INSIDE SLANT

Forgive Washington Husky football fans if they’ve forgotten their team is still in season.

But since losing to Oregon Oct. 24, the Huskies have had two byes and two road games, finally returning home this week to play rival Washington State in the Apple Cup—not since 1944 have the Huskies had such a long span between home games.

And the hope is that it will be a happy homecoming for the Huskies as they are favored by 24-26 points against a Cougar team that is 1-10 overall and 3-21 the last two years.

One UW player, tight end Kavario Middleton, this week expressed confidence in his team, saying that the Huskies were “planning to score 50 points.”

UW coach Steve Sarkisian, however, is more wary, remembering a 16-13 double overtime loss by the Huskies to WSU last year, even if he was at USC at the time, and the last two overall.

Asked if the Huskies might somehow overlook WSU, he said “Not a chance, not a chance at all. To think they’ve won two in a row, that our players have been part of it. Our seniors are trying to go out with a winning fashion in this rivalry. To think where we are as a program—both programs trying to build to get better, not only for this year, but the future—we don’t have room to take anyone lightly.”

If the Huskies come suitably motivated, they appear to have all the other edges necessary to win this game fairly easily and snap a four-game losing streak that ended any chances of a bowl game. UW is 3-7 overall and 2-5 in Pac-10 play.

UW’s best matchup edge may be its pass offense, which ranks third in the Pac-10 at 235.6 per game, against a WSU pass defense that ranks last, allowing 282.8 per game. UW QB Jake Locker, nursing a thigh bruise the last two games, should be healthy after a bye week, as should all of his receivers, several of whom have also been slowed of late with minor ailments.

Defensively, the Huskies need most worry about WSU’s pass offense, but may try to mix things up to get some pressure on the Cougars’ quarterback. UW has been cautious to bring pressure at times this season but might think it has the personnel edges to take some chances this week.

UW’s last game was a 48-21 loss at Oregon State Nov. 14 that ended any hopes for a bowl game.

But Sarkisian said his team has rebounded well in practice and that he thinks the Huskies will be ready to play.

One of the knocks against his predecessor Tyrone Willingham was an inability to win this game—he lost three of four. Sarkisian said he’s looking forward to getting his first taste of the game.

“It means a lot to everybody involved - neighbors, friends of the family,” he said. “So, it’s exciting. It doesn’t take long to realize the importance of this game from a standpoint of what it means to this state, to this community. It’s exciting. I’m glad, for me, to have the first one here at Husky Stadium, I’m glad we get to experience it that way.”

NOTES, QUOTES

• UW once owned the Northwest but hasn’t beaten either Oregon, Oregon State or WSU since 2006, losing eight in a row since then.

• For most of its modern history, the Huskies ended their regular season against WSU in the Apple Cup. But for the second straight year, UW will play Cal after facing the Cougars, this year hosting the Bears on Dec. 5 in what will be Washington’s season finale.

Series History:   UW leads the all-time series 64-31-6 but the Cougars have won four of the last five, the best stretch in WSU history. That includes a 16-13 Cougar win in Pullman last season in double overtime.

Scouting The Offense:   The Huskies had maybe their worst offensive performance of the season in its last outing, a 48-21 loss at Oregon State Nov. 14. But a healthy QB Jake Locker, who struggled with a thigh bruise his last two games, could make a difference, as should the fact that this is one team UW should be able to dominate up front. If the Huskies can indeed hold an edge up front, coach Steve Sarkisian may be able to call the type of game he envisions, establishing the running game early then taking deep shots out of play-action. Sarkisian spent the bye week working on ways to improve UW’s red zone efficiency—UW has scored TDs on just 16 of 33 red zone trips this season—and said simplifying the playbook when the Huskies get close to the goal line may help.

Scouting The Defense:   The Apple Cup will match what are statistically the two worst defenses in the Pac-10. But UW’s numbers, while nowhere near ideal, are much better than WSU’s—notably, UW is allowing 421.5 yards per game to WSU’s 516.6 and 31 points to WSU’s 39. The big worry for the Huskies in this one is its pass defense—the Cougars have some decent receivers and they have at times hurt opponents with the long pass this season. The Huskies may try to bring more pressure in this game, something the coaches have resisted this year fearing matchup disadvantages in the back end. But it may be easier to get to the QB against WSU than any team UW has faced this season.

Quote To Note:   “I just tell them that they are probably looking at us and saying the same thing.”—UW coach Steve Sarkisian on whether he worries that any of his players are looking at the Cougars as a sure win.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

This Week  ‘S GAME: Washington State at Washington, Saturday, Nov. 28, Husky Stadium. UW looks to snap a two-game slide against their cross-state rival—WSU has never beaten the Huskies three in a row in the 102-game history of the rivalry.

Keys To The Game:  —Start fast. WSU has been outscored 173-6 in the first quarter this season and has rarely been in a game past halftime. UW needs to continue that trend and not allow the Cougars any life.

•  Take care of the ball. About the only thing the WSU defense has done consistently well is force turnovers—22, fourth-best in the Pac-10. UW has been a little sloppy with the ball of late and has 17 turnovers this year. Simply playing mistake-free is the easiest way the Huskies can win this game.

Players To Watch:   QB Jake Locker—The junior continues to get a lot of hype as a high first-round pick in the 2010 Draft should he decide to leave early. But the reality is also that he is just 6-20 as a starting quarterback at Washington and has yet to beat any of the team’s Northwest rivals. He has his best chance against the Cougars.

TB Chris Polk—The freshman needs just 111 yards to become the first freshman in UW history to rush for 1,000 yards, which would be just the 13th 1000-yard season in school history. He also has run as well the last few games as he has all season and is now averaging an even 5.0 yards per carry despite often having not a lot of room to run.

DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim—The senior has just two games left in his career and is hoping to go out on a high note. He leads the Huskies with 6.5 sacks but should have some significant opportunities against a struggling WSU offensive line.

CB Desmond Trufant—The true freshman is the younger brother of one of the more beloved WSU players in recent history, Marcus Trufant, a star CB for the Cougars from 1999-2002. Marcus Trufant, however, never won an Apple Cup. Desmond could have a key role in getting the first AC win for the family as he will make his eighth straight start at corner after winning the job after the first month of the season.

Roster Report:  —DT Cameron Elisara has been cleared to return to action after missing the last three games with a stinger. He was a starter before being injured and could return to the lineup this week and has some extra motivation if he does as his father, Matt, was a defensive lineman for WSU in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

•  Starting WLB E.J. Savannah remained sidelined early in the week with a broken hand that has caused him to miss the last two games. He could be out for the season though coach Steve Sarkisian said early in the week that he could return.

•  FS Nate Fellner, who suffered a biceps injury against Oregon State, has been cleared to play.

•  FS Jason Wells, who sat out the OSU game with a foot injury, has returned and also should play against WSU. Fellner and Wells are listed as co-starters and the spot could go to the healthiest player.