Anchorage’s Edefuan Ulofoshio (left) and Michael Penix Jr. hold up the Sugar Bowl trophy. Photo by Red Box Photos
You know someone’s a big deal when coaches call on them to hoist the trophy after a big win.
Welcome to Edefuan Ulofoshio’s world.
The Anchorage native was front and center alongside Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix Jr. for the awards ceremony Monday night after No. 2 Washington held off No. 3 Texas 37-31 at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
The Huskies improved to 14-0 and advanced to next week’s CFP national championship game against No. 1 Michigan (14-0).
Ulofoshio, of South High fame, registered seven tackles – five solo and two for loss.
The senior defensive captain was part of a UW defense that stopped Texas four times inside the 13-yard line in the final frantic 10 seconds.
The 6-foot-1, 236-pound linebacker had four tackles in the red zone, including a 1-yard loss at the 12-yard line late in the fourth quarter when he dragged Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers out of bounds while losing his helmet in an all-heart, all-out effort play.
Edefuan Ulofoshio : 7 tackles (5 solo) & 2 for loss pic.twitter.com/6CbrpLprrC
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) January 2, 2024
UW held the Longhorns to 10 points in the second half, including a clean sheet in the third quarter when the Pac-12 champions seized control after a 21-21 tie at halftime.
Ulofoshio addressed the team on the field before the fourth quarter in a sign of true leadership, and then made a big play at crunch time. No surprise there. He has stood tall all season, earning First Team All-Pac-12 honors as well as Third Team All-American recognition.
Ulofoshio has 247 career tackles, which ranks third all-time among Alaskans at the Division I level.
The Huskies are looking for their first national title since 1991, when the team featured another Alaska linebacker in David Killpatrick of Anchorage.
The former Alaska player of the year out of West High played for the Huskies from 1991 to 1994 and racked up 150 tackles in 44 games.
The 1993 Rose Bowl saw Killpatrick block a punt in the final minute of the fourth quarter against Michigan to pump life back into the Huskies before falling 38-31.