Chaos in Seattle as Washington wins 59-32

Night rises, lights flash. Lake Washington is drenched by the multitude of purple light, a feeling of invincibility hanging in the air. The return of students only contributed to this outright decommissioning of Cal’s football team. The Huskies are here. The deliverance has proven itself once again.

Aggressive.

Right from the first drive, Cal’s QB, Ben Finley, felt uncomfortable, throwing a quick interception to Ulofoshio, which was returned for a touchdown. In round two, Cal’s offense came back out, determined to set its own tone, one dictated by the Bear philosophy.

However, the Huskies vehemently disagreed, rushing the QB and applying unreal pressure that we haven’t seen in Seattle for a very long time. A quick punt meant that what appeared to be the league’s best offense got the ball for the first time. But that wasn’t the case. Rome Odunze promptly ran the ball back for a punt return touchdown. This is explained by better by saying that barely six minutes into the game, the team’s strength, its offense, had not even seen the field, and UW commanded a 14-0 lead.

Unstoppable.

The score is 14-6, Cal getting a touchdown although it felt as though it took every piece of their will to pull it off. The score is close and finally our northern Californian rivals can start setting the tone. Not going to happen. The offense who hasn’t seen the field in “45 minutes” since warm-ups was possibly iced. How slow would they have started? By Husky standards, probably fairly slow covering 73 yards in seven plays.

Michael Penix Jr., the nation’s leader by a considerable margin with passing yards and touchdowns thrown, commands a machine of a Husky offense. But that’s not the story of the game.

Complete.

With the victory against Cal, Washington virtually eliminates every argument of a doubt this team had. Secondary was a liability last year and this year started slow. Ben Finley’s three interceptions will have him telling you a different story. One of warning.

Our edge rushing was slow to start the season as sacks were not as plentiful as expected. Even Tulsa’s QB seemed to have unreasonable time in the pocket a few points in that game. Aside from a few plays Finley ran out of the pocket to open the field, his focus was shocked finishing 17-32 for 207 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs.

Last year Penix was hardly touched but our offensive line faced a heavy shift in starters as most of our talent ended up phasing out. Now, Penix stands with seemingly more time to the point where one may be concerned about getting bored out there. Cal wasn’t able to sack him once and pressure him much at all, the rain contributed more to mistakes. This team is complete and it continues to connect at the right time displayed best by our improved rushing.

Washington proved today that it can rush — when it feels like it as Johnson carried the ball 10 times with 66 yards and a TD. That’s the story. From all parts, UW rewrites what is sensible in this modern college football world.

Chaos.

Perhaps, this article is being written with a level of profound wonderment and shock unfamiliar to most, however, Huskies have waited for this for a while and no other team has proven to be more elite this consistently this season. Washington is the only team to have started 4-0 with 40-points at least in each of those games, the second Washington team in history and the first since 1944. For context, WWII was still being fought in the Pacific theater the last time this happened.

They scored off of a pick-six, punt return, helmet catch and one handed touchdown grab. Chaos is the name of the game now because Cal’s hallmark, it’s defense, was badly spun around the entire game with the starters in.

The Heisman Factor.

Lets call it the Heisman Factor as Penix finishes with a tremendous 307 yards and four touchdowns, albeit one interception in the process. He was pulled in the third quarter with a 52-12 lead which means he has yet to see a fourth quarter this season. The QB has played a total of less than three games of football putting up 1600 yards and 16 TDs in the process. This offense averages more than ten yards a play explaining that they average a first down every time the snap the ball.

That’s what the Factor gives us. This team has been elevated and we have yet to be slowed. Washington sets itself apart from the rest of FBS by shutting down opposing scoring, and scoring themselves at will. The hype is incredible and its time to follow it.

We were here the whole time. Husky Nation lets rise. Lets conquer. And enjoy the chaos when it’s over. We had flashes of 2016 with the punt returns and aggressive defense that wanted the ball every single time.

No, this isn’t that. This is better. This isn’t even 1991. I stroke my chin and muse at Ryan Day’s comments after his close victory over Notre Dame. “It’s Ohio against the world.”

I’m sorry, it’s Washington against the world. And even better. It’s the world against Washington. And it has yet to slow it down.