What a lousy way to finish the season. It turned out to be a Black Friday indeed.

As I sat and watched the beginning of this game, I told my co-worker “we are going to lose the Apple Cup.”

It just looked like the Huskies weren’t interested in this one from the onset.

Sure it got better in the second half, but the Cougars were the team that looked like destiny was on the side of, not the team that was headed to a bowl game, the Huskies.

So with the up and down season coming to an end with and up and down game, I thought I would give 5 questions that need to be addressed by Coach Sark himself before the bowl game and beyond.

1: How did this happen?

Of course we are going to start with the obvious.

In the 4th quarter of this game the Dawgs had an 18 point lead. 18 points! That is a gimme against a team that has struggled all season long.

How in the world did coach Sark allow this team, who had won 4 straight, to give up so badly in their most important game of the year?

The Huskies had given up only 18 points in their previous two games, that is 8 quarters of football with only 18 points allowed.

And yet here in Pullman, they gave up the same amount in just 15 minutes.

Unacceptable, especially now that all those Cougars fans will be gloating for the next 12 months about how they won the Apple Cup.

What gives Steve? How did we lose the Apple Cup?

2: Where is the discipline?

18 must be the Cougars lucky number, because one of the things that undid the Huskies was their penalties once again, and yep, you guessed it, the number was 18.

How does this happen?

Penalties have been the downfall of the Huskies all season long, but 18 against the Cougs? That is just too much.

There will be enough time now for coach Sark to demonstrate just how damning penalties are to his team before the bowl game.

Hopefully he makes them watch this game over and over again, every day, until it is beaten into their thick skulls that penalties are what loses ball games.

What ever he has been doing up to this point sure hasn’t been working.

3: What now?

Is it back to the drawing board for Washington?

I doubt it, they played well enough to win this game, but fell apart at the end.

The Apple Cup is a game full of emotion, just like every rivalry, but execution needs to take precedent over feelings at this level.

The old bread and butter wasn’t there on Friday.

But, this doesn’t mean the Huskies should abandon relying heavily on Bishop Sankey to get yards on the ground in the bowl game.

He has been the one that has carried this team all year long offensively, even when Keith Price decided to finally show up, Sankey was still the man.

And Sankey needs to continue to be the man come bowl season.

4: When will this team be a contender?

This is probably a question that may never be answered.

In arguably the best conference this side of Texas, the Huskies may never be on top again.

Just one of the miscues (Photo: Yahoo)

That is, until the dynasties of USC, and Oregon decide to dry up.

Which is a little funny, since both failed to reach the Pac-12 Championship game.

We have been made promises in Seattle ever since the departure of the great Don James, and since then, most have failed.

The successor has finally arrived I think, and in time, this Huskies team will once again be the pride of the Pac-12, but until then, we have some work to do.

If this team can’t even beat cross state rival Washington State, who can’t beat anyone, how can we be considered a threat in the Pac-12?

One minute we are beating top 10 teams like Oregon State and Stanford, and the next, losing to the Cougars.

If it’s any consolation, all of our losses, besides the Apple Cup, did come to ranked teams, or teams that had been and are ranked now.

5: Who will step up in the bowl game?

Though we don’t officially know where we are headed yet, it can be assumed that it will be Maaco Bowl against Boise State.

This will be yet another tough matchup in a season full of tough matchups.

My bet is the Huskies rely on the legs of Bishop Sankey to carry them to a victory.

Yes, Boise State isn’t exactly who they were a few years ago, but they still do carry that stigma of a team that is a power house in NCAA football.

How coach Sark prepares for this game will be the ultimate test for the Huskies.

Each of the prior questions will need to be not only addressed, but answered as well if we are to stand a chance.

But the number one thing that needs to be fixed are the penalties.

That, and the need to go for the jugular and finish off an opponent.

The nightmares of the Apple Cup may always loom for this team, but it they want to go on and become professional football players, the first thing they will need to learn how to do is forget.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE HUSKIES CLUBHOUSE PAGE AT NWSPORTSBEAT!

As we all know, Saturday was the Apple Cup. The in-state rivalry between the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars has grown stronger every year with more tradition and rivalry being added with each meeting.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE HUSKIES FOOTBALL CLUBHOUSE TODAY AT NWSB!!

This year, the Huskies were looking for a three-peat and a win for each season now that Husky Head Coach Steve Sarkisian has taken over as leader of the team.

They did just that.

This particular blog usually goes over what I loved and what I hated about the Huskies effort in the particular game that week. This week was about one thing and one thing only…beating the Cougs.

The feat has been accomplished and this is my last chance to get my shots in on the Cougars and run salt in the wound.

