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 Data Scout Notes: 2023: 2ndC...2022: 2ndC...2021: NAC...Transfer from Indiana...(+) Coming off Oct 2021 Shoulder INJ...PManning/POBrien...2020: 2ndC...OBrienSemifinalist...(+) 11-28-20 Knee INJ/Out for 2020...PMaxwell...2019: (+) Nov 2019 Shoulder INJ/Out for 2019



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  2023 ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM: QB Michael Penix Jr., Sr., Washington,...Penix Jr. is in the Top 10 in passing touchdowns (32; fourth), passing yards (3,899; second), passing yards per game (324.9; second), points responsible four (212; seventh), total offense (323.8; fifth) and 11th in passing efficiency (163.3). He has thrown for over 300 yards in eight games and three or more touchdowns in six contests. In addition to his two finalist honors announced today, Penix Jr. is a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. - Washington Football

(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington Football
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  Michael Penix, Jr. threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns and No. 12 Washington held off No. 21 Texas 27-20 on Thursday night in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Texas scored 10 late points, pulling within seven on Bert Auburn's 26-yard field goal with 1:40 remaining, then failed on an onside kick try. The Longhorns (8-5) stopped the Huskies (11-2) on the ensuing possession and took over on their own 16 with 32 seconds and got to the Washington 40 on the final play of the game. Penix finished the season with 4,641 yards passing to break the 20-year-old Washington season mark of 4,458 set by Cody Pickett. And while Washington relied heavily on the pass game, its had success on the ground with 158 yards, including a 46-yard option TD run by Wayne Taulapapa in the first quarter.

Penix led back-to-back scoring drives of 75 and 90 yards in the second half to stretch the Huskies' lead to 17. He was 32 of 55, completed passes to eight receivers, and connected with Taj Davis and Jalen McMillan for scores. "They did a nice job of extending drives," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. "They had three straight drives of 16, 13 and 14 plays that resulted in 17 points. But in the end I was proud of our guys. They continued to battle; gave us a chance at the end. We just didn't make enough plays." Texas was without star running back Bijon Robinson, and rushed for just 51 yards. Robinson, who led the Longhorns with 1,580 yards and 18 TDs, skipped the game to prepare for the NFL draft. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim and UCLA linebacker Laiatu Latu were named college football's comeback players of the year on Tuesday. Penix transferred to Washington after four seasons at Indiana, each ending with a serious injury. With the Huskies, Penix played all 12 games and heads into the postseason leading the nation with 363 yards passing per game. Washington (10-2) will face Texas (8-4) in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29. The comeback player of the year is presented by College Sports Communicators in association with the Fiesta Bowl. Winners are chosen by AP Top 25 voters, sports information directors and Fiesta Bowl Organization representatives. - AP College Football

(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: AP College Football
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  2022 ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM: QB Michael Penix Jr., Jr., Washington,...Penix, a junior from Tampa, Fla., who announced on Sunday that he'll return for another season at UW in 2023, spent the entire last half of the season as the nation's leading passer, finishing the regular season with 4,354 yards. He heads into the Alamo Bowl just 104 yards shy of the UW single-season passing yards record. - Washington Football

(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington Football
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  After leading the UW Huskies to a 10-2 record by putting together one of the best seasons by a quarterback in program history, Michael Penix Jr. made a choice that surprised many. Rather than declare for the NFL Draft and start his professional career, the nation's leading passer decided he wanted to return to Washington for one more year, which he announced at the team's end-of-year banquet and then to the public Sunday on social media. UW Huskies QB Michael Penix Jr. returning for 2023 season "There's been a lot going on, but being able to finalize my decision, it's been great," Penix told Seattle Sports 710 AM's Brock and Salk Thursday morning.

So how did the lefty signal caller come to that decision? "It was a lot of factors. I just felt like coming back was just my best option," Penix said. "I felt like I had a shot going to the next level, but coming back, I felt like there was a lot of unfinished business. We had a lot of goals this season and I felt like we were so close to reaching them, and I know that just being able to come back and being able to be in the system for one more year and being able to develop more and try to get those goals that we had this season." Penix said he got "some pretty good information" about where he likely would have been drafted had he declared, and once he learned what he needed, there was no point in waiting longer in announcing he'd return to the UW Huskies. "I was waiting for different teams to get done grading and stuff like that. But once I was able to get some pretty clear information, I was able to make that decision," he said. "I didn't feel like I needed to wait. I was just waiting for the right time and trusting my heart, and I felt like it was time for me to make that decision." - MyNorthwest.com


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: MyNorthwest.com
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  Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said Sunday he will return to the school for his sixth and final season of eligibility in 2023. Penix announced his decision on social media and it was a surprising one at that. Penix was the national leader in passing this season, throwing for 4,354 yards and led Washington's turnaround. The No. 12-ranked Huskies went 10-2 in the regular season, finished tied for second in the Pac-12 and will face No. 21 Texas in the Alamo Bowl. Penix will have a chance at setting Washington's single-season record for yards passing in the bowl game. He also threw 29 touchdowns this season.

Because of his performance this season, Penix saw his NFL draft stock rise to where he was being expected to be a second-day pick at the latest. In his announcement, Penix wrote, "As I look back on this special season we had, I realized there were so many great moments and things to celebrate, but I KNOW there is so much for out there for this team and the job is still not finished. I can't wait to be playing in Husky Stadium for the 2023 season!" Penix started his career at Indiana and showed flashes of stardom while also battling injuries. He transferred to Washington after the 2021 season, a move that reunited him with new Huskies' coach Kalen DeBoer, who was Penix's offensive coordinator for one season at Indiana. - AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: AP College Football
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  NOV 28 PAC-12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Michael Penix Jr., Jr., QB, Washington (Tampa, Fla.),...Led the Huskies to a thrilling, 51-33 win at Washington State to bring the Apple Cup back to Seattle, passing for 3 touchdowns while rushing for 2 more. Penix finished the game 25-for-43 for 484 yards, 3 TD passes and 1 interception, while rushing for 34 yards and 2 touchdowns on 2 carries (the 2 carries were a 30-yard TD and a 4-yard TD)...Penix's 484 yards were 2nd most in UW history, 2nd only to his 516 earlier this year vs. Arizona...Led Washington to 703 yards of total offense, and was just 11 yards shy of his own UW single-game record for total offense (524, vs. Arizona).

