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Can the Huskies win another national title? A key player on the UW's 1991 title team reflects on the challenge

caption: Lincoln Kennedy was a dominant offensive tackle who helped the Washington Huskies to a perfect 12-0 season and a national title in 1991.
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Lincoln Kennedy was a dominant offensive tackle who helped the Washington Huskies to a perfect 12-0 season and a national title in 1991.
USA TODAY SPORTS

The undefeated University of Washington Huskies take on the Texas Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl New Year's Day, with a chance to play for the national championship. Only two other UW football teams have brought home the ultimate college title.

It's 1991. On the balcony of Anaheim Marriot, a 6-foot-7-inch man is yelling at the top of his lungs.

Lincoln Kennedy, the University of Washington's dominant offensive tackle who would go on to play for 11 years in the NFL, just found out his team would share the National Championship title. Kennedy helped lead the Huskies to a 12-0 undefeated season.

"It was such a happy moment, a guy like me," Kennedy said. "We were sticking our chests out because we really accomplished something."

Kennedy helped the Huskies reach four straight bowl games and three consecutive Rose Bowls. He was the ninth overall selection in the 1993 NFL Draft, and spent two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before moving to the Raiders, who he led to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII. In 2015, he became the 11th UW football player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

KUOW's Angela King talked to Lincoln Kennedy about what it was like to win the 1991 National Championship. He shares his thoughts on the Huskies taking on Texas at Caesar Superdome in New Orleans.

The Sugar Bowl kicks off Monday at 5:45 p.m.

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