The eye-popping numbers behind Washington's undefeated season
-
Anthony Gharib, ESPN
The No. 2 Washington Huskies head into the College Football Playoff National Championship game with a chance to be the first Pac-12 team to win a national title in the CFP era.
The Huskies are led by Heisman runner-up Michael Penix Jr., who can become the third Heisman runner-up to win the national title in the same season — Deshaun Watson (2016) and Vince Young (2005) are the others.
Washington has won 21 straight games dating back to the 2022 season. They are the third team to enter a CFP National Championship game with a win streak of at least 20 games, joining the 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide (26) and 2020 Clemson Tigers (29). However, history is on the side of the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines: Both of those teams ended up losing the championship.
Here are more numbers behind Washington’s season.
4,648: Michael Penix Jr. followed up his strong first season in Washington with another record-breaking effort. He’s thrown for 4,648 yards, passing his own record for the most in a season in Huskies history.
Penix Jr. had four games with at least 400 passing yards, an FBS best and program record for most in a season. He also became the first Pac-12 player, and first player from any conference since Patrick Mahomes, to throw for 4,500 passing yards in consecutive seasons.
11: Washington’s offensive line allowed just 11 sacks this season, tied for the fourth fewest in the FBS, and won the Joe Moore Award for the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football.
First given in 2015, three winners went on to become National Champions in the same season.
Penix Jr. has only been under pressure on 24% of his dropbacks this season, also the fourth lowest in the FBS.
473.6: Washington has one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 473.6 yards and 37.6 points per game — both tenth best in the FBS.
The Huskies also scored at least 50 points in three games.
1,553: It’s not just the Penix Jr. show on offense — wide receiver Rome Odunze has a career-high 1,553 receiving yards.
He has 13 receiving touchdowns on the season, tied for fourth best in the FBS. Odunze also enters Monday with at least 100 receiving yards in five straight games.
10: Washington is no stranger to close games. Each of its last 10 wins have been decided by 10 points or less, the longest streak by any team since 1936.
ESPN Stats & Information research contributed to this article.