Michael Penix Jr.'s Injury Adversity Makes CFP Dominance That Much Sweeter

Prince's "Purple Rain" echoed throughout the Superdome as Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. neared the Sugar Bowl's trophy presentation stage. Globs of appropriately colored purple and gold confetti showered down onto the turf. A celebration fitting for New Year's Day had just kicked off in New Orleans.

Washington's thrilling 37-31, down-to-the-wire win over Texas on Monday night in the College Football Playoff semifinals clinched the Huskies a spot in the national championship game.

Penix threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns in New Orleans during what may have been the performance of his career. At least for now. The Heisman Trophy runner-up wouldn't call the semifinals win his best game in a Huskies uniform. That, he said while beaming into the ESPN microphone on the postgame broadcast, will come in next week's title game against Michigan.

"We got one more to go," said Penix, a "Sugar Bowl Champs" T-shirt stretched over his shoulder pads, as the Washington fans in the stadium roared. "We goin' to the natty, man. Let's go."

The No. 2 Huskies (14-0) face the No. 1 Wolverines (14-0), who held off Alabama in overtime at the Rose Bowl, for championship rights next Monday night in Houston. And a national title to punctuate an undefeated campaign would be a storybook ending at the start of 2024 for Washington's sixth-year quarterback, who has endured plenty of adversity on his path to this moment.

Penix's collegiate run started at Indiana. And each of his first four college seasons ended with injuries.

The left-hander tore his ACL as a freshman in 2018. Then a severe shoulder injury followed the next season. A year later, another ACL tear, this time amid a breakout, top-10 season for the Hoosiers when Penix was seen as a Heisman dark horse. And in 2021, he was sidelined again with a dislocated shoulder joint.

Four seasons. Four season-ending injuries. Penix began to doubt his football future. And the QB has detailed the mental health struggles that followed.

But then Kalen Deboer, Penix's former IU offensive coordinator, got the job at Washington, gave the QB—at that time in the transfer portal—a call, and the rest is history. And potentially championship-winning history at that.

"It was a tough time. I was going through some tough things throughout my career," Penix said. "But I always say, 'Man, I feel like everything I've been through built me for this moment. Built me into the man and the person and the player I am today.' So I wouldn't change it for anything. I'm super blessed to be in this position."

The Huskies have won 25 of their 27 games since the Deboer-Penix coach-QB combo took over at the start of last season. Penix, who has accounted for 73 touchdowns at Washington, propelled the team to the playoffs, and didn't let up once the lights were at their brightest.

Washington's All-American QB connected with Ja'Lynn Polk for 77 yards on his second attempt of the night. In all, Penix tallied six completions of at least 20 yards on the night, per The Associated Press, rainbowing deep balls into perfectly placed positions for his receivers to make a play.

At one point, the lefty completed 12 straight, the longest streak in the CFP's decade-long history, The AP reported. He finished 29-of-38 passing, while also scrambling three times for 31 yards, and did not commit a turnover.

And the star-studded Huskies receiving corps couldn't be happier for their signal-caller.

"He was at the bottom. He was at the top. He was at the bottom again, and here he is at the top, shining again in the biggest moment," said receiver Rome Odunze, via ESPN, who caught a team-high six passes for 125 yards.

Washington seemingly had a win chalked up when it recovered an onside kick with 1:09 remaining in the game. Texas had only two timeouts. But the clock stopped after an injury to Huskies running back Dillon Johnson after a third-down play, saving the Longhorns some much-needed seconds. A Washington penalty on the ensuing punt set Texas up at its own 31-yard line, down by six, with 41 seconds remaining.

The Huskies bent. But they certainly didn't break.

Texas had four shots at the end zone from the Washington 12 with 15 seconds remaining, though all three of Quinn Ewers' final pass attempts fell incomplete. Washington defensive back Elijah Jackson swatted away the last heave of the game to preserve the Washington win.

"You love seeing a team come through and find a way to win," DeBoer told reporters. "The defense had to stay out there and play every down until the very end. So proud of the resiliency and finding another way to win a football game."

Penix returned for a sixth college season, and second at Washington, to play in the kinds of games he took part in on New Year's Day. And another one is quickly approaching.

Michigan opens as an early 4.5-point favorite over Washington, according to DraftKings sportsbook. But Penix and company have faced worse odds. The Huskies were only given a 40-to-1 chance to win a national title to start the season, according to the Athletic, 14th-best in the country. And playing in a national title game may have seemed more like a dream than a soon-to-be reality for Penix a few injuries ago.

"He's been on a mission since he chose to come back, and a lot of the other guys followed his lead," DeBoer said of Penix.

Now, that mission is one win away from being accomplished.