COUGARS HOST BOEING APPLE CUP SATURDAY NIGHT ON ESPN
Washington State is set to host Washington for The Boeing Apple Cup Saturday night at Gesa Field. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. 

LAST WEEK
Washington State picked off four passes and Nakia Watson scored two touchdowns in a 31-20 win at Arizona last Saturday.

NEXT UP
The Cougars will find out their bowl destination with the Bowl Selection Show Sunday, December 4.

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE 
Washington State enters the week with a 7-4 overall record including a 4-4 mark in Pac-12 Conference play after at 31-20 win at Arizona last weekend. The Cougars, who are bowl eligible for the seventh straight season (non covid), enter the week leading the league with 74 tackles-for-loss and 19.8 points allowed per game while the offense leads the Pac-12 in red zone scoring (91%, 39-43). Running back Nakia Watson is fifth in the Pac-12 with 10 total touchdowns, linebacker Daiyan Henley is second in the league with 105 tackles and EDGE Brennan Jackson is fourth with 11 tackles-for-loss. Jake Dickert served as WSU's interim head coach the final five games of last season, is in his first full season the Cougars' head coach (10-7 career record).

COUGAR QUICK GAME
TEAM
• WSU is bowl eligible for the 7th straight season (non COVID), seeking first 8-win season since 2018 (11-2)
• WSU's roster features 39 players from the state of Washington
• WSU is No. 21 in the country with a Pac-12-best 74 tackles-for-loss and the 29 sacks are third-most in the Pac-12
• WSU's 52-14 win at Stanford was its 6th straight win over the Cardinal and the most points scored in series history
• WSU's Sept. 24 game against No. 15 Oregon was WSU's first sellout of Gesa Field since 2019 (Stanford)

INDIVIDUAL (Player Notes Pages 10-21)
• LB Daiyan Henley enters the week second in the Pac-12 in tackles-for-loss (12) and in tackles (102), 11th in sacks (4)
  Henley was named AP Midseason All-American, Lott IMPACT Trophy Quarterfinalist, Butkus Award Semifinalist
• EDGE Brennan Jackson enters the week tied for 4th in the Pac-12 in tackles-for-loss (11) and tied for 7th in sacks (5)
• QB Cameron Ward enters the week 2nd in the Pac-12 in completions (265), has 4 games with a rush TD and pass TD
• S Jaden Hicks owns 3 double-digit tackle games this season, enters week leading all Pac-12 freshmen in tackles (65)
   Named the Pac-12 Conference Freshman Player of the Week, 6 tackles and 17-yard fumble return of TD at Stanford
   Hicks was named to the Midseason Freshman All-America Second Team by College Football News
• RB Nakia Watson rushed for 166 yards at Stanford, most since Dwight Tardy in 2007 (214, UCLA), and 116 yards against ASU 
   1st Coug with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Jerome Harrison in 2005
• WR Renard Bell caught a 37-yard TD against Cal, No. 18 TD reception of his career, 10th-most rec TD in WSU history
• 3 were named to the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List; LB Daiyan Henley, EDGE Brennan Jackson, RB Nakia Watson
• 2021 All-Pac-12 1st Team EDGE Ron Stone Jr. named to Award Watch Lists: Bronko Nagurski, Bednarik, Lombardi

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday will be the 114th meeting between the two schools after series started in 1900, a 5-5 tie in Tacoma, the teams played for The Governor's Trophy 1931-61 and the game was named "The Apple Cup" starting in 1963. WSU trails the all-time series with Washington 33-74-6 but claimed last year's meeting in Seattle, 40-13. The Cougars are 14-19-1 against UW in Pullman with Washington claiming the last three meetings. WSU is seeking its first home win in the series since 2012 and looking for back-to-back Apple Cup wins for the first time since 2007-08. The 2020 meeting was cancelled due to Covid-19.

WSU TO RECOGNIZE 13 SENIORS PRIOR TO KICKOFF
Prior to Saturday's kickoff, Washington State will recognize 13 seniors who will be playing their final home game at Gesa Field; Renard Bell (WR), Robert Ferrel (WR), Daiyan Henley (LB), Jarrett Kingston (OL), Derrick Langford Jr. (CB), Jordan Lee (S), Armani Marsh (DB), Christian Mejia (DL), Amir Mujahid (DL), Antonio Pule III (DL), Grant Stephens (OL), Ben Wilson (LB), Jack Wilson (OL).

