By Garin Turner
The #18 Washington Huskies remain undefeated at 4-0, 1-0 Pac 12 as they defeated Stanford (1-2, 0-1 Pac 12) 40-22 behind two touchdown passes from Michael Penix Jr. and two rushing scores, one by Wayne Taulapapa and one by Will Nixon.
The defense got to Tanner McKee eight times. Zion Tupuola-Fetui and Jeremiah Martin each had 1.5 sacks for the Huskies. Alphonzo Tuputala had two sacks. Cam Bright and FaatuiTuitele were each credited with a half sack. The Huskies also forced three turnovers in the game.
Washington got out to a 17-7 lead by the second quarter. In the first, Nixon (four carries for 21 yards) scored from three yards out. The second quarter would see the Huskies connect on a 35-yard field goal before a Taulapapa 34-yard run at 5:53 left in the half.
Stanford would then score on a McKee 23-yard pass to Michael Wilson. Wilson ran once for 12 yards and lead Stanford in receiving with six receptions for 176 yards and two scores. McKee finished 17/26 for 286 yards and three touchdowns.
The third quarter was all Washington, scoring 13 points. Rome Odunze (eight receptions, 161 yards) scored on a 30-yard pass from Penix Jr. A Peyton Henry 47-yard field goal prior to the touchdown and a 32-yarder after it gave the Huskies a 30-7 lead heading into the fourth.
McKee threw for two more touchdowns in the final quarter. The first came with 13:58 left when he found John Humphreys (his only catch) for 17 yards. The second came with 1:45 left in the game on a 78-yard pass to Wilson.
The Huskies would score twice more in-between the two Stanford touchdowns. Another field goal from Henry, this time from 26-yards and a Giles Jackson 21-yard reception from PenixJr (22/37 for 309 yards and two scores).
UP NEXT
Washington: a Friday night matchup on the road against UCLA.
Stanford: on the road for the second consecutive week as they take on Oregon on Saturday.
