Washington State offense stumbles while defense impresses in Week 1 Apple Cup loss | Instant reactions

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Sep. 6—The new-look Washington State football team, playing its first game under coach Kirby Moore, got a commendable effort from its defense, which kept the Cougars alive throughout the 118th Apple Cup. But WSU's offense faltered for most of the day, allowing No. 17 Washington to control the lead all game and close out a 24-10 win Sunday afternoon at Husky Stadium.

The Huskies had chances to pull away earlier, but were hampered by their own missteps and a strong showing from WSU's defense. The Week 1 Apple Cup between nonconference rivals was pretty sloppy overall, but it wasn't uncompetitive.

New offense looks unsettled

Before the fourth quarter, WSU's offense had advanced past midfield on just two possessions. The Huskies led 10-0 entering the final period, and it could have been much worse if not for WSU's defensive performance and a mistake-prone Husky defense, which committed three penalties that extended WSU possessions — including a targeting penalty that negated a UW takeaway, allowing WSU to finish a fourth-quarter possession with a field goal.

The initial assessment for transfer WSU quarterback Caden Pinnick: not great. Though he was playing his first FBS game, against a talent-packed UW defense that put ample pressure on the sophomore, Pinnick often looked unsettled and perhaps relied too much on his legs. He completed 16 of 25 passes for 142 yards and two interceptions, rushing for 61 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.

As for WSU's running backs, it was a rough start. Three WSU tailbacks combined for 38 yards on 16 carries, losing one fumble.

Other troubling stats for WSU's offense: 0-for-11 on third downs, eight tackles for loss surrendered (three sacks), three turnovers and two missed field goals.

Adding to the rough Week 1 for WSU's offense: Standout senior receiver Tony Freeman suffered a noncontact leg injury in the first half and spent the rest of the game on the sideline on crutches.

Encouraging takeaways for WSU's offense: Pinnick is a good runner and showed some promise during the fourth quarter, leading two scoring drives; new receivers Daniel Blood and Darrius Clemons had a few nice catches and combined for 97 yards on eight receptions.

New defense looks promising

A defensive unit with a first-year coordinator and a completely new lineup gave WSU fans plenty reason to feel encouraged.

The Cougs' defensive front kept star Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. off-balance for most of three quarters, getting significant pressure at times from potential star edge rushers Linus Zunk and Matyus McLain.

WSU gave up just one rush of 20-plus yards. But Williams started to find some space as the game wore on. The Cougars secondary may have tired out later in the game, allowing a few big passing plays after holding Williams to 108 passing yards in the first half.

The Cougs' offense put the defense in some tough positions, committing two turnovers deep in WSU territory. One turnover resulted in a UW touchdown, but the Cougar defense held firm after the next giveaway, and the Huskies missed a field goal.

WSU's top highlight from the game: The Cougars defense made a massive goal-line stand at the end of the first half, stuffing a fourth-and-goal run from the 1-yard line as time expired.

Throughout fall camp, it appeared defense would be WSU's strength under new coordinator Trent Bray. Limiting an explosive Husky offense to 24 points to keep an upset bid alive until the late stages in Week 1 — that's a good start for the group.

Opportunity missed, but the gap isn't so wide

The so-called "competitive disadvantage" — the massive "talent gap" between a WSU program representing the new "Group of Six" version of the Pac-12 and a Husky team that now plays in the big-boy Big Ten — wasn't so evident Sunday. The Cougs were projected to be routed, and even though they could hardly move the ball for three quarters, they were at the Huskies' heels until the final minutes.

Yes, UW obviously has advantages in finances and talent acquisition and has advanced to the highest level of college football while WSU has been left behind. That doesn't mean this series shouldn't continue. In fact, two of the three nonconference Apple Cups have been more tightly contested than many in the later years of the old Pac-12. WSU beat UW two years ago, and last year's affair was a one-possession game entering the fourth quarter before the Huskies pulled away for a lopsided win.

A win would have been a giant statement for the Cougs. It's an opportunity missed, but it showed that WSU can still hang with the Huskies and there's still meaning in the Apple Cup, which should be scheduled every year without question.

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