Jake Browning set Washington’s all-time passing mark and the Huskies’ defense continued to dominate, allowing No. 11 Washington to cruise to a 35-7 win over No. 20 BYU in Seattle.
The senior quarterback was nearly perfect on the night, completing 23-of-25 passes for 277 yards with a touchdown while scampering for another
After trading punts to open the game, Washington got on the board with an 8-play, 68-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 5-yard Salvon Ahmed rush at the 7:19 mark of the third quarter.
BYU (3-2) answered with its only consequential drive of the first half -- a 13-play, 56-yard march -- but the Cougars got behind the chains after penetrating the Washington red zone, and Skyler Southam‘s 45-yard field goal was no good.
Washington (4-1) capitalized on that miss with a 72-yard, 6-play push punctuated by a 6-yard Myles Gaskin rush, handing the Huskies complete control of the game with 11:05 to play in the first half.
Another long Husky march, 58 yards over 13 plays, ended in a missed 40-yard Peyton Henry field goal with 1:28 left in the opening half. That missed field goal seemed to signal a 14-0 score heading into halftime, but Ben Burr-Kiven popped the ball loose from BYU running back Lopini Katoa at the BYU 24 with 22 seconds left before halftime, and Browning fired two complete passes, then rushed nine yards for a touchdown with five seconds left before the break.
The trend continued in the second half, when Browning found Drew Sample for a 15-yard score, the quarterback’s 100th career score as a Husky. Washington completed the scoring with a 6-yard Ahmed score at the 1:24 mark of the third quarter.
BYU’s score came with the help of Washington, as Chico McClatcher fumbled a punt at his own 21, and the Cougars still needed seven plays to score, as Katoa punched in a 4th-and-goal from the 1 with 41 ticks left in the game.
Tanner Mangum completed 18 of his 21 passes, but for just 160 yards. Washington dominated the rushing battle, 187-34. Ahmed and Gaskin combined to rush 24 times for 167 yards and three touchdowns.
Since dropping their opener to No. 9 Auburn in Seattle, Washington has allowed a total of 37 points over its four consecutive wins.