Apple Cup: Huskies Drop Cougars 45-17 in Pullman
By Ben Renner
This year’s Apple Cup was the most compelling matchup in recent years, pitting two nationally-ranked teams against each other, but the Huskies routed the Cougars 45-17.
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- Apple Cup: History leading up to the 2018 edition
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The Huskies beat the Cougars in this year’s Apple Cup 45-17 at Martin Freeman Stadium in Pullman and will move on to the Pac-12 Championship game to face either Colorado or USC. The Huskies didn’t leave much doubt in the game, putting up 28 points in the first quarter. Quarterback Jake Browning tossed three touchdowns in the quarter and put up 202 yards on 13 of 17 passing and finished with 292 passing yards and no turnovers, furthering his Heisman Trophy candidacy.
Washington won the Apple Cup for the fourth consecutive year. Wide receiver Dante Pettis caught two touchdowns and John Ross added another. By halftime, the Huskies had racked up 386 yards. The Cougars came back in the third quarter, but couldn’t put enough points on the board against a tough Washington defense playing with a big lead.
After Washington’s win in the Apple Cup, the Pac-12 title comes down to three teams. Colorado plays Utah in Boulder today. If the Buffaloes win, they take the Pac-12 South division. USC, which plays Notre Dame today for some reason, will take the title win or lose if Colorado falls to the Utes.
The Trojans of course beat the Huskies a few weeks ago, but the Buffaloes would be a tough opponent as well. If the Huskies win the Pac-12 Championship, they will almost certainly be invited to the College Football Championship. With Michigan and Ohio State brutalizing each other as I write this, there will be an opening in the CFP. One more big win for the Huskies and they’ll have a shot for the National Championship.
The Cougars will likely be outside the national rankings after their Apple Cup loss, but their bowl chances are far from extinguished. They finished 8-4 overall and 7-2 in the Pac-12, nothing to be ashamed of, but for a team that looked at times to be a contender for the Pac-12 title, the loss is disappointing for Mike Leach and company. I hope Luke Falk, Gabe Marks, and Cougars get another shot at a national audience with a decent bowl game this season.