UW Huskies use clichéd formula to top WSU in 51-33 Apple Cup win

Summary : It was true for WSU quarterback Cameron Ward as well, as the Incarnate Word transfer twice avoided sacks by agonizing inches to deliver first-half touchdowns — via a 13-yard scramble and a 34-yard pass on fourth-and-10 to uncovered wide receiver Robert Ferrel.

In his first Apple Cup, Ward completed 31 of 49 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for a score and extended plays in perpetuity. UW’s defense then corralled the Cougs on fourth down, surrendering just six points in the second half.

WSU, in fact, went just 7 for 18 on third down Saturday … and 4 for 5 on fourth down.

PULLMAN — What’s that they say about cliches?

So here comes two: it’s a game of inches … and fortune favors the bold.

In UW’s 51-33 Apple Cup win over WSU, the inches were everything.

That was certainly true for Coug kicker Dean Janikowski, who walloped a 50-yard field goal that hit the top of the crossbar, then bounced over to give WSU a short-lived 3-0 lead. It was true for WSU quarterback Cameron Ward as well, as the Incarnate Word transfer twice avoided sacks by agonizing inches to deliver first-half touchdowns — via a 13-yard scramble and a 34-yard pass on fourth-and-10 to uncovered wide receiver Robert Ferrel .In his first Apple Cup, Ward completed 31 of 49 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for a score and extended plays in perpetuity.

But the inches helped the Huskies, too.

After WSU narrowed the deficit to 35-33 via a 4-yard Nakia Watson TD with 4:36 left in the third quarter, the Cougs unsurprisingly opted to go for two. Ward took a snap, wiggled out of a Jayvon Parker sack and beat UW edge Jeremiah Martin to the pylon.

But he forgot to extend the pigskin into the end zone.

That could have been an insurmountable mistake … but Washington’s quarterback answered with one of his own. UW’s nine-play, 64-yard drive abruptly ended when Michael Penix Jr. tossed an interception wide of Rome Odunze and into the waiting arms of corner Derrick Langford Jr. in the west end zone.Still, same as in UW’s 37-34 win at rival Oregon, Penix followed an end zone interception with rapid redemption . After the UW defense forced a punt, Penix fired a looper to Ja’Lynn Polk for a 41-yard gain. Odunze took an end-around for a 5-yard touchdown one play later to take a 41-33 lead.The Huskies could have — should have — made it a two-score game, but kicker Peyton Henry banged the extra point off the left upright.

But there was redemption to go around.

After UW forced its third punt of the second half — a dramatic improvement — the Huskies amassed a 15-play, 94-yard march, which stalled finally at the 3-yard line. Henry — the hero against Oregon — drilled a 20-yard field goal to extend the lead to 44-33. UW’s defense then corralled the Cougs on fourth down , surrendering just six points in the second half.

And, as for tired cliché No. 2, Cougs coach Jake Dickert likely knew he’d need bold strokes to beat Washington.

Trailing 10-7 midway through the first quarter, Dickert dialed up an efficient fake punt — as punter Nick Haberer caught the snap and found linebacker Daiyan Henley leaking over the middle for a 36-yard gain. The Cougs scored (following another fourth down conversion) via the aforementioned Ward near-sack scramble seven plays later.

WSU, in fact, went just 7 for 18 on third down Saturday … and 4 for 5 on fourth down .

But when it comes to boldness, UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb isn’t easily outdone.

Trailing 17-14 with 9:52 left in the second quarter, Penix took a shotgun snap and threw a lateral to wide receiver Jalen McMillan . The sophomore wideout took a few short steps, turned and lofted it back to Penix — who maneuvered through blockers for a 30-yard score.Penix — who leads the nation in passing — completed 25 of 43 passes for 484 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, while adding 34 rushing yards and two more scores. The onslaught included a 47-yard rainbow touchdown to Odunze, a 75-yard strike to McMillan on the first play of the second half, and a 26-yard laser to Polk (who needed every available inch to haul it in).Odunze and McMillan, by the way, both passed 1,000 receiving yards Saturday — becoming the first Husky teammates to do so in the same season. McMillan amassed six catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, while Odunze added five catches for 157 yards and two more scores. Polk added four catches for 82 yards and a touchdown as well.