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Oregon's Dan Lanning seems to be a fan of Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Ducks were the Huskies' biggest bump on their road to the national title game. The Pac-12 teams twice battled in high-scoring affairs, first during the regular season and then in the conference's championship game. The result of both games gave Lanning a newfound respect for his opponent.
He said as much during Monday's ESPN pregame coverage for the national championship game:
“When the lights are bright he plays even better and it shows up week in, week out. He has great targets he can throw it to outside”
It does show, as the signal-caller threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns in the biggest game of his career against Texas in the Sugar Bowl. Against the Oregon Ducks, he threw for 302 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in a 36-33 win in October and 319 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 34-31 win on Dec. 1.
However, on Monday night he will be going against the nation's best-ranked defense. It will be interesting to see how Michigan decides to contest with Rome Odunze, Penix's favorite target. The Wolverines have been called only twice for pass interference during the season. How physical will they be against Odunze?
Rome Odunze: The best weapon for Michael Penix Jr.?
The Michael Penix Jr.-Rome Odunze connection this year has been exceptional, with the receiver netting 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns in 87 receptions. He averaged a whopping 17.9 yards per catch. Just in the last game against Texas, he had 125 yards on six catches.
Michael Penix Jr. also has another powerful wide receiver in Ja'Lynn Polk, who had 122 yards and one touchdown in five receptions during the Sugar Bowl.
These players seem unfazed by being the underdogs for the national championship game, with Polk recently telling ESPN:
"Because they always treat us as an underdog, turn on the film, man, and nothing lies. Nothing lies."
