No. 5 Dawgs & No. 10 Beavers Set For 108th Meeting

Saturday, November 18

Corvallis, OR

4:30 PM

University of Washington

Oregon State

Photo by: Joe Nicholson-UW Athletic Department/Redbox Pictures

November 13, 2023 | Football

Full UW Game Notes (PDF)Get WSU Tickets on SeatGeek

NOTE: The Boeing Apple Cup, Nov. 25 vs. Washington State, will kick off at 1:00 p.m. PT and air on FOX-TV.

THE GAME: The Washington football team (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12) travels south to Corvallis, Ore., to face Oregon State (8-2, 5-2), with both teams' Pac-12 title game hopes still on the line. A UW win would clinch a place in Las Vegas on Dec. 1. The game is the 108th between the two, old rivals, who first met on the gridiron in 1897. In none of those previous 107 games were both teams ranked in the top-10 in Associated Press poll, as they are now. In fact, on only three prior occasions have they both both in the AP Top 20/25 at the time of the game. Kickoff at Reser Stadium is at 4:30 p.m. and the game will air on ABC-TV. The following week, the Dawgs close out the regular season at Husky Stadium, with the 115th Apple Cup, vs. Washington State.

QUICK HITTERS: Washington is 21-2 overall under head coach Kalen DeBoer, whose career head coaching record is now 100-11 ... UW is 10-0 for just the second time in school history ... the Huskies lead the nation in passing offense and are No. 6 in total offense ... UW is also No. 2 in the nation in punt return defense (-0.5 per return) and rank No. 6 in kick return defense (14.7 per return) ... over just 23 games as a Husky, Michael Penix Jr. has notched five of the top-10 single-game passing yards marks in UW history, including his first three games this season (473 vs. Michigan State – 3rd; 450 vs. Boise State – 6th; 409 vs. Tulsa – 10th) ... in less than two seasons, Penix is up to third in UW history in career TD passes, with 59 ... he has thrown multiple TDs in 18 of his 23 games at UW ... his 8,174 career yards rank him 4th at UW ... through 10 games, Penix is No. 1 in FBS passing yards and pass yards per game, No. 2 in total offense, No. 4 in pass TDs and No. 8 in pass efficiency ... four different UW receivers – Jalen McMillan, Rome Odunze, Ja'Lynn Polk and Germie Bernard (2) – have scored a rushing TD so far this season ... prior to this season, UW had had just eight games in its history in which two players had 100 receiving yards (including two last year) ... this season, that has happened in 5 of 10 games ... Penix is currently No. 1 in the nation in pass plays of 10-plus (141 plays) ... UW enters the week with the nation's second-longest active winning streak among FBS teams, with 17 victories in a row ... only Georgia, with a 27-game run, has a longer active streak ... the win streak is the third-longest in UW history, after 40 (1908-16) and 22 (1990-92) ... not counting the 4-game 2020 season, the Huskies have won 10 or more games in 5 of the last 7 seasons.

TELEVISION: The Washington-OSU game will air on ABC, with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe calling the action. Fans will with the proper subscription can also stream at espn.com/live .

RADIO: All Washington football games will air on the Washington Sports Network from Learfield, with Tony Castricone (play by play), former Husky tight end Cameron Cleeland (analyst) and former UW basketball player Elise Woodward (sidelines) on the call. Radio coverage begins four hours before kickoff on the network's flagship station – Seattle's SportsRadio KJR 93.3 FM – with "Husky Gameday" live from The Zone for Husky home games. Statewide coverage on the 17-station Washington Sports Network begins two hours before kickoff. The entire broadcast is available worldwide on the Huskies Gameday mobile app and the Varsity app. The UW broadcast of this game will also air on Sirius/XM channel 138 or 197. ESPN Radio will also have a national radio broadcast with Mark Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer and Ian Fitzsimmons.

HUSKIES vs. BEAVERS HISTORY: Washington holds a 68-35-4 record in the all-time series against Oregon State, having broken a nine-game win streak in 2021. UW has won 26 of the last 35 meetings and 36 of the last 46, dating back to 1975. The series against the Beavers is the second-longest (to Stanford) active series in Washington football history in terms of years and third-longest in terms of total meetings (to Oregon and WSU).

The teams first met on Dec. 4, 1897, with Oregon State earning a 16-0 home win. That game was Washington's second-ever against a major college. The next OSU-UW game didn't come until 1902, a 16-6 UW win.

