SEATTLE — The reliable legs of University of Washington running back Chris Polk took a back seat to the junior’s hands for much of Saturday’s 42-31 win over Arizona.
The bruising tailback proved just as capable as a receiver as he did a runner, piling up 100 receiving yards before the end of the third quarter. He scored a 17-yard touchdown on a swing pass to cap off the opening drive of the second half, then added a 43-yard reception from a wideout position on the Huskies’ next snap to put him at 100 yards on four receptions.
By the end of the game, Polk caught four passes for 100 yards.
It marked the first time in Polk’s career that he has gone over the 100-yard mark in receiving yardage.
Polk also did his typical damage on the ground, gaining 144 yards on 34 carries and scoring four touchdowns.
It marked the 18th 100-yard rushing performance from Polk, moving him ahead of Napoleon Kaufman for the most in school history.
The UW sports information department said during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game that Polk is believed to be the first Husky to go over 100 yards in both rushing and receiving in the same game.
Let’s go to the booth
Television screens were a big factor in the first half Saturday night, with three key replays coming into play in a span of just over six minutes.
The Huskies appeared to get robbed of a second-quarter touchdown when tight end Michael Hartvigson lost his balance, fell down and lost control of the ball just short of the goal line.
Officials ruled it an incomplete pass, even though Hartvigson appeared to maintain control of the ball as he took two steps and fell to the turf. A television replay seemed to show that Hartvigson had possession even as he slid past the goal line, at which point the ball came loose.
But after looking at a replay, officials upheld the call to give the Huskies a third-and-9 at the Arizona 32-yard line.
Three plays later, UW scored on a Jermaine Kearse run into the end zone, thereby rendering the call irrelevant.
A few minutes later, the Huskies may have been on the other end of a questionable call when Polk and Arizona cornerback Tramayne Bondurant battled for a pass, with the officials ruling Polk made the catch. Both players had possession of the ball at the end of the play, but replays appeared to show that Bondurant had the ball first.
The replay again upheld the call.
Four plays later, a Polk touchdown was wiped out when replays showed his knee came down before the ball crossed the goal line.
Polk eventually scored to make that call immaterial as well.
Return game comes alive
UW kick returner Kevin Smith had one of his most effective games as a Husky, popping a pair of 40-plus-yard returns in the first 31 minutes.
He broke a 40-yarder after an Arizona touchdown gave the Wildcats a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but the ensuing drive was a three-and-out.
Smith added a 44-yard return on the opening kickoff of the second half to help set up a UW touchdown.
Short yardage
UW hosted a “blackout” on Saturday night, fans were encouraged to wear black. Apparently more than a few fans honored the occasion by leaving empty seats at a less-than-capacity Husky Stadium. … UW receivers James Johnson and Jermaine Kearse came off the field with minor injuries during the course of Saturday’s game, but both returned to action. … Huskies free safety Justin Glenn, a Kamiak High School graduate, did not play in the game because of a foot injury he suffered a week earlier at Stanford.
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