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PULLMAN – Washington State will have to operate without one starting defensive tackle moving forward.

Welcome to a new feature on the Hotline – an assessment of the eight teams in the rebuilt Pac-12 as if they were competing in the conference this season. We’ll even recognize one lucky team as the regular-season champion. The power rankings will be published each Sunday throughout the regular season. (Here are last week’s rankings.)

PULLMAN – Colby Humphrey had his hands up and everything. He was in the right spot. Bodied up the receiver. Nearly broke up the pass in the end zone.

Zoom in far enough from Washington State’s 59-24 loss to Washington, which never needed to punt in a runaway win Saturday night, and you can see the nuance.

Washington State will have to overcome long odds to retain the Apple Cup trophy against rival Washington.

PULLMAN — After relaying a few mixed signals during the week, Washington State did make a change at quarterback for the Apple Cup.

Washington State never led during the 117th Apple Cup. The Cougars had few answers for Washington’s offense. WSU showed some encouraging signs with Zevi Eckhaus under center, and at one point in the second half it seemed like the Cougs might rally and make it a tight game late, but the underdogs from Pullman faded in the fourth quarter and absorbed a 59-24 loss Saturday at Gesa Field to their arch rivals from the west side.

The Huskies’ sophomore quarterback was unfazed by WSU’s defense throughout a near-spotless Apple Cup performance. With Williams running the show, the Huskies mostly seemed to move downfield effortlessly. He completed 16 of 19 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers, completing five passes of more than 25 yards and two that went for 45 or more.

There are a number of questions for first-year Washington State head coach Jimmy Rogers after the offense’s valiant but futile performance against the heavily favored Huskies in the Apple Cup:Why use all your timeouts up early in the first half, preventing a final drive after UW’s field goal?

PULLMAN – Here is what to watch for when Washington State hosts rival Washington in the Apple Cup at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on CBS.

PULLMAN – In a two-day span, Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers threw just about everyone for a loop.