- The Huskies’ superstar quarterback threw two touchdowns in the 24-21 victory
- Wide receiver Rome Odunze caught both touchdown passes on the day
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After hitting the game-winning field goal in a 24-21 win over in-state rivals the Washington State Cougars, Washington Huskies kicker Grady Gross received “the icing on the cake.”
After the game, Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer announced to the team that Gross, a sophomore, was receiving a scholarship to cause wild celebrations in the locker room.
“It’s Thanksgiving weekend, right now I’m thankful for Grady Gross,” DeBoer said as he addressed the team and called Gross to the center of the locker room.
“And you know what I hope Grady Gross is grateful for? The scholarship he earned.”
The video posted to the Huskies’ X account then shows the rest of the team coming to celebrate and congratulate Gross as he stands next to DeBoer with emotion.
No. 4 Washington Huskies kicker Grady Gross was awarded a scholarship after Saturday’s win
The rest of the Huskies roster showered him with congratulations after the announcement
Wide receiver Rome Odunze caught two touchdown passes from future NFL quarterback Michael Penix Jr. as the two played on offense in the hard-fought game.
Odunze played likely his last game at Husky Stadium, catching a 40-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and hauling in a 21-yarder on the final play of the third quarter to give the Huskies a 21-14 lead.
Odunze then added his biggest run of the year. Facing fourth-and-1 at their own 29 with 1:11 left, he took a reverse from 23 yards. Odunze later played the defender who broke up a potential interception on the goal line and Gross grabbed the winner.
In the Pac-12’s final year, before most of its members spread to other conferences, Washington (12-0, 9-0) became the first school in the 12-team era to go undefeated in the regular season.
The last conference team to finish the regular season undefeated was Oregon in 2010, before the conference expanded to 12 teams. Before that, the last undefeated seasons belonged to Southern California at the conference’s peak in the mid-2000s.
The Huskies have another challenge ahead of them, facing No. 6 Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game Friday in Las Vegas, with a win likely putting Washington in the College Football Playoff.
They need Penix to be better than he was against the Cougars (5-7, 2-7). Penix had several miscommunications with his pass catchers and the final drive had a few questionable throws. He finished 18 of 33 for 204 yards, hardly the final statement that could have boosted his Heisman Trophy campaign.
Gross made the game-winning field goal in the Huskies’ Apple Cup victory over Washington State
But he made a handful of big throws and often looked Odunze’s way when needed.
Odunze’s 40-yard TD came on a play-action pass and great coverage by the Cougars. His score of 21 yards came on one play after Jack Westover made a diving grab for 19 yards.
Washington State quarterback Cam Ward threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns, but also had three interceptions. Ward threw touchdowns of 21 yards to Josh Kelly and 25 yards to Kyle Williams in the first half, and his 8-yard TD pass to Lincoln Victor with 5:58 left pulled the Cougars even within 21.
But Washington State couldn’t take advantage to hold the Huskies to a three-and-out on Washington’s ensuing possession. Ward was incomplete on third down from his own 47 and the Cougars punted back to Washington with 1:59 left.
The Cougars needed a win to become bowl eligible after snapping a six-game losing streak against Colorado last week. Victor had 11 catches for 88 yards and Kelly finished with eight receptions for 106 yards.