SEATTLE_Washington's defense made this just another rotten Apple Cup for Luke Falk.
In what has become an annual tradition post-Thanksgiving, the No. 15 Huskies once again feasted on Washington State's quarterback, sacking Falk five times and intercepting him three times in a thorough dismantling of the No. 14 Cougars, 41-14, in the 110th Apple Cup on Saturday night before a sold-out crowd of 71,265 at Husky Stadium.
UW's Myles Gaskin rushed for 192 yards and four touchdowns, Jake Browning ran for a score, and the Huskies (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12) secured consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time since 1990-91.
In losing the Apple Cup for a fifth consecutive year, the Cougars (9-3, 6-3) also lost out on a chance to claim their first Pac-12 North title.
UW's win means Stanford will play USC in the Pac-12 championship game next week. (The Huskies and Stanford both finished 7-2 in conference, but Stanford advances to the championship game because on its victory over UW earlier this month.)
In four games vs. the Cougars, UW coach Chris Petersen's teams have outscored WSU 162-54.
The first Apple Cup featuring both teams ranked in the top 15 didn't live up to the billing. The Huskies led 24-0 at halftime, forcing three first-half turnovers, including a forced fumble caused by senior linebacker Keishawn Bierria in his final game at Husky Stadium.
In what was supposed to be a showdown of the Pac-12's top two defenses, but Washington's was the only one to hold true to form.
For the fourth year in a row, the Huskies' defense stymied WSU's vaunted Air Raid attack. WSU's Mike Leach has never been shut out in his 16 seasons as a head coach, and that streak was in jeopardy until the 9:01 mark of the fourth quarter, when Jamal Morrow scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.
Playing in a steady downpour, Falk never looked comfortable against a heavy pass rush from UW's Vita Vea, Greg Gaines, et al. The Pac-12's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes was once again stymied by the Huskies.
In three career starts against the Huskies, Falk has thrown eight interceptions against four touchdowns.
As good as UW's defense was, Gaskin was just as impressive. The junior running back scored from 2 yards out to cap a terrific opening possession for the Huskies, an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 5:35 off the clock.
That gave the Huskies a 7-0 lead after the first quarter.
Washington State hasn't scored a first-quarter touchdown against the Huskies since 2007, and the Huskies have outscored WSU 90-13 in the first half of the past four meetings.
Browning surged in from 1 yard out early in the second quarter to make it 14-0. Gaskin added his second TD, also from 2 yards, later in the second quarter, and Tristan Vizcaino's 44-yard field goal made it 24-0 at halftime.
Gaskin's sensational 26-yard touchdown run, capped by a dive to the right pylon, made it 34-0 in the third quarter.
Just when it seemed it couldn't get any worse for the Cougars, star defensive tackle Hercules Mata'afa was ejected in the third quarter for targeting Browning's head on a helmet-to-helmet hit.
Depending on what happens in the Pac-12 championship game next week, the Huskies are likely looking at a trip to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 28.
The Huskies have won 15 of the past 20 Apple Cups.
