Dawg days for Drew as Huskies rule Rose.(The Orange County Register)

PASADENA, Calif. _- Pain and Purdue were no match for a team that refused to let anything stand in its way.

Washington made a strong argument for national championship consideration and the Pac-10's return to power when it overcame an injury to its quarterback and Purdue's dangerous offense to beat the Boilermakers, 34-24, on Monday in the 87th Rose Bowl in front of 94,392.

And the fourth-ranked Huskies (11-1) did it the way they had throughout the season, relying on the arm and legs of quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo, even though he briefly left the game because of an injured right shoulder.

Tuiasosopo, however, missed only three plays before sprinting back to the field and leading Washington on the touchdown drive that gave the Huskies all the points they needed to beat the 14th-ranked Boilermakers (8-4). Tuiasosopo, who was named player of the game, completed 16 of 22 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown and was Washington's second-leading rusher with 75 yards on 15 carries.

"I knew that he would be back shortly," said Washington coach Rick Neuheisel, who was the player of the game in UCLA's 1984 Rose Bowl victory over Illinois. "He wasn't going to miss this game."

Tuiasosopo simply embraced the attitude that Washington exuded throughout a season in which it was denied only once. He and his team seemed to think nothing was out of reach, although the national championship might prove otherwise.

Washington needs some help and a major change in heart by the voters in the Associated Press Top 25 to move up three spots and claim a share of the title with Florida State, which must beat undefeated Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl for the Huskies to have a chance.