With that, I show picture proof of what I loved as I did not hate a single thing in this beat down of Washington State. (Photos Courtesy of The Seattle Times)

Chris Polk ran right through the Cougar defense

Chris Polk takes it in for a 1 yard score on his way to another 100 yard performance

Jermaine Kearse stiff armed the Cougs

Kasen Williams showed the Cougars what they can look forward to for the next few years

One of two Kasen William touchdowns in the game

The UW defense swarmed the Cougs for 7 sacks and 12 tackles for loss

The Husky defense stepped up to the challenge in the second half

Desmond Trufant holds the prize in his hands after a hard fought victory

The Washington Huskies hoist the 2011 Apple Cup trophy as victors

Washington won’t know for another week where it heads in bowl season. But by my calculations and projections we’ll probably be flying to the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 in San Antonio or the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Diego.

Each would have UW facing a Big 12 team.

Let’s get it on!

Washington snapped their 3-game losing streak by beating WSU 38-21 to win the coveted Apple Cup.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE HUSKIES FOOTBALL CLUBHOUSE TODAY AT NWSB!!

The Huskies finished the season 7-5 and will be heading to a bowl and while WSU finished the season at 4-8, they did have some solid wins and doubled their win total from last season.

Here are 5 reasons Washington beat WSU in the Apple Cup game.

1. UW’s well-balanced offense - The Huskies had a solid all around game on offense with 291 yards through the air and 143 yards on the ground. Keith Price had a solid game, as he only missed on 8 pass attempts (21/29) and he tossed 3 TD and was not picked off.

RB Chris Polk rushed for at least 100 yards for the 9th time this season with exactly 100 yards in the game averaging a solid 4.5 yards per carry and had a rushing TD.

2. WSU could not run the ball - For the Game the Cougars only rushed for a grand total of 38 yards and after they tied the score at 14 all they gave up 2 unanswered TD and had to air it out in an attempt to come back.

3. UW stepped up when it counted - After the Cougars had cut the lead to 7 with 4:31 left in the 3rd quarter when WSU QB Marshall Lobbestael hooked up with Marquess Wilson for a 38-yard TD the Huskies took over on both sides of the ball.

In the 4th quarter the Huskies’ D held the Cougars scoreless while they scored 10 points.

The Washington Huskies are the 2011 Apple Cup Champions

4. Turnovers -In 2 of the last 3 games, both losses, for the Huskies they committed 3 turnovers.

In the Apple Cup game they did not turn the ball over while the Cougars coughed up the ball twice.

5. Big runs really helped the Huskies - UW got some big runs from their RB’s with Polk having a 34 yard run and Jesse Callier peeled off a 30 yard run. The Washington State defense had to play good all-around defense, which they could not do and that cost them a shot at a win.

Next Up: For WSU their season is over, as they will not go bowling for the season while Washington has been projected to possibly face Oklahoma or Baylor in the Alamo Bowl, but that is not a lock.

Ever since I was a kid, I have been a Husky fan. I’m not old, but I have memories dating back to the good ol days of Husky football. These days, times are harder for Huskies fans, but two things remain the same.

We hate the Cougars and the Cougars flat out suck.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE HUSKIES FOOTBALL CLUBHOUSE TODAY AT NWSB!!

That’s right…it’s Apple Cup week.

The biggest rivalry game in the state of Washington is upon us and it is time to show your pride more now than you have all season long.

Break out your purple and gold, Dawgs, because it is time to show these crimson-wearing chumps what’s up.

I’m sure you’ll all agree with my next comments, so let me begin.

Here are the 5 things I hate most about the Washington State Cougars.

1. They’re Jealous

We think ever so highly of the Cougs!

One of my favorite jokes ever sums this category up perfectly. “What do Cougars and Huskies have in common?” The answer? “They both applied to UW.”

Unless they live in Pullman, WSU isn’t typically a first-choice school for attendees. It’s maybe second best, meaning they are slackers, underachievers or just fans of crappy sports teams.

They live near absolutely nothing fun to do or nice to look at and are probably tired of hearing about how the Husky campus is one of the most beautiful and the stadium is one of the most scenic places in college football.

Does anybody say they WANT to go to Martin Stadium? I think not.

2. They’re Bitter

Cougs fans like to pick on Husky fans for having pride in our Co-National Championship. When did the Cougars win a National Title? Co-National Championship? I’m going to assume cricket are chirping in the background and continue.

In fact, the only championships the Cougars can claim are the 1997 and 2002 CO-Pac 10 Champion titles. You want to make fun of us for being C0-National Champs? Try again.

The history between these 2 schools yields a 66-31-6 record in favor of the Huskies. Ouch.

I would be pretty bitter, too, if my team couldn’t even win conference games.

Not to mention the slogan used around the country in “Don’t Coug it.”

3. They can’t win

This could tie in with my last category, but I wanted this to be strictly bowl related. The Cougars have gone to a whopping TEN bowl games in their existence and will be missing out again this season.

You have only been to the Rose Bowl 3 times and the only win was against Brown in 1914.

The Huskies? A modest 31 bowl games to date with another coming this January. The Huskies are 7-6-1 in Rose Bowl games.

That record may not be great, but the Huskies were still there 14 times. 11 times more than the Cougs.

