First look: Washington State faces rival Washington in nonconference, neutral-site Apple Cup
By
Greg Woods
gregw@spokesman.com
(509) 459-5587
Sept. 9, 2024 Updated Mon., Sept. 9, 2024 at 8:38 p.m.
PULLMAN – Here is a first look at Washington State’s neutral-site game against rival Washington this weekend in Seattle.
What is it?
In the first nonconference Apple Cup, WSU and UW will meet again, this time in a neutral-site capacity.
Where is it?
Lumen Field in Seattle.
When is it?
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.
Where can I watch it?
Peacock will stream the game.
Who is favored?
Washington was about a four-point favorite in most sportsbooks as of Monday morning.
How did the Cougars fare last week?
In a 37-16 home win over Texas Tech, WSU quarterback John Mateer shattered the program record for single-game rushing yards by a QB, totaling 197 on the night. That helped the Cougars rack up 301 as a team, just the sixth time in nearly a quarter century the team has eclipsed that mark, and the hosts never really faced any trouble putting this one away.
WSU’s defense also recorded four takeaways: Two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a recovery of a muffed opening kickoff, which paved the way for Mateer’s short rushing touchdown, good for an early 7-0 lead.
Texas Tech countered with a field goal, but that’s about when WSU began to run away with things. True freshman running back Wayshawn Parker broke free for a 43-yard touchdown rush, and power back Djouvensky Schlenbaker followed with a short scoring plunge, made possible by WSU linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah’s forced fumble, recovery and ensuing return, all the way down to the Red Raiders’ 2-yard line.
That set the tone for the Cougs’ defense, which quieted a Red Raiders offense that had put up 52 points the week prior. The hosts got interceptions from redshirt freshman cornerback Ethan O’Connor and senior nickelback Kapena Gushiken, the latter of whom snared a fluttering pass caused by edge rusher Quinn Roff’s hit on Tech quarterback Behren Morton.
If WSU ran into any trouble, it came in two areas: tackling and special teams. The Cougs missed 19 tackles, which comes a week after missing 17 in a win over FCS Portland State. Al-Uqdah whiffed on three tackles, and four Cougars missed two apiece: defensive tackle Khalil Laufau, linebacker Kyle Thornton and safeties Tanner Moku and Tyson Durant, the latter of whom also broke up two fourth-down passes.
“That’s the Tyson Durant I saw from the day he showed up all the way through fall camp,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said. “Really proud of him. Whether it was nerves or excitement the first game, whatever it was, he took hard coaching and he learned and got better. And I thought that’s what you saw in that film, and we will need him to keep developing, but that was a big step in the right direction, and he quarterbacked our defense against a really tough offense.”
On the special teams front, it’s becoming clear how much WSU is missing punter Nick Haberer, whose back injury has now held him out of each of the first two games of the season. He’s also the holder on field goals and extra points, prompting Mateer to take his place in that role, and kicker Dean Janikowski missed an extra point in this one. Janikowski is also taking over the punting duties, booting five on Saturday for an average of 42.2 yards per punt.
Scouting Washington …
New Big Ten member UW has opened the season with wins over FCS Weber State and FBS Eastern Michigan, topping the Wildcats 35-3 and the Eagles 30-9. Under first-year coach Jedd Fisch and transfer quarterback Will Rogers, who came over from Mississippi State, the Huskies haven’t had much trouble dispatching the first two opponents on their schedule.
There are lots of unknowns surrounding Washington’s team, though. The Huskies lost many of the players that keyed their run to last year’s national title game, including offensive pieces like QB Michael Penix Jr., receivers Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Germie Bernard, plus their entire starting offensive line. Defenders like edge Bralen Trice, DB Jabar Muhammad and linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio have also departed.
Add in the fact that UW hasn’t yet been tested and you get lots of question marks.
“I think this is one of the most physical front sevens that I’ve seen in a while,” Dickert said. “I think their defensive backs have been up to every challenge. They’re yet to give up a touchdown. So obviously our guys will be really excited to play. I think they know what’s on the line. It’s an opportunity to be 1-0, and to get the Apple Cup back in Pullman is a big deal.”
The Huskies have also found themselves on the wrong ends of slow starts in their first two games. In Week 1, UW and Weber State were scoreless after one quarter, and in Week 2, Eastern Michigan took a 3-0 lead after one frame.
But the Huskies got going both times, thanks in part to running back Jonah Coleman, who Fisch brought over from Arizona. He posted 104 yards on 11 carries in Week 1 and 127 yards on 16 carries in Week 2, kickstarting UW’s offense on the ground.
What happened last time?
Washington walked it off with a game-winning field goal in last year’s Apple Cup, securing a 24-21 win over WSU. That was set up by the Huskies’ fourth-and-1 conversion deep in their own territory in the fourth quarter, a long run by Odunze.
The Cougs tied it up in the fourth frame on a touchdown pass from former QB Cam Ward to former receiver Lincoln Victor, and after forcing a punt on the Huskies’ next series, they could have taken the lead. But Ward couldn’t connect on third-and-long and WSU had to punt.
In that one, Ward completed 32 of 48 passes for 317 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
