Washington football: 3 takeaways from Alamo Bowl win over Texas

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Dec 29, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) throws in front of Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Moro Ojomo (98) in the first half of the 2022 Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports /

2. This wasn’t Michael Penix Jr.’s best night, and it didn’t matter

It felt fairly obvious early on that Michael Penix Jr. didn’t quite have his best stuff. And that’s not even really a knock on him because his not-best-stuff is better than most guys’ A-games. Penix is just that good.

But against Texas, his accuracy was a little off and he wasn’t making those highlight throws that we saw all season long and which made his a Heisman candidate and the nation’s top passer. He finished with 287 yards and two touchdowns but it took him 54 throws to get there and he only completed 32 and had a pick.

Penix will have all offseason to work on his (few) flaws and get back in 2023 as one of the top Heisman contenders. If he played for a team in the SEC or Big Ten, we’d probably be talking about his top-three Heisman finish this season and how he’s the clear favorite next year.

Even when Penix doesn’t have his best game, Washington finds a way to win.

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