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Great (and not so great) moments in WSU vs. Nevada history

Nevada v UNLV Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The Washington State Cougars and Nevada Wolf Pack have played a grand total of three times but never has the game been in Pullman. There's not a lot of history, but there's some.

You all likely remember all three games pretty well, especially the first time these two teams played.

Great!

Aug. 31, 2002: WSU 31 Nevada 7

This is the famous Will Derting coming out game, when the then-freshman linebacker picked off three passes and returned one of them 98 yards for a touchdown. Heck of a way to introduce yourself to the WSU faithful. This snippet from a highlight video is the best I could do.

It was also the first iteration of the Seattle Game you all know and love. More than 63,000 people came out for the game in what was then named Seahawks Stadium.

This was the first game WSU played in Seattle that wasn't against UW since 1976 when the Cougs and USC Trojans played at the Kingdome, for some reason.

Sept. 9, 2005: WSU 55 Nevada 21

Until last season, this was known as the game in which WSU last scored a punt return touchdown. Can you believe that was Bumpus' third punt return TD of his career?

Eric Frampton also had a pick-six in this game, and Alex Brink threw three touchdowns in this dominating win.

Believe it or not, Nevada would go on to win the WAC title that year (RIP, football WAC).

Not so great :(

Sept. 5, 2014: Nevada 24 WSU 13

Ugh. This game.

This came a week after the Cougs blew it against Rutgers in Seattle. That game was disappointing, but they'd regroup against the Wolf Pack, right?

Nope!

Connor Halliday was picked off twice and then-freshman Erik Powell lost his job after making just one of three field goals.

It was a sorry performance all around, but really, it was a preview of things to come during the entire 2014 season. If you look at the game notes, you'll notice a bunch of this year's seniors played in the game as baby freshman.