Became just the 2nd Husky ever to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season and heads into the UW's bowl game with 4,354 yards, just 105 shy of Cody Pickett's 20-year old record. Against WSU, Penix threw TD passes of 26, 47 and 75 yards, with the last of those coming on the 1st scrimmage play of the 2nd half. 3rd time this season winning the award, joining Oregon's Bo Nix as the only 3-time winners this season. First Husky to win Offensive Player of the Week 3 times in the same season since RB Corey Dillon in 1996. Also nominated: Caleb Williams, QB, USC; Michael Wiley, RB, Arizona; Ja'Quinden Jackson, RB, Utah; Damien Martinez, RB, Oregon State; Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA. - Pac-12 Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Pac-12 Football
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  Michael Penix Jr. threw for 485 yards and had five total touchdowns and No. 12 Washington reclaimed the Apple Cup with a wild 51-33 victory over Washington State on Saturday night. A year after the Huskies watched the Cougars celebrate snapping a seven-game losing streak on the turf of Husky Stadium, Washington kept alive its hopes for a New Year's Six bowl game thanks to its standout quarterback and a handful of defensive stops in the second half. The 84 combined points were the most in the 114 matchups between the rivals.

Washington (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12, No. 13 CFP) outscored the Cougars (7-5, 4-5) 23-6 in the second half after a dizzying first half that featured 55 combined points, 630 combined yards of offense and a 28-27 lead for the Huskies at the break. "What a game. You knew it was going to be that. We expected it to be crazy, especially in the first half," Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said. "They've shown that they come out swinging. And we weathered the storm and still had the lead." Rome Odunze had a 5-yard touchdown run in the opening moments of the fourth quarter. Peyton Henry kicked a 20-yard field goal with 5:02 left, and Wayne Taulapapa provided the capper with a 40-yard TD run with 1:28 left. The Huskies finished with 703 yards of offense against a Washington State defense that led the Pac-12 in scoring defense at under 20 points per game. If not for two second-half turnovers by the Huskies, the margin of victory could have been much larger. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  NOV 14 PAC-12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Michael Penix, Jr., Jr., QB, Washington (Tampa, Fla.),...Led the Huskies to a 37-34 road win at No. 6 Oregon, passing for 408 yards on 26-of-35 passing. Penix passed for 2 touchdowns, had 1 interception, and also rushed for 20 yards on 2 carries. Became the 4th Husky ever to pass for 2 touchdown passes of 60 yards or longer in the same game, connecting with Ja'Lynn Polk on a 76-yard score in the 3rd quarter, and with Taj Davis on a 62-yard pass in the 4th quarter. The latter tied the game at 34-34. The 408 yards were the 7th most ever by a Husky in a single game. 2nd time this season that Penix has won this award, previously earning it in Week 3. First Husky to earn Offensive Player of the Week twice in a season since RB Louis Rankin in 2007 and first UW QB to do it since Marques Tuiasosopo in 1999. Also nominated: Jayden de Laura, QB, Arizona; Tavion Thomas, RB, Utah; Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA; Damien Martinez, RB, Oregon State; Caleb Williams, QB, USC; Nakia Watson, RB, Washington State; X Valladay, RB, Arizona State. - Pac-12 Football

(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Pac-12 Football
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  Peyton Henry kicked a 43-yard field goal with 51 seconds left and No. 24 Washington snapped No. 6 Oregon's eight-game winning streak with a 37-34 victory Saturday, dealing a blow to the Ducks' chances for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Michael Penix Jr. threw a 62-yard scoring pass to Taj Davis to tie it at 34 with 3:07 to go after Oregon quarterback Bo Nix limped off the field on the previous series. Nix returned after Henry's field goal and got the Ducks (9-2, 6-1, No. 6 CFP) to the Washington 38 but the final drive fizzled with a penalty. The Huskies (8-2, 5-2, No. 25 CFP) won in Eugene for the first time since 2016.

Penix threw for 408 yards and two touchdowns as Washington stopped a 13-game losing streak against ranked Oregon teams. The last win was in 2002 when the Huskies beat No. 23 Oregon 42-12. Washington was 0-7 against the Ducks when they're ranked in the top 10. Nix fell after a 2-yard run on third-and-5 on the Washington 10 and he limped off the field. Cameron Lewis' 26-yard field goal finished the drive to make it 34-27 with 3:54 left. He was replaced for a series by backup Ty Thompson. Nix threw for 280 yards and two scores, and ran for 59 yards and another touchdown. The loss snapped a 23-game home winning streak, the third-longest streak in the nation and a win shy of the school record. Penix went into the game as the national leader in passing yards per game with 359.1. He had a streak of eight straight games with 300 or more yards passing that just ended last week in a victory over Oregon State. The Huskies scored on their opening series when Penix handed off to Wayne Taulapapa, who dashed 13 yards down the middle for the TD. The Ducks settled for a 43-yard field goal from Lewis on their first drive. Henry kicked a 30-yarder to make it 10-3 early in the second quarter. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  Michael Penix Jr. threw a go-ahead 14-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan early in the fourth quarter to lead Washington past California 28-21 on Saturday night. Penix threw for 374 yards and two TDs for his eighth straight 300-yard passing game to help the Huskies (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) win their first road game of the season. Jack Plummer threw three touchdown passes in the second half for the Golden Bears (3-4, 1-3). But it wasn't enough to prevent Cal from losing its third straight game. Penix led Washington on three straight TD drives in the second half. He found McMillan wide open in the front of the end zone to give the Huskies the lead for good and added a 36-yarder to Richard Newtown on another third-down pass later in the fourth to make it 28-14.

