Washington using underdog label as motivation

NEW ORLEANS — After multiple Washington players expressed feelings of disrespect this week ahead of Monday’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Texas, Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer said he views those as “extra motivational factors.”

DeBoer mostly downplayed the idea that the Huskies have been overlooked, but he made it clear the team has discussed the perceived lack of external belief, even as their winning streak grew during the season.

“You also get to the point where you are 9-0, 10-0, and you’re not the favorite team,” DeBoer said. “Not that that’s owed to you or you deserve to be that way. But, for us, it’s just kind of something we need to keep proving what we’re all about and finding ways — it’s not really bulletin-board material or anything like that, but just finding those ways to disprove the doubters.”

After beating Oregon in the Pac-12 title game as a 9.5-point underdog, second-ranked Washington (13-0) is again the betting underdog against a lower-ranked team with a loss on its record. Texas (12-1) is a 4-point favorite, according to ESPN BET.

DeBoer took it in stride, even offering some justification for why each teams develop the reputations they have.

“We’ve talked about that a lot, especially in the last three or four weeks of the season,” DeBoer said. “A little bit of that maybe continues now. But, in the end, we understand why one person might look at us versus Texas a certain way. It’s because we’re facing a very good football team and a team that is capable of winning a national championship, too.”

UW quarterback Michael Penix Jr. understands there is additional scrutiny and a brighter spotlight comes with the territory at this point in the season.

“We came here for business,” he said. “But, obviously, there’s a lot that comes with it. And being on this stage, it’s a lot that comes with being on this stage, playing in the college football playoffs. We’re soaking it all in. Like I said, we’re enjoying the opportunity, but we know the job and the task at hand. We’re not going to forget that.”

For receiver Rome Odunze, playing against a big brand like Texas doesn’t add anything to the game.

“Not necessarily. I’ve only been on this Earth for 21 years, and the history of both programs goes way, way back further than that,” he said. “I can only speak on what I’ve been able to do here and the time that I’ve been in college football with us and Texas. But two historic programs that have done a lot for college football and so much history on both sides. For me, it’s just another way to mark my stamp on college football and on the University of Washington and a little bit of history for Texas as well.”

On Friday, Washington edge rusher Bralen Trice was perplexed that, again, the Huskies — despite their 20-game winning streak — are an underdog.

“I think it’s crazy,” he said. “Just the level of disrespect we get, I can’t really understand it, but it helps us because it makes us have our backs against the wall as we go into these games, ready to play even harder because we are the underdogs. You don’t take anything for granted out there. We’re grateful to be in the position we’re at because of the hard work we put in. We can be the underdog. We can be on top, and we’ll come out with the win.”