Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. fell just short of winning the Heisman Trophy, but an impressive performance in the Sugar Bowl to send his team to the national championship game isn't a bad consolation prize.

Penix led the Huskies to a nail-biting 37-31 win over the Texas Longhorns on New Year's Day to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines. He finished the day 29-for-38 with 430 yards and two passing touchdowns. It was the second-most passing yards in a College Football Playoff semifinal and fourth-most ever in the College Football Playoff era.

Here are some of the biggest plays and highlights from Penix's performance in the Sugar Bowl:

77-yard pass on Washington's opening drive

Penix started slinging the ball right off the bat, starting the opening drive with a 77-yard pass to Ja'Lynn Polk, placing the ball perfectly over the Texas defender. The big pass would set up a touchdown on the following play.

Michael Penix Jr. finds Rome Odunze for 52-yard strike

Rome Odunze was Penix's top target all season, and he showed why by making an incredible catch for a 52-yard gain in the second quarter.

Penix placed the ball right on Odunze, who hauled in the catch just as the Texas defender got to him.

Michael Penix Jr. finds Ja'Lynn Polk for touchdown

Despite all the success throwing the ball, Penix didn't get his first touchdown of the game until late in the second quarter. Penix found Polk again, and the receiver tipped it up in the air as a Texas defender reached for the ball and easily hauled it in for a 29-yard touchdown.

Michael Penix Jr. throws dart for second touchdown

The second touchdown of the night for Penix came on the opening drive of the second half, as he threw a dart in between two defenders to Jalen McMillan for a 19-yard TD pass to put the Huskies back on top.

Michael Penix Jr. connects with Rome Odunze on crucial fourth-quarter pass

The biggest throw of the day likely came in the fourth quarter.

Up 34-28 with less than five minutes to go, Penix found Odunze down the sideline, and the duo hooked up on an outstanding 32-yard pass that set the Huskies up inside the redzone.

The play turned out to be pivotal, as it led to a field goal that made it a two-score game. It was also a big factor in the Longhorns having to go for a touchdown at the end of the game, which they were unsuccessful in getting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Washington's Michael Penix Jr. dazzles in Sugar Bowl; see top plays