Plummer, who threw two TD passes to J. Michael Sturdivant in the third quarter, got Cal within 28-21 with an 8-yard strike to Mavin Anderson on fourth down with 6:11 to play. But Cal failed to get a first down on its final two drives and came up short at the end. Washington completely dominated the first half everywhere but the scoreboard. The Huskies outgained the Bears 245-83 in the half, didn't allow Cal to cross midfield for more than 27 minutes but only lead 6-0 at the break. Washington settled for field goals on its first two drives and then Peyton Henry missed a 34-yarder after an offensive pass interference spoiled a goal-to-go situation. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  Michael Penix Jr. passed for a school-record 516 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score and Washington beat Arizona 49-39 on Saturday. Penix hit Rome Odunze on scoring passes of 45 and 48 yards in the decisive third quarter to help the Huskies snap a two-game losing streak. The junior transfer entered the game as the nation's second-leading passer and didn't disappoint in a game that featured the Pac-12 Conference's top two offenses and two of its star quarterbacks. Penix led the Huskies to 608 total yards of offense and, along with breaking Cody Pickett's passing record of 455 yards, he set the school record for total yards with 529, breaking Marcus Tuiasosopo's record (509 yards). Penix led the Huskies to a quick 7-0 lead on their first drive, hitting Jalen McMillan in the back of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown. Jayden De Laura tied the game two drives later when he hit Tetairoa McMillan, who broke a tackle on his way to a 46-yard touchdown.

Tailback Cameron Davis put Washington up 14-7 with a 1-yard dive early in the second quarter, one of two scoring runs. The Huskies' early lead might have been bigger, but the Wildcats defense came up with two fourth-and-short stops in the first half. Jalen Harris and Jacob Manu stuffed Taulapapa on fourth-and-2 in the first quarter and D.J. Warnell Jr. stopped Cameron Davis for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the 19 in the second quarter. De Laura tied it 14-14 on a 39-yard pass to Dorian Singer, who came wide open down the right sideline when his defender, Jordan Perryman, came up lame and began to limp. The Wildcats left 2:23 on the clock, however, and Penix picked apart the defense on a 12-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 4-yard scoring pass to Sam Adams II with 8 seconds left for a 21-14 halftime lead. Penix was 9 of 11 on the drive for 72 yards. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  Penix's injury history at Indiana is behind him now, and he is clearly the man in Washington. He has the Huskies undefeated and poised to make a run at the Pac-12 title and a place in the College Football Playoff. Washington's 25-point victory over Kent State, which played Georgia tough, in Week 1 looks better. Penix also led the Huskies to dismantle Michigan State and Stanford the past two weeks. He has thrown for 1,388 yards and 12 touchdowns and has only thrown one interception all season. I am not sure why the odds are not showing him any love. - The Athletic

(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: The Athletic
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  Wayne Taulapapa rushed for a career-high 120 yards and one touchdown, Washington's defense sacked Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee eight times and forced two fumbles, and the 18th-ranked Huskies beat the Cardinal 40-22 on Saturday night. Playing as a ranked team for the first time this season, Washington (4-0, 1-0) used a stingy defense and a handful of big plays on offense to win its Pac-12 opener under new coach Kalen DeBoer. Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw for 309 yards and second-half touchdowns of 30 yards to Rome Odunze and 21 yards to Giles Jackson on a screen pass. Odunze had eight catches for 161 yards, his first career game over 100 yards receiving. But Washington's defense deserved equal recognition for the constant pressure it was able to put on McKee. The Huskies sacked him six times in the first half.

Stanford lost its eighth straight conference game dating to last season, the longest skid under coach David Shaw. The Huskies have scored at least 39 points in all four games, and this time they did it without an otherworldly performance by Penix, who still managed to top 300 yards passing for the fourth straight game. Penix was 22 of 37. Will Nixon added a 3-yard touchdown run and Peyton Henry kicked four field goals. Taulapapa was a less-heralded offseason transfer for Washington but earned the starting nod at running back for a reason. He showed flashes in the first three games but found massive gaps to run through against the Cardinal, averaging 9.2 yards per carry. Taulapapa's longest run came midway through the second quarter when he scampered down the sideline for a 34-yard touchdown two plays after a Stanford turnover. It was the first 100-yard game of Taulapapa's career, both at Virginia and Washington. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  SEPT 12 PAC-12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Michael Penix Jr., Jr., QB, Washington (Tampa, Fla.),...Penix Jr. kept his early-season roll going with a terrific game to beat No. 11 Michigan State, 39-28...Completed 24-of-40 passes for 397 yards, no interceptions and four touchdowns, while also avoiding any sacks for the third game in a row (Michigan State entered the week as the NCAA leader in sacks...Led the Huskies to touchdowns on five of their six drives...His 397 yards rank No. 8 on the UW single-game passing yards list, while his four TD passes are tied for No. 8, matching the total he put up in the season opener.

With 10 touchdown passes, he's tied for fourth in the nation, one behind the leaders...First UW player to earn Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week since RB Myles Gaskin in the final week of the 2019 season and first UW QB to do it since Jake Browning in November 2017...Penix Jr. was a 2-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week at Indiana in 2019. Also nominated: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon; Cameron Rising, QB, Utah; Chance Nolan, QB, Oregon State; Jayden de Laura, QB, Arizona; Jake Bobo, WR, UCLA; Travis Dye, RB, USC; Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State. - Pac-12 Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Pac-12 Football
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  Washington has scored on its first possession in all three of its games and on 14 of 16 first-half possessions, with 12 touchdowns. The Huskies went 77 yards in seven plays to start their 39-28 win over Michigan State. Michigan State's goal-line stand in the first quarter marked just the second time this season that a UW first-half possession didn't end with a score and the first time a first-quarter possession didn't result in a touchdown. - AP College Football

(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: AP College Football
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  Washington made its season debut in The Associated Press college football on Sunday at No. 18, and Penn State and Oregon moved into the top 15 after all three had decisive nonconference victories. A weekend filled with blowouts by highly ranked teams kept the top 10 almost unchanged. No. 1 Georgia picked up six more first-place votes in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank. The Bulldogs are up to 59 first-place votes and 1,569 points. No. 2 Alabama received three first-place votes and No. 3 Ohio State got one. No. 4 Michigan, No. 5 Clemson, No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 7 Southern California all held their spots. The one change in the top 10 was No. 8 Kentucky flip-flopping with No. 9 Oklahoma State. Arkansas stayed at No. 10.

