Rankin carries Huskies past Cal

SEATTLE – No Jake Locker meant more Louis Rankin for Washington.

That caused more misery for free-falling California.

Rankin ran 21 times for 224 yards and a touchdown in less than three quarters as the Huskies shook off not having their quarterback and team leader to upset the Bears 37-23 on Saturday, Cal’s fifth loss in six games.

Rankin’s second 200-yard day in three weeks for Washington (4-7, 2-6 Pac-10) made moot an ineffective day for backup quarterback Carl Bonnell. Locker, the exciting redshirt freshman who sprained his neck in a scary scene the previous week at Oregon State, apparently will return to start next week’s Apple Cup against Washington State.

“Jake will be ready next week,” offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said.

One week after USC rolled to 239 yards rushing against the Bears, Washington stomped on Cal for 334. Even Rankin’s backup, freshman Brandon Johnson, gained 121 yards on 23 carries.

Justin Forsett ran for 141 yards for the Bears (6-5, 3-5), who got screamed at by coach Jeff Tedford in the locker room afterward.

“It’s not hard to tell that we didn’t deserve to win today,” said Cal receiver Robert Jordan, who added his team lacks confidence. “What he’s saying is right.”

Since Oct. 13, Cal has dropped from No. 2 in the country with realistic hopes for the BCS title game to seventh in the Pac-10, clinging to one of the Pac-10’s final spots in a minor bowl. This is Cal’s worst stretch since it lost its first 10 games in 2001.

“It’s just baffling,” quarterback Nate Longshore said of the losing, adding the Bears are merely “trying not to let the wheels fall completely off” before The Big Game at Stanford Dec. 1.

The target of intense criticism after completing less than 50 percent of his passes and committing three turnovers in last week’s loss to USC, Longshore completed 20 of 28 throws for 236 yards with three first-half TDs and one interception.

After his tirade that echoed down hallways outside Cal’s locker room, Tedford took the blame publicly.

“The responsibility has to fall somewhere and I’m not going to point the finger at the kids. I’ll take the responsibility on my shoulders,” Tedford said.

Rankin’s romp came despite missing the final 1 1/2 quarters because of a hip pointer he called minor. He became the first Husky to gain 1,000 yards rushing in a season since Rashaan Shehee in 1997. Rankin also joined Napoleon Kaufman and Corey Dillon as the only Washington runners to eclipse 200 yards in more than one game during a season.

“Oh, it’s definitely an honor,” Rankin said. “I don’t compare myself to those guys, but it’s great to have my name there with them.”

Most of Rankin’s yards came between the tackles, including a 46-yard run on the opening drive of the second half that allowed him to eclipse 200 yards. That set up a 45-yard field goal by Ryan Perkins for a 31-20 lead.

“We said coming into this ballgame that this was not the defensive front we’ve seen (at Cal) in years past,” Washington coach Tyrone Willingham said. “They’d always had one or two guys who were first- and second-round draft choices.”

UW 37, California 23

Wash—Rankin 5 run (Perkins kick)

Wash—Johnson 5 run (Perkins kick)

Cal—C.Morrah 19 pass from Longshore (run failed)

Cal—Stevens 16 pass from Longshore (Kay kick)

Wash—Kravitz 1 run (Perkins kick)

Cal—Montgomery 14 pass from Longshore (Kay kick)

Wash—Reece 12 pass from Bonnell (Perkins kick)

Wash—FG Perkins 45

Cal—FG Kay 21

Wash—FG Perkins 29

Wash—FG Perkins 19

A—60,005.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—California, Forsett 22-141, Hawkins 1-5, Montgomery 3-3, Team 1-(minus 2). Washington, Rankin 21-224, Johnson 23-121, Shaw 2-9, Kravitz 3-5, Homer 1-0, Team 2-(minus 2), Bonnell 4-(minus 23).

PASSING—California, Longshore 20-28-1-236. Washington, Bonnell 7-19-0-108.

RECEIVING—California, Hawkins 6-58, R.Jordan 4-71, Jackson 4-31, Stevens 2-33, Forsett 2-10, C.Morrah 1-19, Montgomery 1-14. Washington, Russo 3-26, Ellis 1-51, Reece 1-12, Kirton 1-11, Rob.Lewis 1-8.