National Title Set: No. 2 Washington Will Play No. 1 Michigan Monday After Beating Texas 37-31 In Another Nail-Biting Semifinal

NEW ORLEANS - Washington was one of the rare Pac-12 Conference champions in history not to play in the Rose Bowl this season.

But the Huskies will gladly take the College Football Playoff championship game next Monday in Houston instead after playing in their first Sugar Bowl in history Monday night. No. 2 Washington will play No. 1 Michigan in what amounts to a retro Rose Bowl between the Pac-12 and Big Ten.

Washington beat No. 3 Texas, 37-31, in the CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl in front of 68,791 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to reach the title game. Washington (14-0) will play Michigan (14-0) on Jan. 8 at Reliant Stadium (7:30 p.m., ESPN).

Washington And Michigan To Play In Non-SEC CFP Title Game

The Wolverines defeated No. 4 Alabama, 27-20, in overtime earlier Monday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Michigan's win over the Southeastern Conference dynasty Crimson Tide means the title game will be the first not to have an SEC team since the first year of the CFP in the 2014-15 season. Ohio State beat Oregon that year for the national title.

The Texas loss also made the SEC fall to 5-6 in bowl games this season, counting the current members of the league and two new ones entering in 2024 - Oklahoma and Texas.

Michigan leads the all-time series with Washington that began in 1953 by 8-5, including a 31-10 win in the last meeting in 2021. The two programs have split four Rose Bowl games, 2-2.

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. shredded Texas' defense throughout the night. The senior Heisman Trophy runner-up completed 29-of-38 passes for 430 yards and 2 touchdowns while also rushing three times for 31 yards.

"He was on a mission," Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said. "The whole last month of the season, he has been on a mission. And finishing second in that (Heisman) vote may have done something to him."

Penix shouted to the crowd, "We got one more to go."

The Huskies had to hold their breath at the end, though, as Texas came back furiously. The Longhorns reached the 12-yard line in the final moments behind quarterback Quinn Ewers. But after a completion for a yard loss, Ewers had three shots from the 13-yard line and threw incomplete each time.

On the last one with :01 remaining, Ewers had wide receiver Adonai Mitchell open in the right corner of the end zone on a fade and threw it accurately to him. But Washington cornerback Elijah Jackson swatted it away just in time for the win.

"We didn't want it to be that close, but Elijah came up with a big-time stop," Penix said. "It was great. It was amazing."

Texas running back Jaydon Blue is hoisted into the air by Texas offensive lineman Jake Majors after scoring a touchdown in the first half at the Sugar Bowl playoff game Monday night in New Orleans. (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Huskies took the lead three times in the first half - 7-0, 14-7 and 21-14 before Texas tied the game for the third time at 21-21 with 17 seconds to go in the second quarter. Washington took a 28-21 lead with the opening possession of the third quarter on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Penix to wide receiver Jalen McMillan and never relinquished that advantage.

Washington Huskies Led Texas For Most Of The Game

Texas did cut it to 34-28 on a perfectly thrown, 1-yard touchdown pass by Ewers to the right corner of the end zone for Mitchell. He jumped up and caught it with 7:23 to play.

Washington extended its lead to 37-28 on a 27-yard field goal by Grady Gross with 2:40 to go. Texas cut that to 37-31 on a 25-yard field goal by Bert Auburn with 1:09 to play.

Ewers completed 24-of-43 passes for 318 yards with a touchdown and rushed eight times for 54 yards. The back of Ewers' head slammed to the ground on a sack in the fourth quarter. After Washington took over following a punt, Texas backup Arch Manning warmed up on the sidelines as medical trainers checked on Ewers.

But Ewers never left the game, drove the Longhorns deep into Washington territory in the final moments, and came within a few inches of winning it.

Washington Will Be Under-Huskies Again Vs. Michigan

The Huskies won for the 10th straight time this season in a game decided by 10 points or less, which is a college football record.

Washington also won for the third time in its last four games as an underdog and have opened as a 4.5-point underdog against Michigan.

"Yeah, I just think that we prove everybody wrong time and time again," Washington defensive end Bralen Trice said. "And we'll continue to do that."