This is UW Huskies’ ‘generational moment’ vs. Texas in Sugar Bowl national semifinal
Rome Odunze knows.
This, Washington versus Texas in the 90th Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day, the national semifinals for a spot in college football’s title game next week, is bigger than “just a game.”
“I’ve only been on this Earth for 21 years, and the history of both programs goes way, way back further than that,” the Huskies’ All-America wide receiver said this past week inside the Superdome. “So, I can only speak on what I’ve been able to do here and the time that I’ve been in college football with us and Texas. But (these are) two historic programs that have done a lot for college football and so much history on both sides.”
Odunze entered Monday night’s game with 81 receptions for 1,428 yards, 13 touchdowns and clutch plays — such as his 23-yard run on fourth and 1 late in the Apple Cup. That got UW to the winning field goal and into the Pac-12 championship game it won last month to keep its perfect season alive.
He’s going to leave Montlake and enter the NFL in 2024 as one of the best, most accomplished wide receivers in Huskies’ history that he knows a thing or two about.
“So, for me, (this Sugar Bowl is) just another way to mark my stamp on college football and on the University of Washington and a little bit of history for Texas, as well,” Odunze said. “I think it’s awesome that all the fans, all the people that have been rooting for these programs for so many years (are) able to experience something like this.
“It’s a generational moment for everybody involved.”
UW’s, Texas’ legacies
Washington won national championships in 1960 and a split title with Miami in 1991. The Huskies haven’t advanced into a national championship game since college football’s playoff system began in 2014. UW’s only appearance before this in the College Football Playoff was at the end of the 2016 season when those Jake Browning-led Huskies lost to mighty Alabama. That’s the last time a Pac-12 team made the national semifinals.
Texas has won four national championships, in 1963, ‘69, ‘70 and the Vince Young-led Longhorns of 2005. Former Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian has revived Texas’ program to elite in his third season in Austin.
“The city of New Orleans, just an unbelievable honor to be here and be part of the College Football Playoff. I know that our team has worked extremely hard to get to this point,” Sarkisian, UW’s coach from 2009-13, said. “We recognize we’re playing an extremely good opponent in the University of Washington that is talented, that is well-coached, that is prepared week in and week out.
“So that’s the exciting part, to be part of this final four, to be playing for a shot for a national championship. I think that’s why our guys came to the University of Texas.”
Michael Penix Jr. unfazed
Washington’s key to this “generational moment” Monday night in the Superdome was the same it’s been all season. And all the last two years, including UW’s win over Texas in the Alamo Bowl to end last season.
Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Odunze’s trigger man and the runner-up to LSU’s Jayden Daniels for this season’s Heisman Trophy.
Penix entered Monday night completing 65.9% of his pass attempts for 4,218 yards, 33 touchdown passes, 36 total TDs and nine interceptions.
He’s a sixth-year senior. He’s bulled through four major injuries, including two torn knee anterior cruciate ligaments. Those shortened all four of his seasons at Indiana before he transferred to UW to re-join new head coach Kalen DeBoer, his former IU offensive coordinator.
So the Bourbon Street atmosphere with the tens of thousands of UW fans — the Sugar Bowl allotted the Huskies’ and Longhorns’ athletic departments 12,500 tickets each for the game — didn’t faze Penix entering Monday night’s showdown.
“Yeah, man, we understand,” he said on a Sugar Bowl practice day. “We came here for business, you know. But,obviously, there’s a lot that comes with it. And being on this stage, it’s a lot that comes with being on this stage, you know, playing in the college football playoffs.
“We’re enjoying the opportunity, but we know the job and the task at hand. We’re not going to forget that.”
This story was originally published January 1, 2024 at 1:12 PM.
