In Week 1 of their final year in the Pac-12, Washington football kicked off their season at home against the Boise State Broncos.
Boise State won the coin toss to start the game but opted to defer, giving Washington the first offensive opportunity. Wide receiver Germie Bernard made an impressive kickoff return, setting up the Huskies at the Boise State 49-yard line. However, their first drive ended in disappointment with a sack on Michael Penix Jr. by the Boise State defense, forcing a punt. The offensive line, which had only allowed five sacks the previous season, had faltered.
The game saw some interesting play calling by the Huskies, leaving fans questioning whether Washington had intentionally started slowly to gauge Boise State’s defensive strategies. Nevertheless, the Huskies managed to catch a break with a dropped pass on third down, leading to a Boise State punt.
As the first quarter progressed, the Huskies struggled to find offensive momentum, while Boise State made significant advances into Washington territory. The lack of pressure on the opposing quarterback raised concerns among fans.
Washington football lets loose in week 1 win
Despite these early struggles, the Huskies started to find their rhythm in the second quarter. They decided to open up the playbook and attack the Boise State defense vertically, which resulted in numerous deep passes effectively driving the Huskies down the field. The Huskies defense also improved, with key break-ups by Davon Banks and an interception by Kam Fabiculanan.
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The explosive passing game helped the Huskies secure the 56-19 Week 1 victory against the Broncos. Going into the season, we knew the Huskies had a top wide receiver corp but they look like they may be even better than we think with the contributions from Germie Bernard and Ja’Lynn Polk.
Key stats for the Huskies:
- QB Michael Penix Jr – 29/40, 450 yards, 5 touchdowns
- WR Rome Odunze – 7 rec, 132 yards, one touchdown
- WR Ja’Lynn Polk – 3 rec, 101 yards, one touchdown
- WR Jalen McMillan – 8 rec, 95 yards, 2 touchdowns; 1 rush, 19 yards, one touchdown
- DB Kam Fabiculanan – One interception
- LB Carson Bruener – One interception
Despite the slow start on offense, Washington football is facing a fun season ahead if they can keep slinging the ball. However, the defensive side of the ball still has some work to do regardless of a few electric plays.