Live blog: Texas battles Washington in the Allstate Sugar Bowl

The No. 3 Texas Longhorns have made it into the final four. All that stands between them and the opportunity to play for the national championship in Houston next week is the Washington Huskies.

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Texas and Washington will kick off at 7:45 p.m. following the completion of the Rose Bowl between Alabama and Michigan.

Fourth Quarter

0:45 – UT – First down is an incompletion. Second down is an incompletion. Third down is a completion to the 25 to Jordan Whittington. Texas elects to not spike and goes deep to Adonai Mitchell. It’s incomplete. Ewers finds Jaydon Blue for a completion at the 12. Two failed attempts to find the end zone bring up 3rd and 11. Two last gasps come up short and Texas falls 37-31 Washington

1:09 – UW – Washington recovers the onside kick. A first down nets two and Texas takes its second timeout. A second down run gets three and Texas has to take its final timeout. An injury to Dillon Johnson likely saves Texas several precious seconds as the clock is set to start on the snap instead of running down to under 20 seconds.

2:34 – UT – The first play of the drive results in a first down to Adonai Mitchell. Ewers then picks up a first down by running out of the pocket and crossing into Husky territory. Ewers finds Gunnar Helm for a short gain and the clock stops. The Longhorns can’t find the end zone and Bert Auburn hits a field goal. 37-31 Washington 1:09

7:23 – UW – The first play of the drive results in a loss. The second play is a gain of nine. The third down play reaches the line to gain with a throw to the tight end. A screen play by the Huskies gets 14 yards and moves the sticks again. Penix then completes a pass to Rome Odunze to gain 32. The Huskies can’t punch it in, and the field goal unit takes the field. The kick is good. 37-28 Washington 2:40

11:19 – UT – Texas starts on the 25. The Longhorns complete a pass to Adonai Mitchell to pick up a first down but then Trice sacks Ewers to make it 2nd and 13. On 3rd and 5, Ewers finds Worthy for a gain of 38. A 3rd and 4 on the 10 nets a first down via Jaydon Blue. Then, Adonai Mitchell hauls in a touchdown reception. 34-28 Washington 7:23

12:47 – UW – Washington takes over on the 24. A long passing attempt by Penix for Odnuze is stopped but by a pass interference penalty. The Longhorns get a stop and force the punt team onto the field.

14:43 – UT – Texas takes over at the 16. A long pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders picks up the first down and moves Texas to the 35. Sanders makes another catch to move into Husky territory. Jaydon Blue takes a dump-off pass and goes inside the 25, but he fumbles and the Huskies take over on the 22.

15:00 – UW – On the first play of the quarter and after a false start penalty, Penix’s pass falls incomplete. Grady Gross attempts a 40-yard field goal and converts. 34-21 Washington 14:51

Third Quarter

5:39 – UW – Penix completes a pass for an 11 yard gain to McMillan. Dillon Johnson converts a third and short to keep the ball and clock moving. A screen pass to Bernard results in another first down. Penix uses his legs again to gain the first. The quarter ends with a 3rd and 5 upcoming for the Washington offense.

7:33 UT – Jaydon Blue carries for a big gain of 16 to start the drive and follows it with a gain of five. A false start and a completion to Adonai Mitchell sets up a 3rd and 5. Ewers is immediately pressured and has to throw it away.

10:14 – UW – Washington starts on the Texas 33. Penix finds the tight end for a gain of 19 to start the drive. The Huskies get into a 3rd and 2 at the Texas seven, and Burke and Murphy make the stop for the split TFL. The ensuing field goal by Grady Gross is good. 31-21 Washington 7:44

10:25 – UT – Texas starts at the 25. CJ Baxter fumbles and Washington recovers.

15:00 – UW – Washington starts on the 25. A second down screen pass picks up a first down. Penix then keeps on 1st and 10 to move into Texas territory. Facing a 3rd and 8, Penix finds McMillan for a first down to move inside the 35. Short passing moves the sticks again and puts Washington into the red zone. Penix finds McMillan for a 19-yard score. 28-21 Washington 10:30

Second Quarter

0:17 – UW – Huskies kneel. 21-21

1:20 – UT – Texas starts on the 28. The Longhorns pick up a first down thanks to an outrunning route to Jaydon Blue. Blue then gets open on a wheel route but can’t make the catch. Ewers does manage to pick up a first down via Ja’Tavion Sanders inside Husky territory. Another completion to Sanders then a Whittington reception makes it 2nd and 6 at the 33 with 37 seconds left. Ewers scrambles and reaches the Husky 3. CJ Baxter then scores to even it. 21-21 0:17

