Huskies stop UI, streak
SEATTLE – In the first half, Idaho nearly matched Washington yard for yard, but not point for point. In the second half, the Vandals did roughly the same thing.
The Vandals were competitive throughout but missed several chances to make it truly interesting as win-starved Washington put its 15-game losing streak to rest with a 42-23 victory in front of 58,980 on a cloudless Saturday at Husky Stadium.
“We had too many penalties, we had too many opportunities that we left on the field to make it a better game and give ourselves a chance to win,” UI coach Robb Akey said.
The Vandals (1-1) couldn’t contain elusive quarterback Jake Locker, who had a couple of nice runs but was even more impressive with his throwing arm. He passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as Washington (1-1) scored on its first five possessions, building a 26-point lead 4 minutes into the third quarter.
“This is how it’s supposed to be,” first-year Husky coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We’re supposed to be able to come in here and answer all the questions about how we won and why we won and what it took. It’s a jubilant locker room.”
Idaho scored on its last three drives of the first half, but all three were field goals. Washington scored touchdowns on its three first-half possessions to take a 21-9 edge at intermission.
“We’d get down in the red zone and kind of stall ourselves,” UI quarterback Nathan Enderle said.
The first turnovers of the game occurred rapid fire at the outset of the third quarter, but UW was the team that gained valuable momentum. Washington’s Curtis Shaw fumbled while returning the kickoff, but Idaho gave it right back when Enderle threw in the right flat and hit Washington linebacker Mason Foster in the hands. Foster returned the ball to Idaho’s 21 and UW scored four plays later, hiking its lead to 28-9.
“The Sam (strong-side) linebacker dropped back and I didn’t see him,” said Enderle, who finished 22 of 33 for 279 yards.
After Idaho’s first three-and-out, Washington took over at the Vandals’ 36 and Jermaine Kearse out-jumped cornerback Isaac Butts for a 34-yard reception. Locker’s third TD pass, a 2-yarder to Chris Izbicki, put UW on top 35-9.
Enderle got back on track and Idaho scored its first touchdown when De’Maundray Woolridge crashed in from the 4 with 3:58 left in the third quarter.
The Vandals made their first defensive stop, then drove to UW’s 39. Incomplete passes on third and fourth down put an end to the threat. UW sealed it with a 67-yard scoring drive.
Idaho moved the ball efficiently and won the yardage battle 412-374 but was stung by early penalties. Three straight penalties left UI facing first-and-35 on its first possession. Idaho picked up 24 yards and would have made the first down if not for a third-down drop by receiver Daniel Hardy.
Instead, Bobby Cowan’s punt rolled out at Washington’s 3. The Huskies marched 97 yards – their longest scoring drive since Oct. 27, 2007.
Washington 42, Idaho 23
| Idaho | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7—23 |
| Washington | 7 | 14 | 14 | 7—42 |
Wash—Locker 3 run (Folk kick)
Idaho—FG Farquhar 44
Wash—Fogerson 24 pass from Locker (Folk kick)
Idaho—FG Farquhar 28
Wash—J.Johnson 31 pass from Locker (Folk kick)
Idaho—FG Farquhar 34
Wash—C.Polk 1 run (Folk kick)
Wash—Izbicki 2 pass from Locker (Folk kick)
Idaho—Woolridge 4 run (Farquhar kick)
Wash—Fogerson 2 run (Folk kick)
Idaho—Woolridge 6 run (Farquhar kick)
| Id | Wash | |
| First downs | 20 | 20 |
| Rushes-yards | 23-63 | 33-121 |
| Passing | 349 | 253 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 26-40-1 | 17-25-0 |
| Return Yards | 0 | 70 |
| Punts-Avg. | 3-39.3 | 2-48.5 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 2-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 8-72 | 4-45 |
| Time of Possession | 32:29 | 27:31 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Idaho, Woolridge 7-41, Jackson 6-18, McCarty 5-14, Komar 2-2, Reader 1-(minus 2), Enderle 2-(minus 10). Washington, C.Polk 19-80, Shaw 5-19, Locker 6-18, Fogerson 2-6, Team 1-(minus 2).
PASSING—Idaho, Enderle 22-33-1-279, Reader 4-7-0-70. Washington, Locker 17-25-0-253.
RECEIVING—Idaho, Hardy 6-103, Komar 5-111, Greenwood 5-57, P.Davis 4-34, Jackson 2-16, Bjorvik 1-13, McCarty 1-6, Small 1-6, Woolridge 1-3. Washington, Goodwin 3-83, J.Johnson 3-48, Kearse 3-46, Fogerson 2-35, Middleton 2-13, Aguilar 1-14, J.Polk 1-8, C.Polk 1-4, Izbicki 1-2.