SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Deep within the coronary heart of Texas, the one factor that went mistaken for the College of Washington soccer staff on Thursday night time on the Alamo Bowl was the season ended.

Capping a magical first-year run below Kalen DeBoer’s lead, the Huskies have been alternately misleading, opportunistic and all the time in management as they handed the Texas Longhorns and former UW coach Steve Sarkisian a 27-20 defeat on the Alamodome.

This UW staff simply wished to maintain taking part in, proceed to pile up yards and win, win, win. 

As an alternative, these guys within the all purple uniforms went dwelling with a shiny 11-2 document — turning into simply the fifth Huskies entry to assert that many victories in a season — and ended their dazzling late-season push with a seven-game profitable streak.

Quarterback Michael Penix, the cornerstone of the UW’s prolific offense, was at his greatest on an enormous stage. he accomplished 32 of 54 passes for 287 yards and a pair of touchdowns, turning into the varsity’s all-time main passer in a season with 4,641 yards. 

With a crowd of principally Texas followers among the many 62,730 available, DeBoer’s workers aggressively went after the Longhorns from the primary play, testing their sport consciousness. 

Penix took the snap and handed the ball to operating again Wayne Taulapapa, who stopped and pitched the ball again to the Husky quarterback. Trickery was in progress.

Beneath a heavy rush, Penix let fly with a cross down the left sideline and Ja’Lynn Polk, one of many UW’s native Texans, got here down with the ball between defenders for a 35-yard achieve.

Whereas that opening sequence ended with a Penix interception, with Longhorns security Jerrin Thompson catching it on the dive at his 27, the Huskies acquired it proper again in scoring place when linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio raced in to dam Daniel Trejo’s punt with each fingers. 

The Huskies settled for Peyton Henry’s 46-yard subject and a 3-0 lead with simply three minutes and 16 seconds performed.

The Longhorns matched that 3-pointer with considered one of their very own, a 30-yarder by Bert Auburn, however the sport wasn’t tied lengthy.

Ten performs later, Taulapapa ran via the left aspect of the road, stiff-armed Longhorns cornerback Ryan Watts out of the way in which, skipped out of a sort out on the 5 and scored standing up from 42 yards out. With 3:17 left within the opening quarter, the UW was up 10-3. 

Taulapapa was his regular slippery, environment friendly self, dashing for 108 yards on 14 carries,

The scored stayed that method till the ultimate play of the half, with the groups locked in a momentary defensive wrestle and buying and selling the ball six occasions earlier than Henry added one other subject aim, this one from 24 yards. The Huskies took a 13-3 lead into the locker room. 

Alongside the way in which, Penix set his document with an 11-yard cross over the center to Rome Odunze on the way in which to that closing subject aim. That gave the quarterback 4,460 yards, two greater than Cody Pickett’s 2002 document that lasted 20 years. 

There was nonetheless the second half to play. Penix had thrown the ball 30 occasions, finishing 16 for 139 yards (4,493) when the groups rested.

The Huskies have been with out the providers of sophomore operating again Cam Davis, who was on the sideline in avenue garments however unavailable, requiring junior Richard Newton to play a supportive dashing position. Newton ran 11 occasions for 44 yards.

Texas seemed rejuvenated when it got here out for the second-half kickoff. The Longhorns scored in six performs, on Quinn Ewers’ dump-off cross to operating again Jonathon Brooks that lined 34 yards. 

The UW, particularly linebacker Cam Vivid, seemed to have the angle on him on the sideline, however Brooks squirted away. On the 12:31 mark, the locals now trailed 13-10.

The Huskies responded by taking possibilities every time and wherever they might to reclaim and enlarge their two-score cushion. 

On the following sequence, they confronted fourth-and-1 from their 32 and Penix, after transferring a number of gamers round in an intricate method, dove for two yards to increase the drive.

Penix capped the 13-play, 75-yard drive by sending a 6-yard scoring cross to extensive receiver Taj Davis skirting previous the correct pylon. The UW led 20-10. 

On the following drive, the Huskies misplaced beginning cornerback Jordan Perryman to an damage whereas he was making an attempt to cowl Texas deep risk Xavier Worthy, however in addition they acquired exceedingly fortunate. 

The Longhorns went proper again to Worthy, who acquired a few steps on the UW’s revamped protection — and he dropped a positive landing cross because the partisan crowd within the Alamodome let loose a loud groan.

Close to the top of the third quarter, the Huskies confronted fourth-and-2 from the Texas 47 and Penix deftly lobbed a flat cross to tight finish Devin Culp, who rumbled 9 yards to simply decide up the primary down.

The UW turned this gamble into factors, as effectively, with Penix discovering Jalen McMillan alone in the long run zone for an 8-yard landing cross and a 27-10 benefit. There was nonetheless 13:08 remaining within the sport.  

Texas picked up one other rating from Brooks, who powered up the center to succeed in the top zone from 3 yards out. With 9:50 left, the Longhorns pulled inside 27-17.

With 1:40 left, they added Auburn’s 26-yard subject aim to creep again to 27-20. 

With that, the UW ran out the clock, accepted the Alamo Bowl trophy and mentioned good bye to 14 seniors and ready to go dwelling to Montlake.

They left did this figuring out they’d had a season for the ages and in addition that spring soccer observe was simply 4 months away. 

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