3 things to watch

1

Making Locker pitch: When UW quarterback Jake Locker takes off on the speed option, he’s more like a power running back than a quarterback. His main goal is to keep the ball and turn the corner. The Cougars will try to stay in their lanes, attack and force him to pitch the ball to Louis Rankin, then hope they can rally to the ball.

2

Build a pocket: The Huskies are adept at pushing the middle of the offensive line back into the quarterback, forcing him to the outside where the defensive ends wait. Those two, Daniel Te’o-Nesheim and Greyson Gunheim, have combined for 12 sacks. The veterans up front for WSU, center Kenny Alfred and guards Dan Rowlands and Bobby Byrd, have to get a push, so Alex Brink has a spot to step up and deliver his passes.

3

Special teams play: These teams are nearly identical in Pac-10 play. Both struggle on kickoffs and are ninth (UW) and 10th in kickoff returns and kickoff coverage. But they excel in the punt game, and are first (UW) and second in punt-return average and fourth (WSU) and sixth in punting. If one team can break a big play here, it will have a huge edge.