Grip on Sports: There is always something on the line in the Apple Cup

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It is about 50 hours or so until the Apple Cup kicks off in Pullman and it’s raining. Or snowing, if you look through life with Crimson-colored glasses. It’s a goal, isn’t it, every year the rivalry game is on this side of the mountains? Another snow bowl. Or Snow Bowl if you prefer. It doesn’t look as if that goal will be reached this year but others might. Read on.

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• I’ve been following the Apple Cup closely since 1983, a defensive battle Jim Walden’s group won in Seattle, 17-6. All I remember from that game is the Huskies came in ranked 15th in the nation, were on the road to Pasadena and looking for revenge.

Two years before the game had meant the Rose Bowl for the winner. Washington won 23-10. The next year it meant nothing more than pride for the 3-6-1 Cougars. They earned some, upsetting the fifth-ranked Huskies, 24-20.

But 1983 was going to be different. UW was at home and Washington State, though 6-4 coming in, wasn’t – and, seemingly, wasn’t as good.

But on November 19, they were better. Washington once again was denied roses. Instead the Huskies went to Hawaii for the Aloha Bowl. Pretty nice consolation prize.

The Cougars? They finished the season 7-4, had defeated the No. 13 team (Arizona State) on the road, the No. 15 team (Washington) on the road, lost by three to the No. 5 team (Michigan) on the road and went nowhere. Just think if that were the case today. Social media would melt.

• The rivalry game of my youth was USC vs. UCLA. Both of my older sisters attended UCLA, my first girlfriend and my best friend attended USC and I attended a college without a football team. I was a free agent. Most of my life I rooted for the Bruins. A couple years there I rooted for the Trojans. Then, after a bad breakup, it was back to UCLA.

Then my wife and I moved to Spokane. I discovered no place has a monopoly on the “best” rivalry game. They are all pretty darn good. All heated. All fun. The Apple Cup is awesome. The entire state buys in. The Huskies are Simon Bar Sinister on this side of the state, the Cougars are Underdog. And, like this week, are usually the underdog.

Which makes the wins all that more exciting for WSU fans.

One of the weirdest stats in the series is Washington State has never won three consecutive games. The Huskies have won at least six consecutive games three times.

But each game is its own little drama, with a new cast of characters and a fresh plot. There are heroes and villains. There are goats and stars. And there is always a winner and loser – except for the six ties, the last of which came in 1942, long before the rivalry was called the Apple Cup.

• One overlooked aspect of rivalry games is the unexpected savior. Oftentimes it is the backup quarterback. OK, occasionally it is the backup quarterback.

If that’s to be the case this year, it won’t be by design. It will be by necessity. Both starters, Luke Falk and Jake Browning, are healthy. They will take every snap if able – and needed.

But if they aren’t?

Then it will be up to two guys the fans of the opposing teams probably aren’t too familiar with.

The Cougars have given Tyler Hilinski a bit more run than Washington has used K.J. Carta-Samuels, though the Husky backup has played in twice as many games.

UW made a habit of blowing out opponents early in the season and Carta-Samuels finished up a lot of contests. Still, in eight appearances, he’s only thrown 13 passes. Sure, he’s completed nine and thrown for three touchdowns, but that small sample size probably doesn’t give anyone an idea if he could come off the bench and lead a crucial drive.

No one can be completely sure about Hilinski either. In four appearances he’s put up Mike Leach-approved numbers, completing 24 of 30 passes for 245 yards. But most of them have come late in games. An appearance Friday would probably come with a lot more pressure.

Nothing against them, but let’s hope neither sees the field. If they do nothing but wear a headset all day that means Browning and Falk are healthy and the game is coming down to the wire. That’s an appropriate goal, isn’t it?

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WSU: Falk is the subject of Jacob Thorpe’s main story today as Jacob examines the track record of quarterbacks leaving school early and entering the draft. … Jacob also has his Pac-12 power rankings, a couple of short stories, one on Mike Leach’s comments yesterday and another on a player leaving UW this week. Jacob also has the latest on the college football playoff rankings as well as video of Leach and assistant coach Dave Nichol talking after yesterday’s practice. … WSU’s improved defense under Alex Grinch has been the biggest difference the past two years and is also the subject of Stefanie Loh’s story. … The rankings mean little in this game, but they also mean everything for Washington. … The Apple Cup’s history is personal to most. And hard to really rank. … Finally, this was the most fun read today.

Elsewhere in Pac-12 football, the bowl scenarios are still really up in the air heading into the regular season’s final week. … Arizona could ease its burden a bit with a win against Arizona State. … Utah could regain some stature with a win at Colorado. … UCLA could still get in a bowl with a win at California. … Notre Dame could, ah, forget it. Notre Dame’s season is toast whether it upsets USC or not. USC’s season could have been so much more. … Same with Rice at Stanford. The Cardinal may be saying goodbye to Christian McCaffrey. … The Civil War this season isn’t for anything except Oregon bragging rights. And a coach’s job.

Gonzaga: Orlando has been very, very good for the Zags over the years. Jim Meehan tells us how good. The AdvoCare Invitational begins Thursday against Quinnipiac. … The Gonzaga women are in paradise. Well, they are in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam. Jim Allen, who is here, advances the tournament that begins tomorrow. … Back to the WCC men, Saint Mary’s used a big second-half run to get past San Jose State. … BYU will try to get revenge tonight against Valpariso.

EWU: In what may be a launching-pad game, the Eagles rallied at the end of regulation and the first overtime to get past Seattle University, 80-76 in double overtime. Jim Allen has the game story and Colin Mulvany the photo report. … Jim also has the coverage of Eastern doing something no other Big Sky team has ever done in football, have two teammates share offensive player of the year honors. … Around the Big Sky in football, there were a lot of stories about Big Sky honors, including a North Dakota player winning the top defensive award and the Cal Poly award winners. … What happened to Idaho State this season?

Idaho: The Vandal women’s basketball team struggled against Washington.

Seahawks: This is usually the time of year the Hawks get on a roll. Which is probably why they are so popular with the networks. … The Hawks are never unwilling to admit a mistake. They did it again yesterday.

Sounders: The good from yesterday’s 2-1 playoff win over Colorado? The Sounders won. The bad is the one goal the Rapids scored. Away goals mean more in the MLS playoffs. … Bruce Arena is back as the U.S. National Team coach.

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• Enjoy tomorrow. We’ll be here in the morning with this feature and back again later in the evening for the Gonzaga game. How many of you build your Thanksgiving meal around a sporting event? It’s something I will write about tomorrow. Boy do I have a story. Until later …