5:55 – UW – Huskies start on their own 24. A trick play that ended in an incompletion and a short run bring up a 3rd and 4. Penix finds Jalen McMillan but he’s ruled short. On 4th and inches, the Longhorns don’t jump offsides and Washington takes a timeout. The offense comes on the field again and converts with a run. Then, another pass moves the Huskies into Texas territory. Penix finds the tight end over the middle to move inside the Texas 30. A pass goes through a defenders hands and into Ja’Lynn Polk’s in the end zone. 21-14 UW 1:27

7:12 – UT – Texas starts on the 14. Jaydon Blue rushes for a first down on the first play of the drive and almost breaks free downfield. However, the drive stalls and multiple deep attempts for Xavier Worthy fall incomplete.

10:08 UW – The first play of the drive is a deep pass to Rome Odunze that gains 52 and flips the field. The Huskies get to 3rd and 1 at the 14 and is stuffed. A 4th and 1 effort is also stopped short and Washington is turned over on downs.

11:45 – UT – Germie Bernard muffs the punt and Morice Blackwell recovers on the Washington 22. Baxter gains nine to start the series. A penalty on Ja’Tavion Sanders is undone quickly when Ewers finds Whittington for to make it goal to go. Byron Murphy gets the handoff on a one-yard rush to score and the PAT ties the game. 14-14 10:08

13:08 – UT – After a completion to Ja’Tavion Sanders, an incompletion intended for Xavier Worthy, and a screen to Jordan Whittington, Texas punts again after failing to reach the line to gain.

15:00 – UW – Huskies begin the quarter with a 2nd and 7 at the 23. A rush by Tybo Rogers that sees him elude Ethan Burke makes it 1st and goal. A personal foul call gives the Huskies first and goal. On 2nd and goal, Dillon Johnson scores to make it 14-7 Washington 13:08

First Quarter

2:54 – UW – On second down, Penix finds Germie Bernard for a 29 yard gain to the 50. Penix then finds Odunze for a large gain of 24 to move to the Texas 26 on second down following an incompletion. A gain of three to make it 2nd and 7 takes place as the quarter ends.

5:25 – UT – Ewers is sacked on first down by Bralen Trice. On third down after a poor run, Whittington is flagged for holding setting up a 3rd and 17. Another hold on Texas bumps the Longhorns back to 3rd and 27. A Baxter run doesn’t get the Longhorns the needed yardage and Sanborn punts. The ball goes out of bounds at the 20.

7:06 – UW – Huskies start on the 25. Penix has a lot of time on 3rd and 4 but can’t complete the running pass. Ethan Burke makes a nice tackle on 2nd down and Penix can’t make anything happen on third down. Xavier Worthy returns the punt to the 35.

10:56 – UT – Texas starts on the 25. A screen pass to CJ Baxter picks up 31 yards and moves Texas into Husky territory. Then, Quinn Ewers scrambles for 12 to put Texas inside the 25. Baxter rushes for and makes it goal to go for the Longhorns. On 2nd and goal, Jaydon Blue rushes for a five-yard score. 7-7 7:06

15:00 – UT – Jaydon Blue returns the ball past the 30. On a 2nd and 15, CJ Baxter picks up the first down with a 16 yard run. Two unsuccessful pass plays bring up a 3rd and 10 and Quinn Ewers’ pass for Jordan Whittington is incomplete. Ryan Sanborn’s punt is down at the 11 yard line.

Texas calls tails. It is heads. Washington defers to the second half.

Pregame updates

Just like on Saturday, Xavier Worthy has no noticeable brace or wrap on during pregame stretching.

Ryan Watts and Austin Jordan are also participating in pregame stretching.

Pregame quarterback/center combos: Ewers-Majors, Manning-Robertson, Wright-Hutson.

Keilan Robinson has a very large cast on his left hand. We’ll see how that affects the Texas kick return game. Jordan Whittington is listed as second on the depth chart at that position.

Jerrin Thompson and Micahel Taaffe are the first-string safeties in pregame 11-on-11 warmups.

Derek Williams is suspended for the first half of this contest due to a targeting foul in the Big 12 Championship.

The Sugar Bowl broadcast will begin on ESPN2 and move to ESPN as soon as the Rose Bowl broadcast is complete, per the Sugar Bowl.

— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) January 2, 2024