Washington outlasts Oregon to win Pac-12 championship،
LAS VEGAS – Michael Penix Jr. passed for 319 yards and a touchdown, Dillon Johnson ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns and No. 3 Washington clinched a spot in the College Football Playoff, beating No. 5 Washington Oregon 34-31 Friday. night in the Pac-12 championship game.
The game was likely the final Pac-12 finale given that 10 of the 12 teams will play in different conferences next season. Only Oregon State and Washington State will remain as they try to find a way to keep this tradition-rich conference together in some form.
Washington (13-0) was the last Pac-12 team to make the CFP – during the 2016 season.
The Huskies scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take a 34-24 lead. Oregon (11-2) scored a late touchdown for the final score, but failed to recover the onside kick, ending the Ducks’ six-game winning streak.
Two Washington receivers totaled more than 100 yards: Jalen McMillan (nine receptions for 131 yards) and Biletnikoff runner-up Rome Odunze (eight for 102), who was returning to his hometown.
Oregon’s Bo Nix passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 69 yards.
If this was indeed the final conference title game, it was quite a stretch as Oregon and Washington once again played a game with big scores and big plays throughout. The Huskies won their regular season game 36-33 in Seattle.
Washington took a 20-3 lead before the Ducks scored a touchdown with nine seconds remaining to pull within 10 points.
That score allowed Oregon to advance, converting two fourth downs on the first drive of the second, including a 2-yard touchdown run from Nix to tight end Terrance Ferguson to get within three points. The Ducks took a 24-20 lead with 1:51 left in the third quarter on Jordan James’ 6-yard TD run.
The lead didn’t last long as Washington scored on its next drive to take the lead for good.
This is the second time both teams have placed in the top 10 when they face each other. The other time, it was the first meeting of the season.
Washington improved to 3-0 in the Pac-12 championship game; Oregon is 4-2.
