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Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze told reporters Wednesday that he suffered a broken rib and punctured lung while recovering an onside kick against Arizona on Sept. 30.
That matchup, which resulted in a 30-24 road win for the Huskies, took place in Tuscon. Per Mike Vorel of the Seattle Times, Odunze also said he was at a local hospital until 5 a.m. before his mother and two trainers took turns on a 23-hour drive back to Seattle.
Odunze did not miss any time due to the ailments. Following a bye week, he then caught eight passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns in a big 36-33 win over Oregon just 14 days after suffering the injuries.
Odunze ended the season with 81 catches for 1,423 yards and 13 touchdowns. Thanks largely to his efforts, the Huskies finished 13-0, won the Pac-12 title and earned the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff.
There’s certainly no doubting the 6’3″, 215-pound Odunze’s skillset and toughness, especially after he didn’t miss any games despite a midseason hospital stay due to injuries.
He even finished the year as a consensus All-American and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the most outstanding receiver in American college football.
Odunze also looks like a first-round NFL draft prospect if he turns pro. Per the B/R NFL Scouting Department, Odunze is the No. 9 overall prospect in the 2024 draft class.
There’s still more work to be done now, though, for Odunze and the Huskies, who will play No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl. That game will take place on New Year’s Day at 8:45 p.m. ET.
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