As the Cougars and their fans celebrated Saturday afternoon, the Huskies looked like a broken team. Nate Williams was face down on the Martin Stadium turf and other players walked around in a daze as Washington State celebrated a fourth Apple Cup win in five years. In a season full of brutal losses, this one hurt the most. Given a chance to win a game, the Huskies blew it while their cross-state rivals rose to the challenge.
And now comes the really difficult part. The Huskies still have a game to play. Saturday afternoon's 16-13 double overtime loss would have been crushing in any season, but when it was the 11th loss in 11 tries, it was the kind of game that could make players wish they could just put the gear away for the winter. Instead, they'll practice for two weeks before traveling to Berkeley for a season ending game at California.
Washington was originally scheduled to play 12 games in 12 weeks this season, but a couple of games were moved to create bye weeks, including what is now a Dec. 6 game at Cal. "That's going to be tough, that's going to be real tough," freshman tailback Terrance Dailey said after the game. "Because the Apple Cup was a game we were supposed to win. In the locker room, people (were) pretty down about it. A lot of tears, more tears than other games. But we've been losing all season, so we're going to have to bounce back. Especially because it's the last game, try to put up a fight and do what we can."
The players who talked after Saturday's loss said they don't want the season to be over. Instead they see the Cal game as a final chance to earn a victory. "I think we're looking at it as a way to get rid of the zero, 0-11," said receiver D'Andre Goodwin. "We're going to go out there and play hard." And as defensive end Daniel Te'o-Nesheim pointed out, the game gives the Huskies one more chance to play football, something that, despite the losses, the players still want to do. "Cal is a great opportunity to play football, and that's why we came here," he said. "I hope nobody is down that we're going to play another game." While many Husky fans would prefer to start looking ahead and skip what likely looks like loss No. 12, the players insist that two more weeks of football is a good thing. "We have to get mentally right," said senior cornerback Mesphin Forrester. "We only have one game left. Unless we want to end this season with a doughnut we have to find a way to step it up and come out with a win. I don't want to end the season with no wins."
Injury report: Washington coach Tyrone Willingham said that Forrester suffered a high ankle sprain in the Apple Cup, but that the cornerback should be OK for the Cal game. Offensive guard Jordan White-Frisbee had to be helped off the field Saturday after the game ended. Willingham said the senior didn't suffer a new injury, but that he was being bothered by the foot problems that have plagued him throughout is UW career.
"He's been struggling all year with his foot," Willingham said. "That's nothing new, but we just hope it isn't any worse than it has been. In his case, he's really been a warrior, really been someone who has stepped up every week and kept himself in the lineup. Probably there's some other guys that would have what he's had and wouldn't play for the last seven weeks. He's been tough, really been strong, hasn't said a word and really battled every week."
Players of the game: Tailback Willie Griffen earned player of the game honors on offense for Washington, and linebacker Donald Butler earned defensive honors. Service team players of the week were Anthony Boyles, Bradly Roussel and Adam Long.
1 comment:
Don't know if it is just me but I feel bad for the Huskies. Not bad enough to want them to win, of course, but bad nonetheless.
I'm a Cal alum from the Bruce Snyder era, and developed a grudging respect for UW. They were good, but a class act: In '91, my senior year, we went 10-2. One of our losses was to Washington and, oddly, it was a strangely satisfying loss. We played them tough.
I know there is alot to grumble about: When Snyder snaked out of town, we got... Gilbertson. Somehow, the huskies stayed strong without him and we got a preview of the Holmoe era.
I also know that Willingham should be hated because of his time on the farm. But, lordy, our rivals sucked before and after his time there. Feel bad for the guy.
I do wonder how Tedford is going to aproach this. I know he's firing up the team -- and he should: a loss, or even a competative game, would be entirely unacceptable. But at what point are we pouring salt on a wound or, more distressingly, pissing on the graves of the already dead?
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