The Sports Xchange
Nov 26, 2017
SEATTLE -- Myles Gaskin ran for 192 yards and four touchdowns and the No. 17 Washington Huskies dominated Washington State 41-14 in the 2017 edition of the Apple Cup Saturday night.
Washington State's opportunity at winning the Pac-12 North and playing USC in the Pac-12 championship game drowned in the heavy Montlake rain as the Cougars endured their fifth consecutive defeat in the rivalry series.
Stanford, which upset Notre Dame, is the major beneficiary of the result, clinching the Pac-12 North title. The Cardinal will play USC in the Pac-12 championship game.
Gaskin created a highlight reel of making tacklers miss, making his outstanding performance look easy.
His 2-yard touchdown scamper finished a five-minute, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the game. Gaskin's second touchdown, also a 2-yard score, capped an impressive 93-yard march down the field in which he contributed 70 yards, including a 43-yard dash, to put Washington (10-2, 7-2) in control at 21-0 in the second quarter.
His next score came when he leapt for the front pylon from the 3-yard line and easily slid the football over the line. The score all but put it to bed, giving Washington a 34-0 lead at the 6:06 mark in the third quarter.
Gaskin's fourth touchdown answered the only score of the night by Washington State's (9-3, 6-3), making it 41-7.
He also set up a touchdown he didn't rush for, rushing 26 yards down the left side following a fumble recovery by Austin Joyner to set up Jake Browning for a 1-yard touchdown sneak.
Browning threw for 93 yards and moves to 3-0 in Apple Cups.
Much-maligned Washington kicker Tristan Vizcaino took advantage of the momentum of his game-winning kick last week at Utah and hit his only two attempts on the night.
Washington State's record-breaking quarterback Luke Falk continued his years-long struggle to diagnose Washington's defensive schemes. The leading passer in Pac-12 history threw for 369 yards, only finding the end zone in garbage time and tossing three interceptions.
The Cougars found the end zone twice in garbage time.
Morrow scampered in from two yards out at the end of an 88-yard drive which padded Falk's stat-line. Falk hit Tay Martin for 33 yards down the left sideline with 2:48 left in the game for his only touchdown pass.
Washington's record-breaking punt returner and leading receiver Dante Pettis left the game in the first quarter with an apparent ankle injury.
NOTES: Washington notches back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since doing it three years in a row in 1990-92. ... QB Luke Falk's struggles in the Apple Cup continued, and he ends his Wazzu career with nine interceptions in the rivalry series. ... RB Myles Gaskin's 192 yards is the 20th 100-yard effort of his UW career, one shy of Chris Polk's program record. ... Washington State was shut out in the first half of the Apple Cup for the fourth time since 2008. ... Washington State has now lost the opportunity to clinch the Pac-12 North in the Apple Cup two years in a row. ... Washington went undefeated at home for the first time since 2001.