Washington Huskies' 'Sweat Equity' Won Out Over Texas, So Bring On Michigan

NEW ORLEANS - It was a term Washington co-defensive coordinator William Inge dropped last Friday at a Sugar Bowl news conference.

"When you have a mature team, it puts you in a position to be successful because they have what you call a lot of sweat equity," he said.

Sweat equity? Is that what one has when trying to purchase a new home with questionable finances?

No.

Washington Huskies Won With Veterans

"Sweat equity in a program is from a developmental standpoint, from a scheme-understanding standpoint, and from a performance standpoint," Inge said. "We have a mature team, and we put our players under a lot of tactful, stressful scenarios. And they're able to thrive in a lot of those moments."

Such was the case Monday night when No. 2 Washington held off No. 3 Texas for a 37-31 win in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Huskies (14-0) advance to play No. 1 Michigan (14-0) in the CFP national championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday (7:30 p.m., ESPN).

Quarterback Quinn Ewers drove Texas inside Washington's 15-yard line over a furious final 45 seconds. He completed 41- and 16-yard passes to Jordan Whitt and Jaydon Blue to get there. Then game officials correctly put another second on the clock after Ewers threw incomplete in the end zone, seemingly ending the game.

But Ewers' pass fell with a second left. The Longhorns had the ball at Washington's 13-yard line for one more play with the season in the balance for both teams.

"I would add that the stage is never too big for them," Washington co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell said at the same press conference on Friday. "And that's the great thing about having veteran leadership."

Washington Huskies, Michigan Wolverines In CFP Title Game

Ewers threw to open wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in the right corner of the end zone. For a second, it looked like the winning touchdown as time expired with Texas only needed the extra point to win 38-37.

But at the last second of this last-second play, fourth-year junior cornerback Elijah Jackson of Carson, California, batted it away. Game over.

"Playing corner is so hard. Guys are going to make plays," Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said of Jackson, who allowed some key receptions.

"You get to this level and this type of game, and there's going to plays made," DeBoer said. "It's being able to just erase it from your mind and go make the next one. He's become someone we can count on. So, it's really cool to see him use his skill set and his length to go knock that ball away."

Jackson is like many on this veteran-laden Husky team. He waited his turn patiently. He did not transfer and earned his first season as a starter this year after accumulating much "sweat equity." He didn't play in 2020, played in three games in 2021, and seven with two starts in 2022. And he "thrived" in that "stressful scenario" when it counted Monday night.

"The stage is never too big," Morrell had said. "And it's due to guys who have been through four, five, six years of college football. Come Monday night, it's an important game. But it will never be too big."

There is a bigger one coming, though. And Michigan is as experienced as Washington with 14 scholarship seniors.

"This is what we do as dawgs at U-Dub (for W) up in Seattle," Trice said. "We're bred for this. We prepare for this."

Trice is one of 15 sweat-equity-filled scholarship seniors and a fifth-year senior to boot. That's experienced, but nine of his teammates are more experienced "dawgs," as they are sweaty, sixth-year seniors.

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. shredded Texas' defense Monday night at the Sugar Bowl in a CFP semifinal to reach the national title game on Monday against Michigan. (Getty Images)

Sixth-year senior quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (four at Indiana) turned in a Heisman Trophy performance - if that award was given after the season. He completed 29 of 38 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns.

Trice caused a critical fumble that fellow fifth-year senior safety Asa Turner recovered at the Texas 33-yard line with 10:14 to go in the third quarter. That set up a 26-yard field goal by Grady Gross for Washington's largest lead of the game at 31-21 with 7:44 left in the third quarter.

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Trice finished with five tackles, two sacks and the forced fumble, while Turner had five tackles and the fumble recovery. Sixth-year senior tight end Jack Westover, meanwhile, caught six passes for 59 yards. His 19-yard catch of a Penix pass one play after the Texas fumble set the Huskies up at the Longhorns' 14-yard line.

"Yeah, as a guy that's been around for a while, since 2019, it's crazy to see the adversity we've been through and the point we're at now," Trice said.

Washington coach Kalen DeBoer (left) greets Texas coach Steve Sarkisian before a press conference Sunday in front of the Sugar Bowl trophy. (Getty Images).

Second-year coach Kalen DeBoer is Washington's third coach since the 2019 season after Chris Petersen and Jimmy Lake.

"All the guys around us that stayed around, stuck around through the mud to get to where we're at. It's a great feeling," Trice said. "We can look back and be like, 'Man, we had to go through that to get here.' I'm proud of everybody on the team. It's a great feeling to be where we’re at. But we’re not done."