Michael Penix Jr. describes the feeling in Washington locker room after losing to Michigan

For the first time in over a year, Washington returned to their locker room with a loss after a game. However, while the Huskies lost their biggest game in recent memory, QB Michael Penix Jr. says the room had a good perspective afterward.

Penix Jr. spoke about the emotions in their locker room during his postgame press conference after the 34-13 defeat to No. 1 Michigan in the national championship of the College Football Playoff. On one side of the coin, the team was upset after missing in their opportunity. Still, on the flip side, they also took time to appreciate one another as teammates after everything they accomplished.

“Hurt,” said Penix Jr.. “I mean, like Coach said, we came here, we wanted to win. That has been our goal since day one. I said this since day one. But, man, it sucks.”

“In the locker room? It’s just a lot of love. We’re just a group that we have been through a lot together, man. We’re not going to point fingers or nothing like that,” Penix Jr. continued. “It’s a lot of love in the locker room. Everybody is just showing their appreciation for each and every person that laid their body on the line – not just during the season but offseason. Everything that we’ve been through.”

In the end, Penix Jr. continued by admitting that they came across a team that played better than them last night. That was specifically so on offense after they scored a season-low in points and he himself had one of his worst games of the season.

“We played a good team. They did some good things,” said Penix Jr.. “I feel like, on the offensive side of the ball, we just missed a lot of opportunities. Opportunities where we needed to execute the most to help our team, put our team in a better position to come out with this win.”

Again, it’s been some time now since Washington had to handle this kind of outcome. Before last night, their last defeat came 457 days ago in Tempe. Since then, the Huskies had ripped off 21 straight before their loss to the Wolverines in the playoff on Monday.

Now, after a night that they’ll never forget for all the wrong reasons, all Washington can do as a program is move on. That’s the case for their players that are moving onward too after they ultimately fell short of their goal.

“It’s okay, though. We’re good,” said Penix Jr..