SEATTLE — The old cliché is that when rivals face off, you can throw out the records.
Really? Because that would be great for both teams heading into this week’s Apple Cup, the 101st meeting between Washington and Washington State.
Given the chance, the Huskies and Cougars certainly would love to throw out their records, both of which are devoid of wins over teams in the Bowl Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I).
But the fact of the matter is, everyone knows the records. Washington is 0-10 this season and has lost 12 in a row going back to last year. Washington State does have a win, but it came against Portland State, a lower division school. In their eight Pac-10 losses, the Cougars have given up 58 or more points six times.
And given the terrible records of both teams, the question is whether or not this game will still have the intensity normally associated with the Apple Cup.
Is this still a big game?
“It’s a big deal for the football team, the city and the fans,” UW senior cornerback Mesphin Forrester said. “The Apple Cup, there’s a little more extra hype and buzz around the locker room.”
Forrester expects this game to still be a hard-fought contest, and points to the 2004 Apple Cup as evidence.
“I think it still has the same intensity,” he said. “The Apple Cup is a totally different game. I remember my freshman year I went down to the game and I was redshirting, and we weren’t having the best season — I think we won one game, San Jose (State), we went 1-10 that year — and the Washington guys out there were still competing even though we weren’t having a really good season. I’m looking forward to our team going out there and competing regardless of whether we’re 0-10 or not, and still fighting and looking for a victory.”
And it’s the search for that victory that will likely keep the Huskies motivated this week even if a rivalry game doesn’t. This season is obviously not going to end well for Washington no matter the finish, but the Huskies don’t want to be known as the team that went winless.
“Is one win greater than zero? My answer would be yes,” Washington coach Tyrone Willingham said. “And, when it’s the Apple Cup, I would say ‘Yes, yes.’ It makes a huge difference. But you want to win every game you possibly can. Winning is better than the alternative.”
Besides, according to linebacker Donald Butler, the Apple Cup will always be big because of the “deep-rooted hatred between one another.”
He says the animosity won’t go away just because both teams are having bad years, but also acknowledged that the quest for a first win might be more important that the rivalry this week.
Locker update: Injured quarterback Jake Locker underwent surgery Friday to remove the plate from his thumb. Willingham said the surgery went well, and added that he does not expect Locker to play again this season.
“I would probably lean to say ‘no’ to that,” Willingham said when asked if Locker could return for the Dec. 6 game against California. “Again, we don’t know, but at this time based on the information I have, it’s probably not the right move to make right now.”
Injury report: Matt Mosley, who suffered an undisclosed knee injury on a kick return Saturday, is likely out this week.
Defensive tackle Senio Kelemete, who has missed the past four games with a knee injury, is expected to return this week. Tailback Terrance Dailey, who was limited by a hip injury last week, is expected to be at full strength again this week.
No awards necessary: For the second time in three weeks, Washington’s coaches decided that nobody played well enough to merit player-of-the-game honors. The Huskies usually award an offensive, defensive and special-teams player of the game each week, but after losses to USC earlier this month and UCLA Saturday, no winners were selected.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more on UW athletics, check out the Huskies blog at heraldnet.com /huskiesblog.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
