Washington Huskies vs Arizona Wildcats: Dawgs Weather The Storm to Defeat Wildcats 31-13
By Matthew Gray
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
SEATTLE — Bishop Sankey rushed for a school-record 40 times for 161 yards and a touchdown, and Keith Price threw for two touchdowns to lead No. 16 Washington over Arizona 31-13 on Saturday night.
Sankey outclassed Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey, the NCAA’s leading rusher in 2012. Sankey bettered the school record of 38 carries set by Corey Dillon in 1996 against Washington State as blustery environments forced both teams to edge their passing games.
In the intervening time, Sankey, who arrived as the country’s No. 2 foremost rusher at 148.7 yards per game, sustained to be dazzling for the Huskies. He carried for 101 yards on 23 carries in the first half single-handedly as Washington manufactured an 11-6 lead.
Arizona signal caller B.J. Denker fought to deal with the rainy state of affairs. His first pass was intercepted by Sean Parker as it floated in height above Johnny Jackson.
Four plays later, Price linked with Kevin Smith for a 7-yard touchdown to give the Huskies a 6-0 lead after a bungled extra point attempt.
The rain strengthened and both offenses thrashed about to move the chains in the deluge. Arizona could not convert a first down on their first five possessions of the game against Washington’s close defense. After a safety on a punt snapped through the endzone, Kasen Williams returned the following free kick 48 yards to the Arizona 28-yard line. Travis Coons converted a 42-yard field goal to take an 11-0 advantage.
After their fifth straight three-and-out of the half, Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez discernibly screamed at Denker along the sidelines. Denker and the Arizona offense answered with a touchdown drive to end the half. In front of 4th and 2 at the Washington 36-yard line, the Huskies sent every man on the field in an all-out blitz to stop Carey, and Denker kept for a 33-yard gain to the Washington 3. Carey pounded in for a 3-yard touchdown to bring Arizona within 11-6 at the half after a futile PAT. Carey ran for 132 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats.
The shower decreased and the offenses came out shooting after the pause. Washington needed to convert just one-third down as the Huskies trudged on a 95-yard scoring drive to open the third quarter. Price crowned the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins to give Washington an 18-6 lead. Price was effective in chucking for 165 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Looking at one more fourth down, Carey sprinted for 24 yards on 4th and 10 to move the Wildcats to the Huskies 11. Two plays later, Denker sprinted around left end into the endzone for a 7-yard touchdown to come within a score of the Huskies.
Price recorded a 49-yard pass to Smith to swiftly transport Washington back into Arizona terrain. Sankey bulldozed into the endzone from 1-yard out to lengthen the Washington lead to 25-13.
The Wildcats were moving the chains again when Denker was intercepted by Marcus Peters, instigating Rodriguez to blow another gasket and fastball his headset into the turf alongside the Arizona sideline. Denker finished just 14 of 35 passes for 119 yards and two interceptions for Arizona.
Jesse Callier contributed a 2-yard touchdown run for Washington.