103rd Apple Cup

The last time the Apple Cup had bowl-eligibility implications, the Washington Huskies came into Martin Stadium and handed the 6-5 WSU football team a 35-32 defeat to end the Cougars’ season in 2006.

Fast forward to 2010 and the venue is the same, but the shoe is on the other foot. The Huskies (5-6, 4-4) are a win away from bowl eligibility, and the Cougars (2-9, 1-7) will attempt to play the part of spoiler in the 103rd meeting between the two schools on Saturday.

However, stopping a bowl berth is not on the minds of WSU players.

“You know their bowl hopes is not extra incentive for us on Apple Cup,” redshirt senior James Montgomery said. “We just want to come out and win. If they were 0-11 like they were a few years ago, we’d still come out with the same attitude.” For the Huskies, Saturday could mark the final game for quarterback Jake Locker, who poses a duel threat for the Cougar defense.

“We just have to stay disciplined with our assignments,” redshirt sophomore safety Tyree Toomer said. “He’s a good player and a great runner, but as long as we stay disciplined we should be able to contain him.” The Huskies have relied heavily on a running game that is averaging just more than 150 yards a game. Running back Chris Polk is on pace for his second-consecutive 1,000 yard rushing season.

Early weather forecasts predicted snow for the game, but as kickoff gets closer, it has become unclear how much will fall, if any. However, snow or no snow, the temperature will be cold with highs predicted in the mid-20s.

“We get a few more inches of snow than they do in Seattle, but we’re both going to be playing below freezing temperatures,” Montgomery said.

The Cougars haven’t faced an opponent since they knocked off Oregon State 31-14 on Nov. 13.

“Obviously we’re recharged, we’re healthy,” sophomore quarterback Jeff Tuel said. “We got our legs back. Guys should be running around feeling great, which is good.

“But at the same time, the high from the Oregon State game has worn off a little bit, but it should.” Tuel was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week following the Cougars’ win.

A year ago, Washington shut out WSU 30-0 in Seattle. It marked the first shutout in the rivalry since the Cougars knocked off the Huskies 24-0 in 1968. The Cougar players who experienced the shut out in 2009 have not forgotten about it.

“We definitely haven’t forgot about that,” Toomer said. “We definitely had a serious injury problem. A lot of guys we’re out, including myself, so we had a lot of our two’s and three’s ended up starting for us at the end of the year.

“But now we’re pretty much healthy, we have our guys out there so I think we’ll be good.” Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Martin Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally on Versus.