Michael Penix Jr. Leaves Fans in Awe as Washington Beats Texas in 2024 Sugar Bowl

Michael Penix Jr. has become the main character of the college football season.

The Washington quarterback was on absolute fire on Monday night, leading his team to a 37-31 win over Texas in the Sugar Bowl and a berth in the National Championship Game against Michigan.

The senior finished 29-of-38 for 430 yards and two touchdowns, adding three rushes for another 31 yards. He was dealing, at one point leading his team on four straight scoring drives between the second quarter and early fourth.

He looked the part of a future NFL pro, and college football fans and pundits alike were raving about him and his promising future on Sundays:

Washington's offense was operating on a different level Monday. The Huskies put up 532 yards of total offense, only turned the ball over once and easily won the time of possession battle, holding onto the ball for 37 minutes and eight seconds.

But the defense. Oh, the defense.

Texas had fireworks of their own, cutting Washington's lead to just six points with 7:23 remaining in the fourth quarter after Quinn Ewers connected with Adonai Mitchell in the corner of the end zone.

So Penix took over, with Washington leading 34-28 and one good drive away from a date with Michigan. He responded, driving the team 65 yards in 10 plays in just under five minutes and setting up a field goal that restored the Huskies' two-possession lead yet again.

Many coaches might have tried to chew up clock and shorten the game by running the ball. But Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer trusts Penix so much he dialed up six pass calls on the drive, and the quarterback completed five of them for 58 yards.

Things got hairy from there, as Texas drove down the field for a field goal, got a defensive stop and started their final drive on their own 31-yard-line with 45 seconds remaining, needing a touchdown.

Penix had done his job—it was time for the Washington defense to step up. The Longhorns drove to the Huskies' 12-yard line with 10 seconds remaining but failed on four straight downs to score a touchdown.

Deep breaths in Seattle. Deep breaths.

So the college football season will end with the two remaining undefeated teams facing off in what should be a brilliant matchup. It's Washington, arguably the best offense in the country, against Michigan, arguably the top defense. Styles make fights, and this has the makings of an all-timer.

Some will argue that defenses win championships. Others will always side with the better quarterback in the game. On Monday night, Penix looked like he was more than capable of leading this Washington team to the ultimate prize, and maybe someday doing the same for an NFL franchise.

He just needs this Huskies' defense to tighten up come Monday.