Last year in Seattle, UW scored 10 points in the final quarter to win, 24-21, capped by a 22-yard field goal from Peyton Henry with just 0:08 on the clock. In 2021 in Corvallis, OSU kicked a 24-yard field goal on the game's final play to earn a 27-24 win. In 2020, one of UW's four games was a 27-21 win over Oregon State, in the Huskies' season-opener, Nov. 14, 2020. Sean McGrew, Kamari Pleasant and Dylan Morris all rushed for TDs in the win. Two years ago, Washington won a low-scoring game, 16-7, behind two field goals from Petyon Henry and two touchdown runs from Salvon Ahmed. In 2018 in Seattle, the Huskies built a 28-3 halftime lead and won, 42-23. The year before in Corvallis, Dante Pettis caught three TD passes from Jake Browning in a 42-7 UW win. In 2016 in Seattle, Washington opened a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and won, 41-17. Myles Gaskin rushed for 128 yards and a TD while both John Ross and Pettis topped 100 yards receiving. Browning was 14-for-28 for 291 yards and four scores. In 2015 in Corvallis, the Huskies won 52-7 as Browning also threw four TD passes and Gaskin rushed for 127 yards.

In 2014, Cyler Miles led UW to a 37-13 win, completing 18-of-23 passes for 253 yards and two TDs. In 2013 in Corvallis, Washington rushed for 537 yards and seven TDs en route to a 69-27 win. Three Husky backs ran for 100 yards (Bishop Sankey, 179; Deontae Cooper, 166; Dwayne Washington, 141). In 2012 in Seattle, Washington handed a 6-0 OSU squad its first loss in a 20-17 victory at CenturyLink Field. The winning score came on a 30-yard field goal from Travis Coons with 1:20 remaining. In 2011 at OSU, the Beavers upset the UW with a 38-21 victory. In 2010 in Seattle, UW won 35-34 in two OTs, denying a two-point conversion for the win. Jake Locker tied a then-school record with five TD passes, four to Jermaine Kearse.

In 2009 at OSU, the Beavers got 159 rushing yards from Jacquizz Rodgers to roll to a 48-21 win. In 2008 in Seattle, James Rodgers rushed for 110 yards on only three carries and Lyle Moevao was 18-for-22 for 191 yards to lead OSU past the UW, 34-13. The 2007 game in Corvallis was memorable for an injury to Locker, controversial calls from referees and five Alexis Serna field goals in a 29-23 Beavers win. In 2006 in Seattle, QB Isaiah Stanback's college career came to an end with a devastating foot injury and the Huskies lost, 27-17. In 2005, the Beavers got six field goals from Serna in an 18-10 win. In 2004 at Husky Stadium, OSU picked up its second win in four seasons against the UW with a 29-14 win, the Beavers first at Husky Stadium since 1985. Serna kicked a then-school-record five field goals to provide the winning margin. In 2003 in Corvallis, Charles Frederick piled up a school-record 371 all-purpose yards, scoring three touchdowns, as the Huskies cruised to a 38-17 win.

The Beavers' next-most recent win (prior to 2004) in the series came in Corvallis on Nov. 10, 2001, when the Beavers broke a 13-game losing streak to the Huskies. That day, an unranked OSU team trounced No. 8 Washington, 49-24, the first Beaver win (home or away) since the 1985 Husky Stadium game. Several other recent meetings have come down to the wire. In 2000, Ryan Cesca missed a game-tying field goal in the closing seconds as the Huskies held on for a 33-30 win. In 1998, the Beavers went for a two-point conversion with no time left. The pass attempt was batted down by Husky safety Nigel Burton and the Huskies won, 35-34.

DAWGS AND THE NORTHWEST: Washington's most-played rivalries are against the other three other northwest Pac-12 schools. The Huskies have faced Washington State 114 times, Oregon in 115 games and Oregon State on 107 occasions. Washington owns the advantage in all three series. The Huskies lead the Ducks 62-48-5, Washington State 75-33-6 and Oregon State 68-35-4. Combined, Washington has a 205-116-15 (.632) record against its northwest rivals. Washington has played all three of the Northwest teams in a season on 93 prior occasions. Over those 93 seasons in which Oregon, OSU and WSU were all on the UW schedule, the Dawgs have swept all three 31 times. In the meantime, the Huskies have lost to all three in the same season on only eight occasions.