The top 10 teams, most playing overmatched nonconference opponents, won their games Saturday by a combined 521-120. The shuffling came in the next 10. No. 11 Tennessee moved up four spots. Penn State jumped eight to No. 14 after routing Auburn on the road. No. 15 Oregon moved up 10 spots after handily defeating BYU, which slipped seven places to No. 19. - AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: AP College Football
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  Michael Penix Jr. threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns, and Washington emphatically stated its case as a contender in the Pac-12 with a 39-28 win over No. 11 Michigan State on Saturday night. Penix was spectacular for three quarters in a primetime national showcase that showed Kalen DeBoer's rebuild of the Huskies (3-0) is progressing faster than expected. Washington led 29-8 at halftime and 36-14 after three quarters. Having a star quarterback certainly helps. Penix completed 24 of 40 passes and just missed posting the eighth 400-yard passing game in Washington history. He was at his best in the first half, making 18 of 24 attempts for 278 yards and leading Washington to touchdowns on four of its five possessions.

It was the second-best day in Penix's career in terms of yards passing and TDs, trailing only his 491 yards and five TDs in 2020 against Ohio State while playing for Indiana. Ja'Lynn Polk had six catches for a career-high 153 yards and three TDs. Polk's 53-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter was a resounding answer after Michigan State scored on the opening drive of the second half to pull within 29-14. Payton Thorne threw for 323 yards and three TDs, and led a pair of quick fourth-quarter scoring drives for Michigan State that caused some nerves for the Huskies. Thorne threw a 33-yard TD to Keon Coleman with 5:17 left and the 2-point conversion pulled Michigan State within 11. But the rally was too late for the Spartans (2-1), who were stymied in the run game and saw their pass defense get exposed. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is a familiar name to Saturday opponent Michigan State. He transferred to Washington after playing parts of four seasons at Indiana. MSU fans will remember he put a fright in the Spartans in a 40-31 loss in 2019. He suffered two major knee injuries and doesn't run much now but is completing 69.7 percent of his passes for 682 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. In his fifth college year, he won the starting job and has looked electric at times. Penix doesn't appear as mobile as he was before the injuries - four rushes in two games - but the lefty can fling it. He threw for 286 yards when the Hoosiers pushed the Spartans in 2019. He's a different quarterback now, probably slower and wiser - Detroit News

(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Detroit News
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  Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. appears ready for next week's matchup with an old Big Ten rival after another lightning-fast start. The Huskies stayed unbeaten under new coach Kalen DeBoer with a 52-6 win over FCS opponent Portland State on Saturday. Up next is Washington's first real challenge of the season: No. 14 Michigan State next Saturday. "It's definitely a statement game," Penix said. "And, you know, we're definitely going to make sure we're going to go out there and just play how we've been playing, play free and just execute at a high level." A high level, indeed. Penix threw for 337 yards and two touchdowns, Wayne Taulapapa rushed for 94 yards and a score and the Huskies (2-0) easily took down the Vikings (0-2) before things get serious with Michigan State and Stanford due in town over the next two weeks.

Penix broke open the game with an 84-yard touchdown pass to Jalen McMillan with 9:51 left in the second quarter for a 21-0 lead. He also threw to Ja'Lynn Polk for a 12-yard score in the half. Cameron Davis scored two rushing touchdowns and Will Nixon and Denzel Boston added rushing TDs of their own as the Huskies ran for 241 yards and five touchdowns. The Huskies had 500 of their 617 yards by the end of the third quarter. With more than 1,100 yards in two weeks, the team is matching the vision that UW had when it brought in DeBoer, a two-year head coach at Fresno State, to replace Jimmy Lake. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  Michael Penix Jr. threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns, and Washington opened the Kalen DeBoer era with a 45-20 win over Kent State in a season opener on Saturday night. DeBoer's debut as Washington's head coach was highlighted by an entertaining, innovative offense that Penix - also making his Huskies' debut - ran flawlessly against the overmatched Golden Flashes. Penix led Washington on scoring drives on all five first-half possessions and touchdowns on the first four as the Huskies built a 31-13 halftime lead and cruised in the opener. Only some shaky ball security kept the first half from being even more lopsided.

It was a needed debut for DeBoer, who took over at Washington following two seasons as the head coach at Fresno State. Washington's fan base was soured by last season's 4-8 record and ended with coach Jimmy Lake being fired in November and concluded with Washington State celebrating a blowout victory in the Apple Cup. But whether the Huskies are as good as they showed against the Golden Flashes won't be truly defined for another couple of weeks when No. 15 Michigan State visits on Sept. 17. Penix completed 26 of 39 passes and his yards passing were the third-most in his career that started at Indiana before transferring to Washington. It was his second game with four or more touchdown passes. - Washington/AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
News Source: Washington/AP College Football
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  Washington is going with Michael Penix Jr. as its starting quarterback for the season opener against Kent State, coach Kalen DeBoer said Tuesday. Penix, a transfer from Indiana, had been considered the leader for most of the offseason in the competition with Dylan Morris and Sam Huard. "He's just had a really great camp and he's been consistent from the time spring ball started to where he's at now," DeBoer said. "He's done a great job earning it." Penix, who is a junior in eligibility, had an injury-filled career at Indiana before deciding to transfer after last season.

Penix knows DeBoer's system the best after having played for him in 2019 with the Hoosiers. As a freshman, Penix threw for 10 touchdowns in just six games before injuries took over. Penix has never played more than six games in a season. "I just wanted to be somewhere where I felt like I'd be comfortable and be able to become a better person and become a better player, and I felt like this was definitely a spot," Penix said. "Being under coach DeBoer once already I know some of the things that he brought to the table and the way he wants things to run and I wanted to be a part of that." - AP College Football


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
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  One guy has been here. Has won here. Maybe not as consistently as the fan base would have liked him to, but enough that he is a legitimate threat to start in the Huskies' opener. Another guy is the one whose left arm is thought to have been kissed by the football gods - the five-star recruit who throws a divine deep ball and is dripping with natural talent. And then there is Michael Penix Jr. - the transfer from Indiana with little luster on his résumé. He has never played more than six games in any of his four college seasons. He completed fewer than half his passes in all three of the Hoosiers' losses last year, in which he played all of five games.

