Michael Penix Jr. Delivers Five Touchdowns as No. 10 Washington Dominates Boise State 56-19 in Season Opener

Michael Penix Jr. put on a commanding aerial display with 450 passing yards and equaled his career best of five touchdown throws, as No. 10 Washington decisively defeated Boise State 56-19 in the inaugural game of the season on Saturday.

Launching his final collegiate season and a bid for the Heisman Trophy, Penix displayed remarkable prowess in the passing game after an initially uncertain start. Completing 29 of his 40 attempted passes, he distributed touchdowns to four different receivers.

Building upon his previous season, where he recorded the second-highest passing yardage in the nation, Penix seamlessly continued his high-level performance.

In a second quarter that saw Washington tally 28 points, Penix connected for four of his five touchdowns. Jalen McMillan was the recipient of two touchdown passes and contributed a 19-yard rushing touchdown on a direct snap at the beginning of the fourth quarter, extending Washington’s lead to 42-19.

McMillan concluded the game with eight catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns, covering distances of 7 and 38 yards. He also completed a 9-yard pass on a double pass trick play.

Rome Odunze reeled in seven catches for 132 yards, including a third-quarter 5-yard touchdown. Ja’Lynn Polk caught three passes for 101 yards and one touchdown, while tight end Jack Westover added a 20-yard touchdown reception in the waning moments of the first half.

Matching his prior record of five touchdowns set in a 2020 contest against Ohio State while still with Indiana, Penix fell just short of Washington’s institutional record of six touchdown passes, held by Jake Browning since the 2016 season.

The 56 points represented the highest number conceded by Boise State since their overtime victory over Nevada in 2007.

On the Boise State side, Taylen Green passed for 244 yards, which included a 50-yard touchdown pass to Ashton Jeanty in the early part of the second half, narrowing the gap to 28-19. However, Green’s two interceptions and a series of ineffectual drives were insufficient to keep pace with Washington’s offense.

Jeanty ended the game with 102 receiving yards, 44 rushing yards, and an early 7-yard rushing touchdown.

Boise State, previously the preseason favorite in the Mountain West, had pre-existing concerns about its secondary, which were confirmed, notably in the high-scoring second quarter.

In that quarter alone, Washington amassed 206 total yards, 180 of which came through the air. Penix’s initial touchdown of the quarter was a 7-yard pass to McMillan, which he followed up with a series of impactful plays that widened the gap irreversibly.

Penix’s final six completions of the second quarter each covered distances of 20 yards or more, featuring a 38-yard touchdown pass to McMillan, a 44-yard touchdown to Polk, and a 20-yard touchdown to Westover with 1:27 remaining in the half.

Key Takeaways

Boise State: The Broncos’ most feasible strategy for staying competitive against Washington was reliant on establishing a run game. However, they were limited to 58 yards on the ground in the first half. Lead rusher George Holani was sidelined for a portion of the first half and managed to accumulate just 51 yards on 10 carries.

Washington: While Penix’s aerial prowess was evident, Washington will require a more balanced offensive approach as the season unfolds. They managed only 78 rushing yards on 19 attempts.

Upcoming Games

Boise State: The Broncos will welcome UCF in their first home game of the season next Saturday.

Washington: The Huskies are set to host Tulsa in their next game on Saturday.

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