SPECIAL TEAMS EXCELLENCE: Through 10 games, Washington is No. 2 in the nation in punt return defense, having allowed minus-1 yards in returns over the season. UW is also No. 6 in FBS in kick return defense (14.7 yds. per return), while kicker Grady Gross is No. 18 in field-goal percentage.

EXPERIENCE AND YOUTH: Washington's current roster includes a total of 34 players – 17 each on offense and defense – who have started at least one game for the Huskies prior to 2023. Entering the year, the 17 offensive players had totaled 145 starts in the Purple & Gold, while the 17 defensive players (which includes former offensive line starter Ulumoo Ale) had 156 starts between them. Tight end Devin Culp entered the 2023 season with the highest total of starts under is belt among offensive players, with 18, while safety zx0Asa Turner, with 23 career starts entering 2023, led the defensive side. The list of Dawgs with starting experience doesn't take into account the 10 current Huskies who transferred to UW after having started at another four-year college, nor does it account for starting "specialists." Washington 119-man roster entering the year included just 15 players in their final year of eligibility, along with 29 true freshmen, 15 redshirt freshmen, 35 sophomores and 25 juniors. Potentially, 104 current Huskies could return for 2024, while 79 enter the 2023 season with three or more years of eligibility remaining.

GRADUATED DAWGS: The 2023 Washington football roster includes 23 players who have earned their bachelor's degree. Here are those 23, alphabetically: Ulomoo Ale, Jacob Bandes, Julius Buelow, Devin Culp, Troy Fautanu, Drew Fowler, Ralen Goforth, Dominique Hampton, Antonio Hill, Giles Jackson, Tuli Letuligasenoa, Matteo Mele, Quentin Moore, Dylan Morris, Jabbar Muhammad, Richard Newton, Michael Penix Jr., Faatui Tuitele, Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Alphonzo Tuputala, Asa Turner, Edefuan Ulofoshio, and Jack Westover.

LONG PLAYS: Washington has notched 71 scrimmage plays of 20 or more yards over its first 10 games, the third-highest total in the nation. UW is also No. 3 in the nation with 35 plays of 30 yards or more. Those totals include 57 passes of 20 or more yards, and 27 of 30 or more, from quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Those totals are No. 2 and 3 in the nation. Penix also leads FBS with 141 completions of 10 yards or more, 20 more than the next closest QB. Additionally, Rome Odunze is second in the nation with 44 receptions of 10-plus and is second with 21 of 20-plus yards, while Ja'Lynn Polk has 16 20-plus yard receptions (10th in the nation). Meanwhile, UW's defense has allowed 40 plays of 20 or more yards this season, 31 fewer than the Husky offense has had. UW has allowed just four rushing plays of 20-plus yards.

Last year, Washington finished the season with 62 passing plays for 20 or more yards, tied for eighth-most in the nation (five teams that ranked higher played more games than UW's 13). Washington led the nation last year with 193 pass plays for 10 or more yards.

10-0 START: Washington is 10-0 for just the second time in school history. The only other 10-0 start came in 1991, when the Huskies went 12-0 and won the national title. UW had a number of unbeaten and untied seasons in its early history, but in none of those seasons did Washington play as many as 10 games.

TWO 100-YARD RECEIVERS IN A GAME: Prior to the start of this season, Washington had had just eight games in its history with two players finishing with 100 or more receiving yards (including two such games last year). So far this season, UW has had two players with 100 receiving yards in five of 10 games:

                  vs. Boise State: Rome Oduzne (132) & Ja'Lynn Polk (101)
                  vs. Tulsa: Jalen McMillan (120) & Odunze (107)
                  at Michigan State: Odunze (180) & Polk (118)
                  vs. California: Polk (127) & Odunze (125)
                  vs. Oregon: Odunze (128) & Polk (118)

Additionally, last year, Odunze was the first Husky ever to record four straight 100-yard games. In the first four games of 2023, he matched that streak.

CONFERENCE MOVES: Along with USC, UCLA and Oregon, the Huskies will move to the Big Ten Conference after this coming academic year (2023-24) and will play a Big Ten schedule in 2024. Four other current Pac-12 programs – Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah – will join the Big 12 Conference in 2024-25; while Stanford and California will join the ACC. Washington has been a member of what is now the Pac-12 since the inception of the league, in 1915. Only the UW and California have/had been members in every year since. The UW football team has won a league title in every decade since the 1910s, other than the 2020s – the Dawgs will have one last chance to extend that streak this year.