The Washington Huskies have had a brilliant season and they made it to the College Football Playoff as a result of their 13-0 season that included a pair of victories over Oregon, as well as victories over Arizona, Oregon State and USC.

Despite their undefeated status, the Huskies are 4-point underdogs to the Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl. The winner of this CFP semifinal game will face the winner of the Michigan-Alabama Rose Bowl confrontation for the national championship.

There is a bit of the “no respect” card being played by the Huskies. While they are undefeated, the Longhorns are 12-1, so there is a question of why a 1-loss team would be favored over a team that has proven it knows how to win when circumstances are working against them. Not only are the Huskies on the short side of this game, they were 10-point underdogs to the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 championship game — even though they had beaten Oregon during the regular season.

There are some legitimate questions about the effectiveness of the Washington defense. The Huskies have allowed 28 points or more in 5 of their last 7 games. That includes giving up 42 points to USC, 33 points to Stanford, 33 and 31 points to Oregon and 28 points to Utah.

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That may explain the underdog status. However, the Huskies have a number of major stars on offense, all of whom could have a game-changing impact on the outcome. They include quarterback Michael Penix, wide receiver Rome Odunze and running Dillon Johnson

Quarterback Michael Penix will show off his big-play ability with 300-plus passing yards and at least 2 touchdowns

Penix is one of the most highly sought after quarterbacks in this year's draft. He may not be as highly rated as USC's Caleb Williams, but he has size, arm strength and accuracy going for him.

He also has a ton of experience on his side. Penix has had two brilliant seasons for the Huskies, but prior to coming to Seattle, he played 4 seasons for Indiana. He never played more than 7 games in any of the seasons with the Hoosiers, but he was entrenched in college football.

Penix completed 307 of 466 passes for 4,218 yards with 33 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. That comes on the heels of the 2022 season when he connected on 362 of 554 passes for 4,641 yards with 31 TDs and 8 interceptions. Penix is not much of a running threat, but he did run for 4 TDs in '22 and 3 TDs this season.

The 6-3, 218-pound Penix finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

More than the numbers, Penix is an excellent decision maker who is not going to put the ball in a place that is going to result in his receiver taking a big hit. He also has shown that he can throw the ball into tight windows and avoid interceptions.

While some observers may not give him credit for a plus arm, he has a smooth left-handed motion and he delivers the ball with confidence.

Rome Odunze will have at least 80 receiving yards and 1 touchdown

Penix developed a sensational partnership with wideout Rome Odunze.

Odunze is a 6-3, 215-pound junior, and he put together a remarkable year for the Huskies. He caught 81 passes for 1,428 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Odunze gets off the line of scrimmage very well, runs precise patterns and will make the tough catch in traffic. Once he makes the catch, Odunze is very tough to bring down. He runs with power and nastiness, and the linebacker or defensive back that attempts to bring him down is likely to get the worst of the confrontation.

He is a difference maker for the Huskies, and if they win the game, it would not be a surprise if he is the player who turns the game in Washington's favor.

In addition to Odunze, the Huskies have other receivers who can contribute. They include Ja'Lynn Polk caught 60 passes for 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns, and Jalen McMillian caught 34-468-3.

Dillon Johnson will run for 75 yards and score at least 1 touchdown for Washington

Washington is known for its passing offense. Penix is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation and Odunze is a special receiver.

However, the Huskies also have a running game that can relieve some of the pressure on the passing game. Johnson had 201 carries this season for 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He was at his best in the Pac-12 title game when he carried the ball 28 times for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns. Look for Johnson to play a prominent role against the Longhorns.