SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Washington quarterback Jake Browning had his worst game of the season Friday, probably ruining any chance he had of winning the Heisman Trophy.

But he won't mind a great deal because he likely will have a chance to redeem himself in a big-time game with a national audience. That's because his fourth-ranked Huskies probably earned a berth to the College Football Playoff with their 41-10 victory over No. 8 Colorado in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night at Levi's Stadium.

The Huskies (12-1) won their first conference title since 2000 and expect their name to be called Sunday when the four teams selected to participate in the national championship playoff are announced.

"I think there's no doubt about that," Washington coach Chris Petersen said. "We think we belong in there. It works out the way it's supposed to work out."

Colorado (10-3) is most likely headed to the Alamo Bowl, with an outside shot at the Rose Bowl. After the game, coach Mike McIntyre focused less on the loss and more on his team's improvement from a 1-8 conference record in 2015 to this season's 8-1 Pac-12 record entering Friday's game.

Browning completed 9 of 24 passes for 118 yards. He did have two touchdown passes, the second being a product of John Ross' acrobatic catch and run. That gave Browning 42 touchdown passes for the season, one shy of the Pac-12 record.

Two Washington players rushed for more than 100 yards as the Huskies churned out 265 rushing yards. Myles Gaskin gained 159 yards on 29 carries, and Lavon Coleman picked up 101 yards on 18 attempts.

"Really, really proud of our running game," Petersen said. "Our pass game was, uh, awkward, for lack of a better way to say it."

But the player of the game for Washington turned out to be a defensive player. Washington defensive back Taylor Rapp had two interceptions early in the second half that helped break the game open, as they led to scores that expanded the Huskies' 14-7 halftime lead to 24-7.

"We gave them a short field three or four times and that's how they pulled away," McIntyre said. "We were more concerned with their running game than Jake Browning to be honest with you."

Colorado starting quarterback Sefo Liufau had a miserable game. He was 3 of 13 for 21 yards and three interceptions, and wound up with a minus-9.5 passer rating.

"Honestly pretty upset," Liufau said of his postgame mood. "Especially on the offensive side, we didn't put on a very good performance."

Quarterback Steven Montez, who played most of the first half for the Buffaloes, was 5 of 12 for 60 yards. Phillip Lindsay was limited to 53 rushing yards on 19 carries.

Liufau left the game with a twisted left ankle with 9:50 remaining in the first quarter. He sat out the rest of the first half, but returned to start the third quarter. Liufau's first pass of the second half was intercepted by Rapp, who grabbed a deflected pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown that gave the Huskies a 21-7 lead 16 seconds into the third quarter.

"First play coming out, pick six, it's a great thing," Gaskin said.

Liufau's second pass of the third quarter was also intercepted by Rapp, giving Washington possession at Colorado 25-yard line. The Huskies turned that into a 24-yard Cameron Van Winkle field goal that put Washington ahead 24-7.

"I really messed up, to say the least," Liufau said.

John Ross later made a remarkable, leaping, one-handed catch of a poor Browning pass, then eluded several defenders for a 19-yard touchdown reception that put Washington ahead 31-7.

Browning completed just 4 of 12 passes for 38 yards in the first half, but he had a touchdown pass that gave the Huskies a 14-7 lead at halftime.

Washington scored a touchdown on its first possession, marching 65 yards in seven plays. Coleman, who picked up 38 yards rushing on the drive, scored the touchdown on a 2-yard run to make it 7-0.

Liufau left the game when he was sacked by Washington's Psalm Wooching. Liufau was replaced by Montez, who started three games this season.

Montez led Colorado to a tying touchdown late in the opening quarter. But Washington took the lead for good on a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darrell Daniels to give the Huskies a 14-7 advantage.

"It's so crazy," Rapp said of his reaction to the victory. "It's so surreal, feels like a dream come true."

NOTES: Washington QB Jake Browner still has a chance to become a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Deadline for voting is Monday, which is when the finalists will be announced. ... Colorado head coach Mike McIntyre was named Pac-12 coach of the year and Walter Camp national coach of the year. ... Colorado entered this weekend ranked fourth nationally in pass-efficiency defense. ... Washington had nine players named to the all-Pac-12 first team, and Colorado had just two, one of whom was chosen for a special teams position that was neither a kicker nor a returner