Rivalry weekend is never easy. The Cougars of Washington State had no intention of leaving Seattle without fighting tooth and nail for the Apple Cup trophy. The Huskies played far from their best game of football, but when it was all said and done it was Huskies 24, Cougars 21.
With the Grady Gross 42 yard field goal as time expired the Huskies knocked the Cougars into next season as they are not bowl eligible. The Huskies move to 12-0 for the first time since 1991 and became the first and only Pac-12 team to finish unblemished in conference play.
Here’s how one of the best Apple Cup’s of all time went down:
Kick-Off
The Cougars came out and got into their bag of tricks, running an opening play flee flicker. It would go for just 3 yards. The Husky crowd got their response forcing a false start to put WSU behind the chains, a short screen made it third down. Pressure would get to Cam Ward as he would dump it off far short of a first down. The Huskies would follow suit running a double sweep that ended up with Germie Bernard losing yardage. They would convert a first down but be forced to send the ball back to the Cougars.
Cameron Ward is under fire, forced an early throw on first down and on second down he got crushed by Carson Bruener. Bruener would chase him down the next play and force the ball into the WSU sideline.
The Huskies get Jalen McMillan back in the game plan with a quick screen. Rome Odunze makes a catch at the marker, makes his man miss, and turns it into a gain of 22. On the first red zone play of the day the Huskies call McMillan into motion and find him for another screen pass. Two big stops by the Cougs set up third and goal from the 1/2 yard line but the offensive line would get the push they needed as Dillon Johnson walked right in to make it 7-0 Huskies.
After struggling early WSU would finally get a first down. They would take the next snap quickly and take a big shot down the sideline to ___. Again they hurried up and it worked again as they found #3 in the end zone to complete the quick strike drive. Daniyel Ngata returns the kickoff 33 yards from his own 1 to give the Huskies a good start but three plays gained six yards and Jack McCallister came out to punt once again.
WSU got a quick first down but Ulumoo Ale drew a hold to set up first and 20.
First Quarter: 7-7
WSU would gain three, then commit another hold, but UW declined it to set up 3rd and 17. Husky Stadium brought the energy but WSU gained 16 and kept the offense out for fourth and 1. On fourth down the Cougars went QB push up the middle and the Huskies defensive line stood strong. Dillon Johnson is getting his share of action early, and doing well. Rome Odunze gets an iffy PI penalty to get Washington into field goal range. Penix had multiple uncharacteristic misses to bring Grady Gross out to leave it wide right from 43 and it kept the game at 7 a piece.
The Cougars found success using runs and short passes to continually move the ball. UW forced a third down near midfield but a Cam Ward keeper got just enough to move the chains. WSU went for a double pass from Ward to #9, but a jump ball was knocked down by Jabbar Muhammad. In a big spot the Husky pass rush comes up with a big team sack with Alphonzo Tuputala and Sekai Asoau-afoa getting their first. Already in trouble Ward dropped back on 3rd and 17 and ate a huge hit from Zion Tupuola-Fetui as he let go of the ball. That ball would go straight to Thaddeus Dixon giving UW great field position.
Dillon Johnson made a good run on first down to push away from midfield. But penalties and DJ runs would go back and forth to set up third and 1. From third down the Huskies would take their shot. A slip by the DB on the line of scrimmage left Rome Odunze wide wide open for a 39 yard touchdown completion to go up 14-7.
WSU continued to move the chains with short throws, plus an unnecessary roughness on Ralen Goforth. On a big pressure Voi Tunuufi clipped Ward in the backfield forcing him to just toss the ball out of his hand. The crowd got another false start called on the Cougs and it was all of a sudden third and eight. The Husky crowd had all the momentum they could want, raising the roof again and forcing Washington State to call a time out. Another third down and another false start. When they finally got a snap off Ward scrambled for a few but not enough.
