The Pac-12 playoff drought is over.
No. 3 Washington beat No. 5 Oregon 34-31 in a rematch of their October classic. The Huskies (13-0) extended their winning streak to 20 games, and second-year Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. clinched a Pac-12 championship in the final season for the conference as we know it.
It was not easy. The Huskies built a 20-3 lead in the first half before the Ducks countered with 21 unanswered points. Washington, however, scored two fourth-quarter TDs. Penix finished 27 of 39 passing for 319 yards, a TD and an interception. Dillon Johnson, who had 28 carries for 152 yards and two TDs, led a physical rushing attack.
It's a victory that had a wide-ranging impact for the College Football Playoff contenders:
Washington clinches College Football Playoff spot
Washington will be in the College Football Playoff as one of the remaining unbeaten teams in the FBS. No. 1 Georgia (12-0), No. 2 Michigan (12-0) and No. 4 Florida State (12-0) also are unbeaten heading into Saturday.
The Huskies – who were nine-point underdogs – proved the 36-33 victory against Oregon on Oct. 14 was not a fluke.
The Huskies ran 20 plays and forced Oregon to two three and outs in the first quarter to build a 10-0 lead. The Ducks took a 24-20 lead with 1:30 left in the third quarter, but Penix guided a pair of TD drives in the fourth quarter.
A third-down conversion to Jalen McMillan sealed the victory.
This will be Washington's first playoff appearance since 2016.
Texas, Alabama, Ohio State still need help
The Longhorns (11-1) and Crimson Tide (11-1) entered the weekend ranked No. 7 and No. 8, respectively, in the College Football Playoff rankings. Here is how those teams would stack up now with the Ducks out of the mix:
| RANK | SCHOOL | RECORD |
| 1 | Georgia | 12-0 |
| 2 | Michigan | 12-0 |
| 3 | Washington | 13-0 |
| 4 | Florida State | 12-0 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 11-1 |
| 6 | Texas | 11-1 |
| 7 | Alabama | 11-1 |
Oregon (11-2) took a second loss, so they will drop below the remaining one-loss teams in the final CFP rankings. No. 6 Ohio State – which lost to No. 2 Michigan 30-24 in Week 13 — will not play Saturday. The Buckeyes, however, still have a sliver of hope.
Still, the Ducks' loss is helpful. The Longhorns, in particular, are set up well if they beat No. 19 Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game. It would still likely take a Florida State loss to ensure a playoff spot, but backup quarterback Tate Rodamaker's status is up in the air for the ACC championship matchup against No. 15 Louisville.
Alabama must beat No. 1 Georgia and hope for Texas and Florida State losses. The argument with the Longhorns – who beat the Crimson Tide 34-24 on Sept. 9 – could get heated.
Pac-12 ends with fitting finale
This was the last game for the Pac-12 before massive realignment that will send Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington to the Big Ten. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are going to the Big 12, and Cal and Stanford will go to the ACC. That leaves Oregon State and Washington State headed for a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West Conference.
We’ll miss "Pac-12 After Dark," especially after the thrilling finale the Huskies and Ducks provided. Penix and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix should both be at the Heisman Trophy ceremony, and Penix made an interesting last-minute case for the award.
Washington and Oregon are the only Pac-12 teams to participate in the College Football Playoff, and the Huskies will break a conference-wide drought that extends back to 2016. It is a good bet Washington ends up in the Rose Bowl, too, and could match up with Michigan from the Big Ten if the Wolverines beat No. 18 Iowa in the Big Ten championship game.
