power Index (pre-season) has all those squads ahead of the predicted 8-5 Huskies. But Washington gets to play two of those teams at raucous Husky Stadium, with Oregon the first to come calling on October 14.
Washington’s second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer has the luxury of having fourteen returning starters joining Penix, including multiple studs at WR. Junior Rome Odunze caught 75 passes for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns last year, Junior Jalen McMillan was another 1,000-plus yard recipient with nine TDs and almost 80 catches, and Soph Ja’Lynn Polk (694 yards, six TDs) rounds out a solid group of WR/TE corps–with others gaining between 300 and 700 yards last year.
That tells you UW was an offensive juggernaut in 2022, averaging just shy of 40 points a game (7th in the country).
The defense was reasonably strong, limiting opponents to 336 points on the year. Safety Alex Cook recorded 56 solo tackles and 82 total tackles, but he is now with the NFL’s NY Giants. So this year’s Huskies D will be anchored by second-leading tackler junior linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala (71 total tackles, 37 solo tackles, three sacks), linebacker Cam Bright (60 total tackles, 31 solos, 2.5 sacks), and safety Asa Turner (52 total tackles, 33 solo tackles, and two INTs)
Washington has a tough season opener on Saturday, September 2, when the Boise State Broncos (underdog at +14.5) visit Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