But as Washington's first football game draws nearer, it is Penix who has been just consistent enough in practice, just knowledgeable enough in this system - that it should come as no surprise if he is the Huskies' starting quarterback when they open against Kent State on Sept. 3. "He's got a real strong, powerful arm," Huskies receiver Ja'Lynn Polk said of Penix. "I think a lot of people will see that real soon." This wasn't Polk predicting who will be behind center when UW's season begins. He was complimentary of fellow Husky quarterbacks Dylan Morris and Sam Huard, against whom Penix is competing. But it was clear that Polk, like others in the program, have been impressed with what they have seen from the fifth-year junior thus far. No, you won't see Penix's name on any NFL mock draft sites. He doesn't make scouts salivate or fans fawn out of pure wonder. However, there is enough of a track record to suggest that not only could Penix win this quarterback battle, but that he could provide enough production to lead UW to a successful season. - Seattle Times


(DS#6 QB) rSr/2024 QB Michael Penix Jr.Washington
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  Following the out-of-nowhere slide, Washington needed a fresh start and got one when it hired head coach Kalen DeBoer, who led Fresno State to a 9-3 record in the regular season in 2021. A veteran offensive coordinator, DeBoer is expected to re-energize a Husky attack that managed just 21.5 points per game last year - the program's worst average since 2008. Two-year starting quarterback Dylan Morris is back, but he threw 12 interceptions, the most in the Pac-12. Overall, the Huskies threw 16 interceptions. Former Indiana starter Michael Penix Jr., was brought in to compete for the job.

The best season of his career came in 2019, when DeBoer was his position coach and offensive coordinator. Around the quarterback, there is a load of talent at receiver and some intriguing possibilities at running back, where a pair of transfers - Aaron Dumas (New Mexico) and Wayne Taulapapa (Virginia) - have been added. The offensive line was a disappointment last year, but returns a lot of experience, including left tackle Jaxson Kirkland. DeBoer's offenses have averaged at least 31.8 points the last four years. In addition to coaching Penix during his breakout season, he helped Jake Haener (a former Husky) have a sensational season at Fresno State last year. - Daily Camera


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  Former Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is transferring to Washington to play for former IU offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, according to a post on his Instagram page Tuesday. Penix threw for 4,197 yards and 29 touchdowns in four seasons at Indiana, all of which were dramatically shortened by injury. He played a combined 20 games in those seasons and never played more than six in a year. - Indianapolis Star/News

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  Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had his first three seasons end early because of injuries. The Hoosiers remain hopeful Penix won't make it four in a row. Coach Tom Allen said Monday that the redshirt junior suffered a separated throwing shoulder during Saturday's loss at Penn State. He is out indefinitely and is being listed as week to week. Jack Tuttle, who replaced Penix for the final two games last season, is expected to take over when the Hoosiers return to action Oct. 16 against No. 11 Michigan State.

The Hoosiers (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) have a bye this week. The injury occurred when Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith drove Penix into the ground during the third quarter. Since returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which ended his 2020 season, Penix was completing just 53.7% of his throws and had thrown seven interceptions and four TD passes. He threw three interceptions in each of Indiana's first two losses, with two returned for touchdowns. - AP College Football


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  Indiana had something to prove Saturday night. The Hoosiers didn't disappoint. Michael Penix Jr. threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and Indiana took advantage of two special teams touchdowns and a dominant defense to rout Idaho 56-14. For Indiana (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten), it was a big night. Playing in front of the biggest home crowd since Nov. 23 2019, the Hoosiers gave the near-capacity fans plenty to cheer about. Indiana has won 18 of its last 20 home openers, perhaps none more impressively than this one.

The timing couldn't have been better after last week's embarrassing loss at Iowa, either. This time, the Hoosiers cleaned up the mistakes, made all the big plays and never gave the Vandals (1-1) a chance. They took a 21-0 lead after one quarter and made it 35-0 before Idaho recorded a first down. "We were able to bounce back, address some things we needed to address and I think our guys responded in practice and the way we started," Hoosiers coach Tom Allen said. "I thought special teams was special tonight." For Idaho, it was a miserable night. - Indiana/AP College Football


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  After another arduous rehab from surgery to repair a torn ACL, the second in the span of three years, Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is once again ready to line up under center in a season opener. Penix is set to start for the No. 17 Hoosiers on Saturday at No. 18 Iowa (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network), declaring himself 100% after three weeks of fall camp. "As far as the trust level goes, I trust my knee," Penix said. "I trust that everything is OK. The trainers have been doing a great job of getting me back on the field, and I'm 100% confident that I'm going to have a great season this year." The plan throughout the offseason was to bring Penix along at a methodical pace after suffering the season-ending injury Nov. 28 against Maryland, but he exceeded expectations through every step of his rehab process.

He began throwing routes to his receivers in July, was a camp counselor at the Manning Passing Academy that month and took part in every fall practice. IU offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said Penix has shook some rust off since the start of fall camp after not practicing in the spring but showed no physical limitations. "From a physical standpoint, he's the same Mike Penix that we've seen here," Sheridan said. "Still has a really strong arm, still moves very well, very instinctual player. I think going against our defense is a challenge each and every day, and I think that's been great for Mike. Just getting back into the live speed of it, the quickness of our defense challenges you in your decision making, in your ball placement, all those types of things." - Herald Bulletin


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  The only question with Penix is whether or not he would start against Iowa, and according to Allen, Penix's second ACL surgery rehab is right on schedule for him to start against the Hawkeyes. Penix missed the final two games last season, but still threw for 1,645 yards passing through six games, leading the Big Ten with 274.2 yards passing per game and finishing off the season with a pass efficiency rating of 136.5. As a starter at Indiana, Penix is 10-2 and was one of the 17 finalists for the Davey O'Brien award last year and has made the 2021 watch list for the award. During his freshman year in 2019, Penix set a school record high in completion percentage of 68.8 percent, which is sixth in Big Ten history. - The Gazette

