The last remaining hurdle standing between Washington State football and a PAC-12 Championship Game berth is a familiar thorn in their side.
It has been a dream season in Pullman with Mike Leach having Washington State on the precipice of a PAC-12 Championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl, or potentially the College Football Playoff if a few things break the right way this weekend and next.
In order to advance to the conference title game next week against Utah, the Cougars first have to get past a familiar thorn in their side in bitter rival Washington on Friday night.
Leach has accomplished a lot in Pullman, but he is 1-5 in Apple Cups, and has dropped the last five. Chris Petersen has particularly been an annoyance, going 5-0 against the Cougars, and grounding the high-octane air-raid offense. In the five meetings between Petersen and Leach, Washington State hasn’t managed more than 17 points in any game.
This Cougars team is different though, with the usual great offense teamed with a Top-30 defense. Gardner Minshew has taken the keys from Luke Falk and even elevated the QB play on the Palouse. A big game against the Huskies and a conference title could lead to Minshew being invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
For Washington, a season that began with playoff aspirations has been disappointing as they enter the Apple Cup at 8-3. Advanced metrics still view the Huskies as a Top 15 team, and they have probably been unlucky to lose three times. Their three defeats are by a combined 10 points.
Their playoff hopes are long gone, but Washington can still salvage the season with a win over Washington State, spoiling the dream season for the Cougars and giving the Huskies the shot at stealing away the PAC-12 title and a berth in the Rose Bowl at the same time.
Will Washington State exorcize their Apple Cup demons, or will Washington continue to torment Leach’s Cougars?
Here’s how you can watch Friday night’s battle for the PAC-12 North:
Date: Friday, November 23
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Pullman, WA
Venue: Martin Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go | FuboTV
Keys to Victory
When Washington has the ball, the redzone will be key for both sides. The Huskies boast one of the worst redzone offenses in the nation, netting points on only 79% of their possessions inside-the-20, and scoring touchdowns on only 30-of-54 trips. Against a Washington State offense that scores over 40 points-per-game, it will be imperative that Jake Browning and the Washington offense nets points, particularly touchdowns, when they get opportunities in the redzone.
Conversely, Washington State has one of the nation’s worst redzone defenses, giving up points on just under 91% of opposing redzone possessions. The Cougars have a sneaky good defense, ranking 26th in the country in yards allowed, but they’ve struggled to get stops when teams put together drives. As much as Leach’s offense has struggled against Petersen’s defense, it could very well be the difference in the game if Washington State can hold Washington to field goal attempts inside-the-20.
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com
Point Spread: Washington State -2.5
Over/Under: 49
Prediction
Washington has been thoroughly mediocre offensively this season, and senior QB Browning’s lack of progression has been a big reason why. The Cougars will look to load up to stop Myles Gaskin and the ground game, forcing Browning to keep up with Minshew and company through the air. Washington’s defense has long presented problems Leach hasn’t had an answer to, but this Washington State team has defied the norm all season long. Look for the special season in Pullman to continue as the Cougars get the Washington monkey off of their back, and clinch a spot in next week’s PAC-12 Championship Game in Santa Clara.
Final Score: Washington State 31, Washington 27