4. Nobody wants to play there

When you see 3-5 star recruits looking at Northwest schools, the Cougars nevermake the list. Even in-state kids don’t want to play there. They all have the Huskies, on their lists, though! The Huskies don’t have to resort to bringing in quarterbacks through open tryouts – they can actually recruit them.

And they have more experience than a flag football player!

Oh and our Cheerleaders are HOTTER than yours!

How many exceptional NFL’ers have the Cougs produced? A couple kickers and a couple quarterbacks…maybe? Drew Bledsoe is your biggest and c’mon, let’s be real here…Bledsoe, really?

Not to mention the Cougs had the biggest draft bust in NFL history hailing from that god awful school in Ryan Leaf.

I don’t have to list the headliner NFL players the Huskies produced, do I?

If they’re a blue chip prospect, they head to the big city. If they’re little guys who aren’t very good, they head inland to the cowtown in the shadow of the mountains.

5. Their coaching

The Huskies have had some pretty poignant coaches in their time. Notably “The Dawg Father” Don James and Gil Dobie. But what has Washington State had? Coaches who couldn’t bring their team to conference titles or bowl games? Check. Coaches so old, they could’ve participated in WWI? Check. Haven’t coached a winning season since 2003? Check.

Let me ask you this…what happened to Mike Price anyway? He was your winningest coach and how has his career gone since his last years at WSU and beyond? Oh yeah, scandalous. And what about this 8 win coach nonsense? You’d be throwing bonfires and rioting if your piss poor football team reached 8 wins.

I’ll finish this coaches section with my favorite Don James quote of all time. He has had so many motivational quotes, but this one takes the cake in dead-on accuracy and truthfulness.

“I’ve always felt being a Cougar prepares you well for life. You learn not to expect too much.”

There are so many more reasons why the Dawgs are better than the kitties, but I will let the teams do the ultimate talking beyond what I just rubbed into that wound called a Washington State University education.

And to the ones who like to bring up the drug and alcohol-related incidents in UW past…I’ve got 2 words that will nullify that argument 100%: Ryan Leaf.

Bow down, Cougs. Get ready to watch that Apple Cup trophy land in the trophy case in Seattle yet again.

The Apple Cup is the annual college football game between in-state Pac 12 rivals Washington and Washington State.

As of 2010…In the 103 Apple Cup games Washington has the advantage, as they have won 66 times while WSU has won 31 times and there have been 6 ties.

In the first Apple Cup game way back in 1900 the game was a barnburner, to say the least, with the game ending in a 5-5 tie.

Until 1962 the Apple Cup game was called the Governor’s Trophy and since the apple is a major crop in Washington State they took the name from that. Makes sense.

After 1962 the Apple Cup trophy has been awarded to the winner of the big game.

Washington has been the home team in the Apple Cup 57 times with all of those games being held in Seattle.

WSU has been the home team 46 times with 31 games being held in Pullman, which is where WSU currently plays, and 15 times in Spokane.

The Huskies not only have the advantage in the all-time series they have two 8-game winning streaks (1959-1966) and (1974-1981) and it is interesting that the Cougars have never won the Apple Cup more that 2 times in a row.

With Husky Stadium going under a $250 million face-lift, aka renovation, the 2011 Apple Cup will be held at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on November 26th.

2009

The Huskies have won 2 straight Apple Cup games beating the Cougars 30-0 in 2009 and 35-28 last season, which was one of the best Apple Cup games ever.

Apple Cup History - Washington vs. Washington State

2010

Last season the Huskies were sitting at 5-6 and needed a win in the Apple Cup to become bowl eligible. Tennessee Titans’ rookie QB Jake Locker overcame 2 turnovers to pass for a 27-yard TD pass to WR Jermaine Kearse to give the Huskies the big win.

There have been many close games in the Apple Cup and several of the most exciting games have come in the last decade.

2008

In 2008 Washington State kicked a field goal in double OT to keep UW winless for the season while WSU doubled their win total to 2.

2007

In 2007 WSU beat Washington 42-35. WSU QB Alex Brink passed for 399 yards and 5 TD while UW freshman QB Jake Locker had 2 INT including one as time expired.

2003

In 2003 UW beat WSU 29-26 in triple OT, as Huskies kicker John Anderson kicked the 49-yard game-winner to deny WSU a place in the Rose Bowl.

1997

A win by the Cougars in Seattle marked a remarkable season. Ryan Leaf was being carried around on the shoulders of proud Cougars fans and players. Who can forget that? We have a detailed WSU Cougars Apple Cup blog post detailing their trip to the Rose Bowl.

1981

In the 1981 Apple Cup 14th ranked WSU lost to 17th ranked UW and since USC upset UCLA earlier in the day the Huskies ended up in the Rose Bowl.

1975

1975 also saw a memorable Apple Cup game with Warren Moon and UW coming back from 27-14 down with only 3 minutes left in the game to win 28-27.

The 2 late TD’s came on a 93-yard TD INT return and a 78-yard TD pass from Moon.

Click Here for more info on the Washington Huskies football blog.

Click Here for more info on the Washington State Cougars football blog.