Michael Penix Jr. is a baller. He’s an all-time kind of quarterback with a laser beam for an arm. More than anything else, Penix is a winner. In Washington’s biggest games, Penix has been at his best.

Monday night against Texas, Penix threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns. He posted a 24% explosive pass play rate, producing at least 15 yards every four pass attempts. He didn’t turn the football over and he wasn’t sacked. Texas tightened the game late, but Washington’s brilliance through the first three quarters was enough to escape with a 37-31 win.

In trademark fashion, Penix spread the credit around.

“I couldn’t do it without the man above and obviously without my offensive line and everybody that’s been protecting me all season. They’ve been doing an amazing job, just keeping me clean,” Penix said. “And obviously, I got the best playmakers on the outside. So it’s like they make it easy. You got the best players on the outside. You got Joe Moore winners. Man, it makes my job so easy. I’m just super blessed to be in this position.”

The 37 points UW put on the Longhorns’ defense marked a season-high on the Texas side. Washington outscored the season average allowed by its opponents 11 times in 14 games. Nine of those games saw the Huskies score more than 10 points over the defense’s season average.

Those games included Oregon (both times), USC, Utah, Arizona, and Monday’s CFP semifinal.

Penix was outstanding in those games, but he’s been outstanding any time UW has faced a ranked opponent.

Since coming to Seattle, Penix has averaged 319 passing yards and scored 25 total touchdowns in 10 games against teams ranked in the AP poll at the time of the meeting. He has completed 63% of his passes and averaged 8 yards per pass attempt with just six interceptions.

Here’s his game log in each of the 10:

  • Sept. 17, 2022, vs. Michigan State: 24-for-40, 397 yards, 4 TD
  • Nov. 4, 2022, vs. Oregon State: 30-for-52, 298 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
  • Nov. 12, 2022, at Oregon: 26-for-35, 408 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
  • Dec. 29, 2022, vs. Texas: 32-for-54, 287 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
  • Oct. 14, 2023, vs. Oregon: 22-for-37, 302 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
  • Nov. 4, 2023, at USC: 22-for-30, 256 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 1 rushing TD
  • Nov. 11, 2023, vs. Utah: 24-for-42, 332 yards, 2 TDs, 1 rushing TD
  • Nov. 18, 2023, at Oregon State: 13-for-28, 162 yards, 2 TDs, 1 rushing TD
  • Dec. 1, 2023, vs. Oregon: 27-for-39, 319 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
  • Jan. 1, 2024, vs. Texas: 29-for-38, 430 yards, 2 TDs

And just in case any Washington fans wanted to relive the performance from the Sugar Bowl, here’s a compilation of his best throws: