Huskies trying to look ahead to Vegas, not back
SEATTLE – Austin Seferian-Jenkins is completely done with what happened in the Apple Cup, from Washington’s fourth-quarter meltdown to getting hit by an unruly Washington State fan as spectators rushed the field following the Cougars’ overtime victory.
His feelings were mirrored by the entire Washington program earlier this week, which finally has a chance to stop talking about blowing an 18-point fourth-quarter lead to its rivals and can start looking ahead to the Dec. 22 Las Vegas Bowl, where they will face No. 20 Boise State.
“It is behind us honestly,” Seferian-Jenkins said Monday, the first time Washington players were available since the Apple Cup loss. “I dropped it after the next day. It’s upsetting that we lost to our rival and the way we lost is unacceptable, but no one is really hanging their head on it anymore. We are still playing and that’s all that counts. We are still playing and we’ve got a great opportunity against Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl.”
Las Vegas is where the Huskies (7-5) wanted to go all along. But that option was thrown into flux when Washington lost to rival Washington State 31-28 in overtime on Nov. 23 and the Huskies were stuck waiting to see how bowl selections would shake out.
Eventually, the Huskies got their wish when Arizona ended up in the New Mexico Bowl and Arizona State went to San Francisco.
“They’re a great team and this is a great opportunity for us,” Washington QB Keith Price said. “Obviously, Vegas is a fun place to be, but we’re out there for a football game and we’ll have time to have fun but ultimately we’re out there to win a football game.”
The Huskies’ 2012 season finale will be a preview of the 2013 season opener. Washington has heavily promoted opening renovated Husky Stadium next Aug. 31 against the Broncos, part of a home-and-home series that will see the Huskies play on Boise’s blue turf in 2015.
As if losing to a rival wasn’t enough in the Apple Cup, there was also the video that emerged after the game that showed Seferian-Jenkins getting punched by at least one fan and dropped to the turf as the crowd rushed the field in the moments after Andrew Furney’s game-winning kick. Seferian-Jenkins spoke to the media after the game and said nothing about the incident.
Washington State officials have said they are reviewing policies and trying to find the person.
For his part, Seferian-Jenkins wants the whole thing to go away. He said Washington officials asked if he wanted to pursue the situation and he told them to drop it.
“I told them not to pursue anything,” Seferian-Jenkins said. “They asked me and I said, ‘No, it’s not worth it, it’s a waste of time.’ Whoever that guy was, it’s not a big deal.”