WSU’s Luke Falk wins another Pac-12 weekly honor

Washington State quarterback Luke Falk was named Pac-12 Conference offensive player of the week for the second time this season, conference commissioner Larry Scott announced Monday.

Falk threw for a season-high 514 yards, completing 47-of-62 passes (.758) with five touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 172.1 in Washington State’s 45-42 victory over Arizona in Tucson. It was Falk’s third-straight game with five-plus TD passes and pushed WSU to its best start since the 2003 season. Sunday, Falk was named the Walter Camp National FBS player of the week, the first Cougar to receive the honor since the 2004 season.

After Arizona cut the lead to 38-35 with 8:01 to play, Falk engineered an 11-play, 76-yard drive that lasted 5:58, culminating with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Marks, one of four on the day for Marks. On the drive Falk was 6-for-6 for 63 yards, added 17 yards rushing and connected with five different receivers. In the first half Falk was 30-of-38 (79 percent) for 335 yards and four TD passes. He connected with Marks for three of those scores (6, 43, 2) and Kyrin Priester for one (6 yards).

It is the third career Pac-12 Player of the Week award for Falk after earning the honor following his 478-yard four-touchdown game in the week two win at Rutgers and beating Oregon State last season on the road in his first career start.

Falk enters the week second in the NCAA in passing (412.1), third in total offense (403.3) and fourth in passing touchdowns (26), leading the Pac-12 Conference in all three categories.

The Cougars host No. 8 Stanford Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.