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  As Indiana junior quarterback Michael Penix Jr. enters a critical 2021 season for the Hoosiers, he took advantage of a development opportunity that could impact IU's entire offense. Penix was one of a handful of college quarterbacks who were invited and served as camp counselors last month at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Now Penix is looking to pass along lessons learned from the First Family of NFL quarterbacks. Peyton Manning, of course, remains an Indianapolis sports icon, leading the Colts to a Super Bowl win in 2007 and another Super Bowl appearance in 2010, while Eli Manning led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl wins. "The main thing that Peyton and Eli were saying, just control what you can control," Penix said. "We've got to make sure we work on everything until we can't get it wrong. That's one thing Peyton said, as well. He said whenever he used to do, like, routes and stuff with his receivers, he said they didn't run the route until they got it right. They ran it until they couldn't get it wrong, and that's something that I really took back with me." - Herald Bulletin


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  Allen said starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. remains on track to start the season opener Sept. 4 at Iowa. Penix worked with the first-team offense Wednesday, connecting on throws to receivers Javon Swinton and Jacolby Hewitt in traffic. "The progress has been good," Allen said. "I feel like as you go through it, every fall camp is this way, it's still about timing, working with the receivers. Obviously, he's been throwing all summer, but timing when you have the whole offense there and the routes and the different things that you do and the routes on air, and the skelly and then the team periods, and then obviously we just continue to develop him in between those periods." Allen said Penix has been staying after practice to get extra work in with receivers. "More than anything what stuck out to me is his leadership growth and being able to command everything and correct and challenge and call guys out in a positive way, and they need that," Allen said. "So I think he's definitely in a good place." - Herald Bulletin

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  Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. won't take part in live periods early in training camp as he continues to recover from a torn ACL. The expectation is for Penix to be ready by the opener Sept. 4 against Iowa. Penix already has worked on timing with new receivers such as transfers D.J. Matthews (Florida State) and Camron Buckley (Texas A&M) over the summer, but establishing that timing is different when facing live defenses. "It's definitely a progression, and he's right where he needs to be, where the medical staff has put him," Indiana coach Tom Allen said. "To me that's going to be very important, for sure, to get him in those positions and get him comfortable and get him around. But he's not going to get hit until Sept. 4. That's not really different from any year. But just keep building, building until he's full bore Sept. 4." Allen said the communication with Penix will be constant during fall camp to make sure he's fully healthy. "He's a mature young man," Allen said. "He's been here. He knows his body. He's going to communicate with us in how he feels. He doesn't have to have as many (reps) as a couple of years ago because of his experience, but he's got to be sharp and crisp." - Herald Bulletin

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  Michael Penix gave the 2020 college football season one of its enduring Images - a headfirst lunge toward the end zone to beat Penn State in overtime (where'd his knee hit?). It ignited a special season in Bloomington. Now, nine months later, Indiana fans are worried about that same knee. How is Penix recovering from the ACL tear he suffered last season? Is there any additional lag in rehabilitation since he's now torn it twice? Will he be ready for the season opener at Iowa?

Speaking during Indiana's turn through Big Ten media days Friday, Penix was dead sure of two things: He got the pylon that night against the Nittany Lions, and he'll be ready for the start of the season. "I'm right where I need to be right now," he said. "100% Sept. 4 (at Iowa)." No question has lingered over the Hoosiers' inflated ambitions this offseason more than Penix's health. When fit to play, Penix is perhaps the best quarterback in the conference, certainly since Justin Fields departed for the NFL. Penix can make NFL throws at all three levels, he possesses one of the best deep balls in the FBS and across his career, he's shown the ability to be both efficient and explosive. - Indianapolis Star/News


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  Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. received another preseason accolade as one of 10 players to earn preseason All-Big Ten honors on Thursday morning. A media panel selected the 10-player list, with five players from the east and west division. Penix Jr., passed for 1,645 yards with 14 TDs and 4 interceptions and scored two more rushing TDs before going down with a torn ACL on Nov. 28 against Maryland. He averaged a Big Ten-leading 274.2 yards per game (18th nationally) and recorded a 136.54 pass-efficiency rating. Penix has been ahead of schedule on his rehab and is expected to be under center for IU's season opener Sept. 4 at Iowa. - Herald Bulletin

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  Penix might be the best quarterback Ohio State faces this season. Until the eventual OSU starting QB gets some games under his belt it's wise to assume the former three-star recruit is the best field general in the Big Ten. He torched the Buckeyes last season, throwing for a career-high 491 yards and five touchdowns. Most of that came in the second half after Ohio State had already built a 35-7 lead, but it still allowed the Hoosiers to get back into the game. If Shaun Wade doesn't take an interception back for a touchdown to close out the third quarter, that 42-35 victory might've been headed to overtime. Now he's back with one of his best weapons at wide receiver - Ty Fryfogle - paired with a defense still talented enough to maximize Tom Allen's aggressive approach. He'll be the first thing Ohio State sees coming off a bye week. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

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  For as injury prone as Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has been throughout his college career, he's also proven to be a quick healer. Video surfaced last week of Penix throwing in his native Tampa, Florida, and IU coach Tom Allen said Thursday the All-Big Ten signal caller remains on track to be ready in time for IU's season opener Sept. 4 at Iowa. Penix is less than seven months removed from a torn ACL he suffered Nov. 28 against Maryland on a scramble going out of bounds at Memorial Stadium that sidelined him for the rest of the season. "We feel good about it," Allen said. "I mean, it's like anything else. You've got to stay progressing each month, watching it very carefully. He's got his doctors that had the surgery there monitoring everything very carefully, and they are very cautious -- as they should be."

