BERKELEY, Calif. — The worst football season in Washington history ended with a whimper Saturday afternoon, but at least, it finally ended.
Playing their last game under coach Tyrone Willingham, the Huskies were embarrassed for a final time in 2008, losing 48-7 to California in front of 50,038 at Memorial Stadium.
Most assumed 0-12 was an inevitability following Washington’s Apple Cup loss two weeks ago, and on Saturday the Huskies were blown out one last time this season, securing their place in the history books as the first 0-12 team in Pac-10 history and the first winless season in program history since Washington tied its only game in 1890.
“Oh and 12, to be completely honest it’s horrible,” said sophomore linebacker Mason Foster, who finished with a game-high 13 tackles. “It’s appalling to go 0-12.”
Appalling indeed.
For the second straight year, the UW defense set a school record by allowing 451.75 yards per game, surpassing last year’s total of 446.4. The totals of 463 points allowed and 38.58 points per game allowed also set records in defensive futility for Washington. The Bears, who Saturday accepted a bid to the Emerald Bowl, helped bump that average up a bit by piling up 549 yards, including 325 yards in the first half.
Washington’s offense average of just 263.16 yards per game this season was the school’s lowest total since 1967, and the Huskies scored only 12.67 points per game.
Washington’s winless season was especially difficult to handle for Washington’s fifth-year seniors, who as redshirting freshmen watched the team go 1-10 in 2004, a season everyone incorrectly assumed was rock bottom.
“It sucks,” said senior cornerback Mesphin Forrester. “Starting 1-10, finishing 0-12, it’s just terrible. It’s terrible. But I’ve got to look at the bright side, I made a lot of friends, so that’s cool I guess, but as far as wins and losses, it’s terrible.”
Washington’s 12th loss started off like so many of the previous 11. Washington’s offense, which has not been able to do much of anything since Jake Locker’s season-ending injury, once again started a game with a three-and-out, and a Washington opponent once again answered with a quick score.
In this case, it was sensational sophomore tailback Jahvid Best doing the damage, going 60-yards for a score on Cal’s second play from scrimmage.
Washington’s defense actually showed a bit of grit on Cal’s second two possessions, forcing a field goal attempt — which missed — after one long Cal drive, and another field goal attempt — which the Bears made to go up 10-0 — after a Ronnie Fouch fumble gave Cal a short field.
Cal’s Syd’Quan Thompson returned a low punt 44 yards to the UW 8-yard line. Two plays later, Best was in the end zone again.
Best’s 20-yard touchdown run made it 24-0.
Cal’s final score in the half came on a five-play, 89-yard drive that started with 33 second left, increasing the Bears’ lead to 31-0.
Best added an 84-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, and finished with 311 yards and four scores on 19 carries before leaving the game at the 11:02 mark of the third quarter. Best’s total was the second-highest rushing total against the Huskies behind Maurice Drew’s 322-yard performance in 2004.
“We didn’t contain their backs,” said Willingham, who finishes his Washington career with an 11-37 record. “We knew coming in that we had to contain these backs, that was the most explosive part of their offense and we didn’t do that. (Best) had an unbelievable day and we couldn’t shut him down.”
Washington avoided the shutout when quarterback Taylor Bean scored on a 2-yard run late in the third quarter. Bean, a redshirt freshman walk-on, saw the first significant playing time of his career after Fouch left the game with a concussion late in the second quarter.
But despite that touchdown, the game felt like so many others this season: another Saturday, another blowout. Washington lost nine of its 12 games by 20 or more points, and five by 34 or more.
And in the end, the Huskies can only wonder what went so wrong.
“I don’t know,” Forrester said when asked how Washington went 0-12. “We just lost a lot of games man, lost every game, but I don’t know how it came about.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more on UW sports, check out the Huskies blog at heraldnet.com /huskiesblog
California 48, Washington 7
Washington0070—7
California1021143—48
First Quarter
Cal—Best 60 run (Tavecchio kick), 12:40.
Cal—FG Tavecchio 23, 1:22.
Second Quarter
Cal—Best 1 run (Tavecchio kick), 8:57.
Cal—Best 20 run (Tavecchio kick), 7:00.
Cal—Morrah 6 pass from Longshore (Tavecchio kick), :05.
Third Quarter
Cal—Best 84 run (Kay kick), 13:57.
Cal—Vereen 2 run (Kay kick), 9:49.
Wash—Bean 2 run (Perkins kick), 2:50.
Fourth Quarter
Cal—FG Kay 36, 11:33.
A—50,038.
WashCal
First downs1220
Rushes-yards44-10444-431
Passing96118
Comp-Att-Int11-25-210-22-0
Return Yards977
Punts-Avg.6-40.03-33.7
Fumbles-Lost5-21-0
Penalties-Yards6-514-50
Time of Possession29:5030:10
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Washington, Griffin 24-60, J.Polk 3-19, Bean 5-12, Goodwin 2-9, Kravitz 5-8, Dailey 1-3, Fouch 4-(minus 7). California, Best 19-311, Vereen 10-49, Slocum 6-36, Riley 1-17, Mansion 2-12, Ross 1-8, Geurts 1-3, S.Young 1-2, Tyndall 1-(minus 1), Team 1-(minus 2), Longshore 1-(minus 4).
PASSING—Washington, Bean 8-17-1-80, Fouch 3-7-1-16, Bruns 0-1-0-0. California, Longshore 5-10-0-84, Riley 3-7-0-18, Mansion 2-4-0-16, Team 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING—Washington, Hawkins 2-43, Gottlieb 2-13, Goodwin 2-7, Aguilar 1-12, Chidiac 1-9, Middleton 1-7, Homer 1-3, Griffin 1-2. California, Morrah 3-39, Tucker 1-30, Vereen 1-14, Boateng 1-9, Glover 1-9, Stroud 1-7, Ross 1-5, Ta’ufo’ou 1-5.
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