Nov. 17, 2001

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By JANIE McCAULEY

AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE - It took less than three minutes for Cody Pickett to realize he had something special in Reggie Williams on Saturday.

By the end of No. 16 Washington's 26-14 victory over No. 9 Washington State in the Apple Cup, Pickett had thrown for 371 yards and the freshman receiver had 11 catches for 203 yards.

After completing a 58-yard pass to Williams early in the first quarter, Pickett didn't have much advice for his top target.

"I told him to keep running his routes hard, and he did," Pickett said.

Only seven days earlier, the Huskies (8-2, 6-2 Pac-10) felt like nothing went right in a 49-24 loss to Oregon State. It was Washington State's turn for one of those frustrating days.

The Pac-10's turnaround team couldn't keep it up through the game that mattered most.

The Cougars (9-2, 6-2) had first-and-goal three times and couldn't score. They committed four turnovers and couldn't count on the players they have all season: quarterback Jason Gesser, running back Dave Minnich, receiver Nakoa McElrath, and their secondary.

"We played below our standards and we didn't win," Gesser said.

It cost them a chance at a share of the Pac-10 title and a top-tier bowl game. Instead the Cougars likely will be playing in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31. With Washington State's loss, No. 7 Oregon clinches at least a tie for the conference championship and the Pac-10's Bowl Championship Series berth.

The Huskies probably will be invited to the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Diego. They scored their final 17 points after three Washington State turnovers.

Audio/Video from

VIDEO: Washington's Reggie Williams sets up a TD on the next play when out-jumps the defender for a 26-yard catch. 56k | 100k | 300k VIDEO: Mike Bush pulls down Jason Gesser's pass in the end zone for a 15-yard TD. 56k | 100k | 300k VIDEO: Jerramy Stevens pulls down the Cody Pickett seven-yard TD pass. 56k | 100k | 300k VIDEO: The Husky defense stops the Cougar offense on three separate occasions inside the 10-yard line. 56k | 100k | 300k

"It is real tough to take," Cougars coach Mike Price said. "We did things that we normally hadn't done in the other nine games this year."

Washington's defense held Minnich to 32 yards on 15 carries. McElrath didn't make his first catch until about three minutes into the third period.

Greg Carothers forced two fumbles in the third quarter, including one by Gesser 6 yards from the end zone that was recovered by teammate Ben Mahdavi.

That wasn't the only time Washington State couldn't convert close to the goal line.

Minnich was stopped on fourth down at the 1 in the first quarter.

"There's absolutely nothing better than that," Mahdavi said of the goal-line stop. "In every sport there's a scenario you dream about. If you're a linebacker, you want to meet the guy in mid-air and stop him on a goal-line stand."

Minnich also threw an interception to Roc Alexander on a halfback option play in the third quarter with the Cougars at the 13.

Williams came to Washington touted as a big-game receiver, and he keeps showing it.

After Mahdavi tackled Minnich on fourth down, the Huskies drove 99 yards for their first touchdown, a 1-yard run by Rich Alexis. Williams caught passes of 21, 12 and 26 yards in the drive and drew a pass-interference penalty.

"I've been watching this game most of my life," said Williams, who grew up in nearby Tacoma. "I was ready to come in and have a big impact."

John Anderson kicked field goals of 29 and 35 yards in the final 9 seconds of the first half after missing a try from 36 yards.

After the 29-yarder, Washington's Zach Tuiasosopo stripped Jason David on the ensuing kickoff and the Huskies recovered at the 18 with a second left. Anderson's second field goal sent Washington into halftime with a 13-7 lead.

Gesser, who did not play in last year's 51-3 loss because of a broken bone in his left leg, completed 22 of 34 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. Many of those yards came after the game had been decided.

Washington State scored on a 15-yard pass from Gesser to Mike Bush to tie the game at 7 in the second quarter. It was set up by one of the Cougars' two blocked punts.

The 94th meeting in this fierce cross-state rivalry marked only the fifth time both teams came into the game ranked. The last time was in 1997, Washington State's Rose Bowl season.

All week, Neuheisel talked about how a win Saturday would save the Huskies' season. Now they get to face No. 1 Miami next week in a game rescheduled after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"You didn't come here because you want to hide out," he said. "You came here because you want to be the last band on the stage."

Representatives of the Fiesta, Holiday, Sun and Seattle bowls attended the game.

The Huskies received a 10-yard delay of game penalty before the first kickoff because the bands from both schools ran 3{ minutes too long with their pregame show.