No. 8 Huskies make statement with blowout road win over Michigan State
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Seven words are printed in bold white type on the southeast tip of Spartan Stadium:
INTO THE DEEP WATER, WHERE WE LIVE
It refers to a quote by suspended Michigan State coach Mel Tucker, who explained his team’s mindset thusly following a 38-17 win over No. 24 Miami in 2021: “We wanted to drag them into the deep water, where we live, with the strain and the struggle and the pressure.”
To reference “The Dark Knight Rises,” Michigan State merely adopted deep water. In Seattle, it’s more than a seven-word slogan. In Washington, it’s a way of life. It hugs the eastern edge of Husky Stadium; it beckons from the Puget Sound. It rains and spits and seeps into your skin.
Michigan State wasn’t made for deep water.
Washington was.
In a 41-7 thrashing on Saturday, UW mercilessly dragged Michigan State into the deep. Senior quarterback Michael Penix Jr. buried the Spartans’ secondary for a second consecutive season, completing 27 of 35 passes (77%) for 473 yards and four touchdowns. Three of sixth-year senior tight end Jack Westover’s four catches for 25 yards ended in the end zone. The wide receiver trio of Rome Odunze (eight catches for 180 yards), Ja’Lynn Polk (five catches for 118 yards and a touchdown) and Jalen McMillan (four catches for 96 yards in less than two quarters) sliced up the Spartans and left no doubt.
A year ago, UW scored the first 22 points of an eventual 39-28 win over Michigan State inside Husky Stadium.
That was a drizzle.
This was a downpour.
A year ago, Germie Bernard failed to catch a pass against Washington as a freshman wide receiver for Michigan State. On Saturday, UW’s transfer opened the scoring by taking an end around, stepping through an attempted tackle and scampering into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown.
As a jubilant Bernard trotted back to the visitor’s sideline, he shushed his former fans.
In Saturday’s pelting (and Big Ten teaser), even Washington’s wrongs were right. With 10:44 left in the second quarter, a Penix pass tipped high off the hand of linebacker Jordan Hall … and into Polk’s uncovered arms. The 6-foot-2, 204-pounder shrugged off a Angelo Grose tackle attempted and barreled into the end zone for a 30-yard score.
And on Saturday, the Husky defense also happily swam in the deep. A week after missing Washington’s 43-10 win over Tulsa, senior edge Zion Tupuola-Fetui recorded three tackles and two sacks . Junior nickelback Mishael Powell added his first career interception as well.
Without three secondary stalwarts – safeties Asa Turner and Kamren Fabiculanan and cornerback Davon Banks – the Huskies held MSU quarterback Noah Kim to 12 completions in 31 tries, for 136 yards and an interception.
The Spartans also rushed for 51 yards and 2.1 yards per carry and went 6 for 16 on third down.