YES, THAT JUST HAPPENED. Interim head coach Jake Dickert and his Washington State Cougars (7-5 conference, 6-3 overall) just annihilated their in-state rival, the Washington Huskies (4-8, 3-6), by a score of 40-13. The 27-point margin of victory was the largest for WSU in the 121 year history of the rivalry and ended a seven-game losing streak dating back to 2013.
If this was a preview of the quarterback battle for the next three Apple Cups, Cougar fans will have plenty of reasons to be optimistic for the future. WSU QB Jayden de Laura threw just five incompletions in the contest, while UW’s Sam Huard threw four interceptions and posted a QBR of 5.3 (out of 100). On the other side of the offense, the Huskies managed only a pathetic 10 rushing yards on 14 attempts (0.7 ypc), while WSU had six runs that went over 10 yards individually.
This week’s gold star goes to Dickert, who absolutely deserves to lose the “interim” tag from his job title after his work over the past six weeks. Dickert is now the first Cougar coach to win the Apple Cup in Seattle since Bill Doba, and he currently possesses a winning record at 3-2. The future is bright with Dickert at the helm of this program. Pat Chun, make the call.
And now, we wait. After finishing 6-3 in conference play and notching a 4-1 Pac 12 North record, the Cougars’ fate will now be determined by the outcome of the Oregon-Oregon State game this afternoon. Should the Beavers upset the No. 11 Ducks, Washington State will claim the Pac 12 North title and head to Las Vegas for a rematch against the Utah Utes in the Pac 12 Championship Game for the chance to play in the 2022 Rose Bowl.
CougCenter was in Husky Stadium covering the game’s biggest moments and plays. Enjoy!
Missed previous photo galleries? Check them out below!
9/4/21 - WSU versus Utah State
9/11/21 - WSU versus Portland State
10/9/21 - WSU versus Oregon State
10/16/21 - WSU versus Stanford