Michigan will play for the national title after defeating Alabama in overtime at the Rose Bowl in the first game of the CFP semifinals on Monday. Who will the Wolverines face in Houston, Texas or Washington on Monday? That will be decided in the second semifinal, the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
The season before leaving the Big 12 Conference for the SEC, Texas (12-1) made its first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Texas has won the National Football Championship four times, the last time during the 2005 season after winning against USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl.
Undefeated Washington (13-0) won the Pac-12 Championship and appeared in the College Football Playoff for the second time (first time in 2016). The Huskies have won eight of their last nine games by single digits, including the last four by a combined 15 points.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is one of four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, finishing second behind LSU QB Jayden Daniels.
USA TODAY Sports brings you the latest updates, scores, highlights, wild plays, analysis and more throughout the Sugar Bowl between Texas and Washington. follow me.
End of 1st quarter: Washington, Texas score touchdowns
A 7-on-7 game after the first quarter of the Sugar Bowl, Washington and Texas are showing signs of what could be an offense-driven game.
Washington took the lead on the first drive thanks to a big pass from Michael Penix Jr., and Texas countered with a score of its own on the next drive with a combination of air and ground attacks. Both teams successfully punted on their next drives, but as the second quarter began, Washington was driving toward the red zone.
Penalties are already a concern for the Longhorns, with four 30-yard penalties in the first 15 minutes.
Texas responds with a touchdown.
Quinn Ewers had a sluggish first drive, going 0-for-4, but improved significantly on the second, with Texas getting into the end zone to make it 7-7.
Ewers shook off the rust from the first drive and reached the Washington side of the field with a 31-yard pass to C.J. Baxter on the second play of the drive. That’s when the run game took over, with Ewers, Baxter, and Jordan Whittington doing damage on the ground, getting the Longhorns to the 5-yard line. That’s when Jadon Blue capped off a drive and powered through the goal line to tie it and potentially turn it into an offensive shootout.
Washington strikes first after big pass
Michael Penix Jr. entered Monday with the most passing yards in the country, but he gave it up early in the Sugar Bowl.
Penix found Jalyn Polk’s 77-yard strike that carried Washington to the 2-yard line on the first drive, and Dillon Johnson punched it in on the next play to give the Huskies an early 7-0 lead.
Penix, the Heisman Trophy runner-up behind Jaden Daniels, entered New Year’s Day with 4,218 passing yards and an average of 324.5 passing yards per game. Texas scored after punting on its first drive.
Texas and Washington bring live mascots
The Sugar Bowl is a beast, with both Texas and Washington bringing live mascots to their semifinal matchup.
The iconic Bebo Longhorn was spotted on the sideline in his enclosure and the Washington Dubs were spotted checking out the Superdome. Considering what happened the last time Bevo was around a dog, it might not be a good idea for the two mascots to bond.
Alabama departure means no SEC in 2024 championship game
“It means so much more than that” in the Southeastern Conference, he said. But learning that no SEC team will be playing in the College Football Playoff Championship Game this year will mean more to other college football fans across the country. Alabama’s loss in the Rose Bowl early Monday ended a 10-year streak by an SEC representative in the national title game. This will be the first time since 2014, the first year of the College Football Playoff, that no SEC team will be in the title game. Since its inception, he has only represented the SEC in the CFP title game with Alabama, Georgia and LSU.
How can I watch the Sugar Bowl between Texas and Washington?
You can watch the Sugar Bowl game between Texas and Washington on ESPN. Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline reporter) and Katie George (sideline reporter) will call the game for ESPN.
ESPN will also provide a multi-platform presentation for each college football semifinal game.
Texas vs. Washington in the Sugar Bowl: picks, predictions, odds
Texas is the favorite to beat Washington State in the Sugar Bowl, according to BetMGM’s odds.
- Spread: Texas (-4)
- Moneyline: Texas (-185); Washington (+150)
- Over/Under: 63.5
The USA TODAY Sports staff picks for this game are:
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