Kalen DeBoer, Washington players react to winning Pac-12 championship

Washington’s second win over Oregon was extra sweet. On Friday, the Huskies downed the Ducks 34-31 to secure their first Pac-12 Championship since 2018. After the game, head coach Kalen DeBoer raved about his team’s performance to ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

“I’m just so proud,” DeBoer said. “We knew that that’s what it was gonna take tonight. We’ve just gotten better and better in that way. I thought just the key was executing and [Dillon Johnson] just running hard. Both sides of the ball doing a good job at the line of scrimmage.

“They gave me everything. They do it for each other. The brotherhood is so strong here. It’s all they talked about before the game, halftime — just wanting to showcase what what we’ve built, how hard they play for each other.”

Washington will head into the College Football Playoff with a 13-0 record. The win solidifies the program’s spot in the elusive final four. Washington will be the first Pac-12 team to reach the CFP since it did so in 2016.

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was pivotal in the triumph. The Heisman Trophy candidate tallied completed 27-of-his-39 pass attempts for 319 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Penix couldn’t hold back his smile after the program-defining triumph.

“We know we have what it takes, and that’s all we need,” Penix said. “We have what it takes, but we just had to go out there. And that’s what we were able to do at the end of the game.”

“Just the love and the amount of work and time we pour into each other every day. All offseason, all the hard parts, the workouts, always being there for each other, lifting each other up throughout the whole journey. It got us strong and our love for each other is unmatched, man. That’s what helps us win and be able to stay together each and every day.”

Penix wasn’t the only one feeling the emotional weight of the moment. Running back Dillon Johnson was a standout in the triumph, amassing 152 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. Johnson couldn’t be prouder of his program.

“I’ll do whatever it takes for this team, man,” Johnson said. “I’m just blessed to be out here, to have this opportunity with these guys, man. At the beginning of the year, this was our goal was to win the Pac-12 Championship…. We were the most physical team. We came out here with a 1-0 mindset and we came out with the W.”