As time was winding down in the first half, the 2010 Apple Cup was starting to feel like the 2009 Apple Cup. Washington was on the verge of running over WSU and running away with the game. In the blink of an eye, the Cougars picked themselves up and started throwing punches.
It started with a freshman -- as it has many times this season -- when Deone Bucannon intercepted Jake Locker in the end zone. Bucannon was beat, dead to rights. And yet there he was again, flying into the picture to snag Locker's pass.
The Cougars took advantage, with Jeff Tuel running the two-minute drill to perfection, driving 80 yards for the score to close the gap to seven. And yet, there we were again after half, with Jermaine Kearse catching a quick slant and racing 66 yards for the score. The WSU offense again swung back, with Daniel Blackledge finding the end zone later in the quarter.
It was a theme in the Apple Cup. Washington would hit a big play, then Washington State would answer. Polk breaks off a 57-yard touchdown, WSU answers with a drive. Polk races down to the one, where Aire Justin never gave up on the play to make the tackle. WSU turns the Huskies over on fourth down. This isn't the Cougar team of year's past. This is a team that fought, scrapped and never rolled-over.
I'm damn proud of each and every player that took the field today, and all year for that matter. They make mistakes, sure, but they've worked their asses off all year. What we saw today was a team that had the right mentality all game long. Be disappointed the Cougs lost, but don't hang your head. I'm incredibly proud of every single player that laid it on the line for 60 minutes and put on one hell of a show.