Kalen DeBoer told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the Pac-12 Championship win over Oregon he was excited about what is to come for his third-ranked Washington Huskies.

The College Football Playoff is next. This team was assembled in the offseason to win a national championship; Rome Odunze and Michael Penix Jr. and Bralen Trice and all the other draft-eligible Huskies came back to chase greatness. Dillon Johnson came via the portal as the presumed missing piece on the ground.

Friday night in Las Vegas, the Huskies controlled the line of scrimmage to beat the Ducks by three points for the second time this season.

“I’m just so proud of them. We knew that’s what it was going to take tonight,” DeBoer said after the game. “We’ve just gotten better and better in that way. I thought the key was us executing and DJ running hard. Proud of both sides of the ball controlling the line of scrimmage.”

The Washington offensive line was visibly emotional in the fourth quarter after helping pave the way for a win. Johnson ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Penix was kept mostly clean.

“They gave me everything,” DeBoer said of the line.

Johnson said after the game UW was the more physical team. Despite the unbeaten record and the prior win over the Ducks, Washington was a heavy underdog in the game.

They played that card throughout the week. Perhaps that’s why they looked loose and free to open the game. The weight of a possible 13-0 record, a potential Playoff berth, a final Pac-12 conference title, none of it seemed too heavy for the Huskies.

“It’s about how you set it up from the beginning,” DeBoer said. “It was all about us, one day at a time, one play at a time when it comes to the game. Just focus on the present and not get too far ahead of ourselves.”

Now they can sit back and watch the rest of Champ Week unfold on Saturday. On Sunday, they will almost assuredly be in the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings.

“Just so proud of these guys,” DeBoer said, “and excited about what’s to come.”