This is a well matched up game for both teams, and a game that’s going to come down to every single player and play. But there are guys on both teams that might have a little more sway in how this match-up goes. Here’s the 10 players RealDawg thinks will have the biggest impact on this high powered Sugar Bowl.

Washington Huskies:

Michael Penix Jr.: We all know what Penix is going to do. The Huskies quarterback and Maxwell award winner leads this high powered offense, and leads the nation in passing. It’s a pretty easy answer for player to watch, but the Huskies will live and die by Michael Penix. His ability to make big throws, and drop them on the money is what sets the UW offense apart from any other in the country.

Dillon Johnson: The difference in this offense being slightly above average and being elite is Dillon Johnson. When Johnson is moving the football effectively this team is unstoppable. Defenses become spread too thin to cope with the mass of weapons, and the Huskies score points at will. Texas will have their hands full trying to stop DJ, and if they can’t, then it’s goodnight.

Rome Odunze: Odunze is a little different from everyone else on this list. Because the Huskies offense will put up the same numbers if he is 1 on 1, or doubled on every play. The UW offense is too powerful to be leaning on one player. McMillan, Polk, and Bernard will all get their touches when necessary. But at the end of the game Odunze is always the first read. How Rome plays in the big moments could be the difference between win and lose.

Parker Brailsford/Julius Buelow: I could say the whole offensive line here, but these two specifically will spend most of their day lined up across from T’Vondre Sweat. Sweat is the catalyst of this Texas defense and an absolute wrecking ball from defensive tackle position. Brailsford and Buelow will have the responsibility of mitigating Sweat’s impact, and in turn stunting this Texas D.

Bralen Trice: Trice is currently sitting on the edge of being a first round draft pick. His year started relatively slow, but Trice has picked up the pace and in recent weeks looked like the edge rusher we all remember. Trice is one of the nations leaders in QB pressures, and if he can turn a couple of those into sacks, and cost the Longhorns drives, the Huskies will be in the drivers seat all night.

Jabbar Muhammad: Another player that is going to have a tough day. Texas is absolutely stacked at receiver, not Washington stacked but they have their weapons. It will likely be Jabbar Muhammad following a top guy on every play. If he can just make getting the ball to Worthy and Mitchell even just a pain for the Longhorns the Huskies will take leaps and bounds defensively.

Edefuan Ulofoshio: Ulofoshio’s job is going to be a lot easier if Muhammad and the secondary do theirs. Texas will run the football, and they have done that well, they also like to find the inside third of the field when they throw. Ulofoshio, along with the rest of the linebackers, will be tasked with clean-up/prevention. Preventing chunk plays on the ground and big yards after the catch are going to be crucial to slowing down the Longhorns.

Texas Longhorns:

Xavier Worthy/AD Mitchell: The two go to guys for Quinn Ewers, and the two biggest threats for Texas. The Longhorns receivers will determine how this offense moves the ball. If the get going, this Husky secondary has looked shaky at times, but if that secondary group steps up, Texas is going to be looking and 3rd and long a lot against a defense that forces a lot of turnovers.

T’Vondre Sweat: Probably the most talked about name on this Texas team. The defensive tackle is the leading force of a Longhorn defense that has been very good this season. Sweat is an interior wrecking ball that will have chances to both threaten Penix and stuff up the run game. The likelihood of stopping him is quite low, but the key will be slowing him down.

Kelvin Banks: We talked about the importance of Trice’s game for the Huskies, and Banks is the longhorn who will be responsible for stopping that. As the Longhorns left tackle Banks will be lined up with Trice all day, and end up on an island. If he wins this battle and Ewers has time, it’ll be tough for the Huskies defense to get things going the way they want.