Indiana offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said the plan is for Penix to start throwing to some of his IU teammates when he returns to campus in July. "I feel good where he's at and again in July start throwing with the guys and expect him to be, you know -- he won't be hit or anything throughout fall camp, so that gives him another whole month of August as well to be able to continue to heal," Allen said. "But he'll be full bore when we get into fall camp. There won't be any restrictions on him other than just not hitting." - Herald Bulletin


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  Indiana junior quarterback Mike Penix Jr. declared himself "on schedule if not maybe a little ahead of schedule" in his rehab from his second torn ACL in the span of three years. Penix said he's not running or throwing yet, and it's unlikely he'll take part in any drills when spring practices start March 9 and run through the end of April. "I've been working extremely hard to get back," Penix said. "I've been doing everything I can to go out and just continue to help motivate the team, still be the leader, even though I can't do certain activities. But I've been doing really good progressing every week and I feel myself getting a lot stronger and feeling more comfortable in my body."

Penix stopped short of guaranteeing a return for IU's Sept. 4 opener at Iowa. "Right now, I'm just sticking with the program, more rehab stuff right now," Penix said. "On-the-field stuff will come later. I'm not really worried about that right now. Just make sure I stay focused and doing whatever the trainers are telling me, just making sure I'm staying healthy outside of the facility … making sure there are no setbacks." - Herald Bulletin


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  Penix suffered his second torn ACL in the span of three years, but Allen was optimistic about the timeline for his recovery after he underwent surgery the week before Christmas. Penix recovered quickly from his first torn ACL by living in the rehab room. He was throwing by April 2019 after sustaining the injury in October 2018. There are no guarantees as every rehabilitation is different, but it's hard to bet against Penix returning based on his work ethic. How important is Penix? Over the last two seasons, Penix is 11-2 as a starter. Other IU starting quarterbacks went 3-5 during that same span. - Herald Bulletin

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  2020 ALL-BIG TEN FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM (COACHES): QB Michael Penix Jr., Indiana,...Penix, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Maryland on Nov. 28, completed 124-of-220 (56.4 percent) for 1,645 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he rushed for a pair of TDs in 2020. Entering the Terrapins game, he led the league in passing yardage, passing yardage per game (312.2, 9th nationally), passing scores, completions, attempts, 60-yard passing plays (4, T-2nd), 50-yarders (6, T-7th), 40-yarders (tied 6, T-33rd) and 30-yarders (11, T-39th). A Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist, Penix owns a 10-2 record as a starter and is 255-of-414 (61.6, 2nd in program history) for 3,258 yards with 25 touchdowns, eight INTs and a 143.8 pass-efficiency rating in 15 games. He has 189 yards on the ground on 47 attempts (4.0 average) with four TDs. - Indiana Football

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  2020 DAVEY O'BRIEN AWARD SEMIFINALIST: Michael Penix Jr., Indiana, So.,...Penix, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury against Maryland on Nov. 28, completed 124-of-220 (56.4 percent) for 1,645 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he rushed for a pair of TDs in 2020. Entering the Terrapins game, he led the league in passing yardage, passing yardage per game (312.2, 9th nationally), passing scores, completions, attempts, 60-yard passing plays (4, T-2nd), 50-yarders (6, T-7th), 40-yarders (tied 6, T-33rd) and 30-yarders (11, T-39th). Penix owns a 10-2 record as a starter and is 255-of-414 (61.6, 2nd in program history) for 3,258 yards with 25 touchdowns, eight INTs and a 143.8 pass-efficiency rating in 15 games. He has 189 yards on the ground on 47 attempts (4.0 average) with four TDs. - Indiana Football

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  Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will miss the rest of this season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Coach Tom Allen made the announcement Monday. The junior was injured during the third quarter of Saturday's victory over Maryland. Jack Tuttle, a redshirt sophomore who started his career at Utah, will replace Penix. It's the third consecutive season Penix has had a season-ending injury. His freshman season also ended with a torn ACL in the same knee and Allen confirmed this injury was to the same knee. The 10th-ranked Hoosiers visit No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday. - AP College Football

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  No. 25 Tulsa is ranked in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time in 10 years and No. 9 Indiana is set to play the first top-10 matchup in program history. The AP Top 25 was mostly stagnant Sunday after four of the top five teams did not play and only one ranked team lost this weekend. Alabama is No. 1 for the second straight week, with 60 first-place votes. No. 2 Notre Dame received one first-place vote and No. 3 Ohio State got the other. The rest of the top eight was unchanged: Clemson is No. 4, followed by Texas A&M, Florida, Cincinnati and BYU. Indiana moved up one spot to ninth - the Hoosiers' best ranking since they were fourth in the 1967 poll - heading into a matchup with Ohio State on Saturday. Tulsa moved into the rankings after beating American Athletic Conference rival SMU, knocking the Mustangs from the Top 25. - AP College Football

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  Michael Penix Jr. passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 13 Indiana beat No. 23 Michigan 38-21 on Saturday for its first victory against the Wolverines in 33 years. With a chunk play here, a free play there and a few dinks and dunks thrown in to keep drives alive, Penix helped Indiana snap a 24-game losing streak in the series - tied for the longest active skid in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It was the Hoosiers' first win against the Wolverines since Oct. 24, 1987, just their second in 41 games and only the second in the 21 games played at Memorial Stadium. The Wolverines (1-2) still don't have a top-15 road win since beating Notre Dame in 2006. The loss to Indiana could turn up the pressure on coach Jim Harbaugh in his sixth season at Michigan. - AP College Football

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  Sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made sure there was no letdown for Indiana on Saturday at Rutgers. Penix passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns, allowing the No. 17 Hoosiers to pull away in the second half and beat the Scarlet Knights 37-21 at SHI Stadium. Coming off its 36-35 upset of then-No. 8 Penn State last week, Indiana (2-0) found itself in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten East before Penn State's kickoff against Ohio State later Saturday night. IU also is off to a 2-0 start in Big Ten play for the first time since 1991. "To start the season 2-0 is huge for our program," Indiana coach Tom Allen said. Penix, who started the game 3-of-10, completed 14 of his final 16 attempts. He connected with tight end Peyton Hendershot on a pair of second-half touchdowns and found senior receiver Whop Philyor five times for 137 yards. "Those two guys found a way to get open today," Penix said. "They made spectacular catches. They were consistent. And that's just all it was, simple execution." - Herald Bulletin