Penix kept looking for Odunze and kept finding him. Odunze totaled up 80 yards on 4 catches before halftime. But a negative rush, a penalty, and an in completion forced the Huskies to punt yet again. The Cougars connected short gains before taking their shot to Lincoln Victor for a gain of 28 into the red zone. From there Bralen Trice would sack Ward for a loss of three. Trice would get to Ward again but the Cougars quarterback was able to throw it this time. Third down for the Cougars means one thing, false start. On third and 18 Ward takes a shot and finds receiver Kyle Williams for a bang bang play in the end zone that is ruled a touchdown to tie it at 14.
Half-Time: 14-14
On second and three Penix gave Ja’Lynn Polk a shot and Polk had the ball ripped away from him. Polk has now gone eight straight targets without a catch. On third down the Husky crowd came up with a big play for another false start but on third and 13 WSU converted. On third down Bralen Trice jumped the line of scrimmage to get WSU across the 50. Brice gets it back though, chasing Ward around the backfield until he and Tuputala combine for the sack. Lance Holtzclaw kept the party going as he chased Ward even deeper into Cougar territory for another sack.
After the defense came up big the offense couldn’t get much going Tybo Rogers got his touches as the Huskies moved slowly. On third down a WSU rusher jumped off sides and Penix tossed the ball away to take the penalty. But a flag was also thrown on Penix for intentional grounding, and the Husky crowd as well as Kalen DeBoer let the officials hear their opinions.
Despite the best efforts of Faatui Tuitele the Cougars were able to move the chains. A hold on WSU pushed them back and a first down in-completion had them reeling. The Cougars had third and nine from the edge of field goal range, with one of the biggest plays of the game. They swung it outside but Makell Esteen was there to make it a loss of 1. WSU went to kick it anyway, but the 50 yard attempt was both short and right.
The Huskies shortened things up, using quick completions and a healthy dose of Dillon Johnson to power across the 50 yard line. Once they had a first down Penix found Mr. Reliable Jack Westover for a needed gain of 19 to the 21 yard line. From there the Huskies pulled out the go to play hitting Rome Odunze on a dot in the far side of the end zone. Penix put it up and Odunze turned to find it. Nothing any defender could have done to stop the Huskies from taking a 21-14 lead.
Third Quarter: 21-14 Washington
Jabbar Muhammad was inches away from another interception knocking down a throw on first down. On second down Ward felt pressure and was forced too throw early behind his receiver. The throw went off his hands, bounced up off of Elijah Jackson and into the arms of Makell Esteen. The Huskies went straight at WSU with Dillon Johnson but ended up just short of a first down and where forced to punt it back to the Cougars.
With the ball back the Cougars moved smoothly. Starting from their own 37 they cut through the Huskies defense. Edefuan Ulufoshio was the Husky to step up and sack Ward to put WSU behind the chains. The Huskies took advantage and forced the Cougars to send out the field goal team, but on the kick Dominique Hampton attempted to push himself into a block and the flag gave WSU a first and goal. The Cougars would punch it in from there and it seemed like WSU might have the upper hand.
Penix and the offense got their chance to take the game back, and they went three and out. WSU had the ball, and plenty of time on the clock. The Huskies perfect season looked minutes away from over. The Cougars looked good on the first couple of snaps, but the Huskies stood their ground. The Cougars looked as if they had gained another first down, but ZTF drew a holding penalty to change the game. From their the Huskies would force a punt and get one more chance to win it.
Pinned at their own 10 Penix found Rome Odunze on a screen and got the first down. Germie Bernard gained 9 and Dillon Johnson was stuffed on a third down run. With fourth and inches from their own 29 the punt team came out. The Huskies used a hard count before calling timeout and bringing the offense back out. Not only was this play for the game, but it could very well have been for the season. After trying to get Johnson up the middle Grubb dialed up an option. Penix ended up pulling it away from Johnson and gave it to a sweeping Rome Odunze who rushed up the sideline for a gain of 23. A roughing the passer penalty moved UW within field goal range and the Huskies smelled blood. Multiple attempts at the end zone looked closer to interception than touchdown, and a late sack pushed the field goal back to 42 yards.
After missing from 43 earlier Grady Gross had his opportunity for revenge. And he placed it right down the middle to win the game for the Huskies.
Final: 24-21 Washington
