Recap and highlights: Washington State unable to stop Washington offense in Apple Cup loss
PULLMAN — As they passed by, Washington State teammates leaned over to give encouragement to Zevi Eckhaus, who was laying on his stomach on the sideline, receiving treatment from a trainer. Under the night sky, Eckhaus’ first start of the season was unraveling in short order against Washington, which had just produced a second straight turnover on the quarterback.
As the clock began to run out on WSU’s 59-24 loss to UW, which reclaimed the Apple Cup trophy with an offensive barrage, Eckhaus used his forearms to prop himself up on the turf. A trainer massaged his calves. The sellout crowd at Gesa Field, which had electrified this atmosphere hours prior, stood in silence.
Eckhaus’ magic had vanished in a blowout loss to the Huskies, who scored on all eight of their offensive drives and cruised to a win, their third win in four tries in this rivalry series. As he took over the reins at QB, Eckhaus threw two touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions. The Cougs were already overmatched on defense. Now their offense began to look similar.
It was a sour end to the night for WSU, which hung within one or two scores for much of the game, only to let UW run away with things in the fourth quarter. The bigger problem for the Cougars was their defense, which allowed UW QB Demond Williams to collect four total touchdowns and running back Jonah Coleman to add two himself. The Huskies never punted.
UW (3-0), which converted on 8 of 9 opportunities on third down, got 239 passing yards from Williams and 176 yards from its rushing attack. The Huskies had their way on offense, racing to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, never trailing by fewer than one score. They piled on in the fourth quarter, winning that frame 28-0.
The Cougs (2-2) never could find a way to slow the Huskies’ offense, one of the nation’s most prolific. On a key third down in the fourth quarter, with a chance to force UW into a field goal, WSU gave up a seven-yard touchdown pass — which extended the visitors’ lead back to two scores. It was the second touchdown for receiver Denzel Boston, who hauled it in over WSU cornerback Kenny Worthy III.
On offense, WSU couldn’t keep up. The Cougars made a change at quarterback, going with the veteran Eckhaus over third-year sophomore Jaxon Potter, who had started each of their first three games. But after throwing three interceptions in the first half of a lopsided loss to North Texas last weekend, WSU coach Jimmy Rogers indicated Potter would compete with Eckhaus and redshirt freshman Julian Dugger during this week’s practice for the starting nod.
But during the middle of the week, Rogers revealed that he had actually made his decision on Sunday, contradicting his earlier statement. The Cougs had not held the kind of competition that Rogers had described, apparently, infusing more confusion into the saga.
But it never mattered. For the game, Eckhaus completed 26 of 37 passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions, plus one short rushing touchdown in the third quarter. That helped WSU claw back within 31-24, and at the end of the third frame, maybe the Cougars had life. It evaporated about 10 minutes later when Boston hauled in the touchdown over Worthy.
With that, the Apple Cup trophy headed back to Seattle, where WSU earned a last-second victory last season. Since then, much has changed for the Cougs, including their head coach and quarterback, who wasn’t perfect in Saturday’s game. But he also wasn’t playing defense, which cost Washington State this game.
Earlier in the game, WSU defensive tackle Max Baloun went down with what looked like a lower-leg injury. He emerged on crutches and with his left knee in a wrap. The Cougs’ defense could have used him. But that unit was outclassed anyway.
First quarter
3:47 - UW 14, WSU 0: Williams keeps the ball and races up the sideline for a 23-yard touchdown.
6:05 - UW 7, WSU 0: Zevi Eckhaus is hit while he throws and Washington defensive back Alex McLaughlin intercepts the tipped pass. Huskies take over at their own 47.
10:53 - UW 7, WSU 0: Demond Williams Jr. hits receiver Denzel Boston for a 29-yard touchdown.
Washington State started the drive with a sack by Buddha Peleti before the Huskies were able to regroup and drive down the field.
Second quarter
00:25 - UW 24, WSU 10: Grady Gross makes a 51-yard field to extend UW’s lead.
5:21 - UW 21, WSU 10: Jack Stevens makes a 36-yard field goal.
7:37 - UW 21, WSU 7: Washington State calls timeout after reaching Washington’s 45.
Eckhaus kept the drive going with a 17-yard completion to Tony Freeman on third and 7.
10:02 - UW 21, WSU 7: Jonah Coleman breaks through tacklers to score a 12-yard rushing touchdown.
Williams kickstarted the drive by evading a sack and finding Coleman for a 45-yard completion to reach the 28.
12:09 - UW 14, WSU 7: Cougars bait the Huskies defense with play-action and Eckhaus finds Beau Baker for a 12-yard touchdown.
Eckhaus has completed passes to eight different receivers so far.
12:54 - UW 14, WSU 0: Washington State calls timeout after driving into the red zone. An 18-yard reception from Devin Ellison helped aid WSU’s progress.
Halftime
Washington State trails Washington 24-10 at halftime. In his first start at Gesa Field, Eckhaus has thrown for 111 yards and one touchdown.
Ellison is WSU’s leading receiver with two receptions and 44 yards. Eckhaus has completed passes to 10 different players.
Williams has paced the Huskies with 152 passing yards, 65 rushing yards and two total touchdowns.
The WSU defense has done a serviceable job of corralling Coleman, who has 27 rushing yards on seven attempts with a touchdown.
Washington State will receive the second-half kickoff.
Third quarter
2:38 - UW 31, WSU 24: Eckhaus leaps for one yard to score on a quarterback keeper.
Eckhaus orchestrated a nine-play, 75-yard drive to draw WSU within one touchdown. He is up to 253 passing yards.
8:19 - UW 31, WSU 17: Coleman scores his second rushing touchdown, this time from two yards out.
10:36 - UW 24, WSU 17: WSU tries to steal a possession with an onsides kick but UW recovers and will have a short field.
10:39 - UW 24, WSU 17: Eckhaus finds Ellison on a slant for an 8-yard touchdown.
Eckhaus completed five passes on the drive, including a 21-yarder to Maxwell Woods.
Fourth quarter
2:40 - UW 59, WSU 24: Williams drops a pass to an open Omari Evans for a 59-yard touchdown.
10:15 - UW 52, WSU 24: Coleman takes a screen 34 yards for a touchdown.
The UW running back is up to 154 total yards and three touchdowns.
11:33 - UW 45, WSU 24: Eckhaus fumbles while scrambling and Washington recovers. The Huskies will start at WSU’s 28.
11:44 - UW 45, WSU 24: Eckhaus is intercepted on fourth and 5 and Washington defender McLaughlin returns the ball for a 47-yard touchdown.
12:51 - UW 38, WSU 24: Washington answers with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Boston.
Boston is up to five catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Pregame
Washington State is set to host rival Washington in the 117th iteration of the Apple Cup.
For the Cougars to raise the trophy for the second consecutive year, they will have to overcome long betting odds. Currently, WSU is a 20.5-point underdog.
Washington enjoyed a bye last week after routing UC Davis 70-10 on Sept. 6. Washington State lost to North Texas 59-10 in its first road game of the season.
It is unclear who will start at quarterback for Washington State, although, head coach Jimmy Rogers said that a player was chosen on Sunday.
On the other side, Washington State’s defense will have to contend with sophomore Demond Williams Jr.
Series history
Washington leads the rivalry 76-34-6 but Washington State captured last year’s Apple Cup 24-19 behind heroics from quarterback John Mateer and a crucial fourth-down stop by the Cougars’ defense.
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