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  The secondary as a unit performed best, but it's hard to overlook Penix. He accounted for four touchdowns, misfired on just one pass in the second half and, by the end of the game, looked like he was beginning to hit full stride. No player or coach lost more to the disrupted offseason than the time Penix and Sheridan didn't get to spend building their rapport as quarterback and play caller. Allen did what he could to structure his preseason in a way that mitigated some of that, but it was never going to make up for all lost time. Some of that would have to happen in games, and we've seen the growing pains over the last two weeks. Saturday, we also saw the potential. Penix's second half was outstanding. - Indianapolis Star/News

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  Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score as No. 17 Indiana beat mistake-prone Rutgers 37-21 on Saturday in a game that almost included a crazy TD. Penix had touchdown tosses of 15, 2 and 1 yard. He also scored on a quarterback sneak as the Hoosiers (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten) followed up their stunning win over then-No. 8 Penn State last week. The wacky play came with less than two minutes to go when Rutgers seemed to score on a 55-yard play that involved at least seven laterals. After a review, however, it was ruled that receiver Shameen Jones' pitch was an illegal forward pass, spoiling a wild celebration for the Scarlet Knights.

Ty Fryfogel caught the 15-yard TD pass just 1:43 after Penix scored, giving the Hoosier a 20-7 halftime lead. Tight end Peyton Hendershot caught the short TD flips in the second half and Charles Campbell added three field goals. Noah Vedral threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Bo Melton and Kay'Ron Adams scored on a 37-yard run for Rutgers (1-1, 1-1). The game was Greg Schiano's at home since starting his second stint as coach with a win at Michigan State last week. Vedral also threw three interceptions. - Indiana/AP College Football


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  Michael Penix Jr. and Tom Allen have received their mentions, but not enough credit. Penix was lousy for most of the game - well, he was - but when it mattered most he was sensational. At one point late in the fourth quarter, Penix was 12-for-29 for 111 yards. But then he caught fire, completing his last seven passes, including a back-shoulder dart to Whop Philyor for the touchdown in overtime.

Penix also was super with his legs. After driving the Hoosiers 75 yards late in regulation, he scored on a 1-yard sneak with 27 seconds left and then scored on the two-point conversion - juking the Penn State blitz and running into the end zone - to tie the score at 28. Then he hit Philyor for the TD and scored the two-point conversion in overtime, racing Brisker to the pylon, diving for it, stretching his arm. Slow-motion replays show every bit of the 6-3, 218 Penix hovering inches above the ground, parallel to the turf, defying Jaquan Brisker and Isaac Newton to plunk the ball onto the pylon for the win. - Indianapolis Star/News


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  Flushed to his stronger side, Michael Penix sprinted toward history. Rarely can a college football player know in the moment that he is living his legacy, acting out what might well be the signature moment of his career. Even more rarely does IU football defeat a top-10 team. At 7:35 p.m. Saturday, it had been 33 years since that happened. By 7:45, it hadn't been five minutes. Penix's full-stretch lunge on a gutsy 2-point conversion call made the pylon, handing Indiana a 36-35 win against No. 7 Penn State to open the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Officials immediately signaled Penix in, then reviewed replay footage for nearly five minutes before deciding the call on the field had to stand. A few millimeters of air wrapped around 100 years of misfortune handed IU a generational victory. "All I saw," Penix said later, "was opportunity." The moment capped a manic game, Penn State held the ball more than twice as long as Indiana, outgained the Hoosiers 488-211, turned the ball over three times to IU's two and led, trailed, then led what looked like for good until the simplest trick gave IU one last chance. - Indianapolis Star/News

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  Indiana jumped into The Associated Press college football poll Sunday after pulling off the weekend's most dramatic upset and Ohio State moved up to No. 3 following a dominant season debut. Clemson remained a rock-solid No. 1 and Alabama was No. 2. The Tigers received 52 first-place votes and the Crimson Tide got the remaining 10. Ohio State leaped two spots after easily dispatching Nebraska as the Big Ten Conference kicked off its pandemic-delayed and abbreviated season. No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 5 Georgia each slipped a spot behind the Buckeyes. Indiana pulled off a stunner in overtime to jump into the rankings, beating then-No. 8 Penn State to earn the program's first victory against a team ranked in the AP top 10 since 1987. The Hoosiers snapped a 25-year absence from the poll last season but stayed there only one week. Indiana has its best ranking since 1993, when it also reached No. 17. With Rutgers coming up next week, the Hoosiers might see a longer stay in the poll than last year. Then again, the Scarlet Knights won their opener, too. Penn State slipped 10 spots to No. 18 after losing to the Hoosiers for just the second time in 24 meetings since joining the Big Ten. - AP College Football

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  Michael Penix forced overtime with a 2-point conversion run with 22 seconds left, then scored on a diving 2-point conversion to give Indiana a season-opening 36-35 upset victory over No. 8 Penn State - ending the Big Ten's longest streak of consecutive losses to Top 10 teams at 42. The winning play went to a replay review before the officials announced the initial call stood. Indiana beat the Nittany Lions for the second time in 24 matchups, and beat a Top 10 foe for the first time since a 31-10 victory at Ohio State on Oct. 10, 1987. And it took every trick in the book to get it done. "All I'd seen was an opportunity, an opportunity to go out and show the world what the Indiana Hoosiers are all about," Penix said. "They were playing man, so we've got to score to win the game and I wasn't going to let my team down, so I went out and gave it my all."

After Indiana failed to gain a first down after Sean Clifford threw a go-ahead 60-yard touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson with 2:30 left, coach Tom Allen instructed his defense to let Penn State score. Devyn Ford obliged with a 14-yard run with 1:42 to go. Penix then took the Hoosiers down the field, scored on a 1-yard TD run with 22 seconds to go, added the 2-point conversion and eventually wound up in overtime after Jordan Stout's 57-yard field goal came up short with 3 seconds left in regulation." Penn State made it 35-28 when Clifford hooked up with Parker Washington in overtime, but Whop Philyor caught a 9-yard TD pass for the Hoosiers and Penix won it when he dove for the goal line and the ball hit the pylon. - Indiana/AP College Football


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