DAIYAN HENLEY NAMED BUTKUS AWARD SEMIFINALIST
Linebacker Daiyan Henley was one of 15 players named a semifinalist for the 2022 Butkus Award. The Butkus Award is presented annually to the best linebacker in college football. Henley is the first Cougar linebacker named a Butkus Award semifinalist in program history. Henley enters the week second in the Pac-12 Conference with 102 tackles and 12 tackles-for-loss. According to Pro Football Focus College, Henley owns the Pac-12's second-best overall defensive grade by a Pac-12 LB, the third-best LB tackling grade in the country and best pass-rush grade by Pac-12 LB. The Butkus Award was established in Dick Butkus' honor in 1985 to celebrate the nation's best collegiate linebacker. High school and pro honors were added in 2008. The Award is characterized as the "Defensive Heisman" recognizing the critical yet frequently overlooked role of defensive leaders. The winner of each award will be named on or before Dec. 7. 

HENLEY, HICKS NAMED TO MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
Linebacker Daiyan Henley was named to The Associated Press Midseason All-American Team and redshirt-freshman safety Jaden Hicks was named to the Midseason Freshman All-America Second Team by College Football News. The last Cougar named to a Midseason All-America Team was kicker Blake Mazza in 2019 who earned second-team honors by The Athletic while defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa was named to the Midseason All-America Team by the AP, ESPN.com, CBS Sports and Athlon in 2017. Hicks was one of three freshmen from the Pac-12 Conference to earn a spot on the first or second defensive team. 

COLLEGE GAMEDAY RECORD
Dating back to the middle of the 2003 season, ESPN College GameDay has had the WSU flag appear throughout the show. The streak reached 285 after appearing in Bozeman last Saturday. The first appearance came in Austin, Texas (10/4/03) and the streak began two weeks later in Madison, Wisc. (10/18/03). Two flags – Ol' Crimson and Gray – have been flown in the background of the GameDay set by dozens of friends and alumni. The Gray flag was added in 2014 after Whitey was retired in honor of Steve Gleason's "No White Flags." Appearance No. 217 was its first in Pullman (10/20/18), a 34-20 win over Oregon. 

COUGAR DEFENSE LEADING THE WAY
- WSU enters the week leading the Pac-12 and No. 21 in the country with 74 tackles-for-loss
- WSU enters the week third in the Pac-12 with 29 sacks
- WSU enters the week leading the Pac-12 in scoring defense (19.8), No. 23 in the country 
- Daiyan Henley is 2nd in the Pac-12 in tackles (102) and tackles-for-loss (12), tied for 12th in sacks (4)
- Brennan Jackson is fourth in the Pac-12 in tackles-for-loss (11), tied for 7th in sacks (5)
- Jaden Hicks is 2nd on the team in tackles (65), most among Pac-12 freshmen
- WSU recorded 12 tackles-for-loss in the win over Idaho, the most since 2015 (14, Wyoming)
- WSU made seven sacks in the win over Colorado State, tied for the seventh-most in WSU single-game history and most since 2017 (8, at Utah) 
- WSU shutout Colorado State in the first half, WSU's first 1st-half shutout since 2018 (Oregon, 27-0)
- Francisco Mauigoa's 95-yard INT return against No. 15 Oregon was 2nd-longest INT return in WSU history (Will Derting, 98 yds, Nevada, 2002)
- WSU held Cal running back Jaydn Ott to 69 rush yards,  enteredgame 115.8 rushing yard/g
- WSU held USC quarterback Caleb Williams to 15-of-29 passing and 188 yds
- WSU's four fumble recoveries at Stanford were the most takeways since tallying five in last year's Apple Cup, the most fumble recoveries since recovering four against Northern Colorado in 2019
- WSU recorded four sacks against ASU for the fourth time in 2022
- WSU picked off Arizona four times last week, the most INT since last year's Apple Cup (4)

RETURN OF THE AIR RAID, COUG RAID
The Coug Raid offense features a couple familiar faces who are back in Pullman after coaching with Mike Leach's Air Raid. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Eric Morris returns after coaching the inside receivers for WSU in 2012, Leach's first season in Pullman while Clay McGuire returns for his second stint as the Cougars' offensive line coach (2012-17) and Joel Filani returns to coach the wide receivers after working the 2015 season at WSU in an offensive quality control position.
- WSU leads the Pac-12 in red zone scoring (35-39, 89%), No. 26 in the country 
- In the win at No. 19 Wisconsin, 7 players caught a pass, Nakia Watson had a rush TD and rec TD
- Against No. 15 Oregon, Cameron Ward threw for 375 yards and completed passes to 10 different players
- TE Andre Dollar started against Oregon, first WSU TE to start since Andre Lintz in 2011 Apple Cup
- TE Billy Riviere III caught his 1st career TD against Cal, WSU's first TD by a TE since Andre Lintz (2011, UNLV)
- at No. 6 USC, RB Jaylen Jenkins set season-high in rush yards (130), WSU's 1st 100-yard rushing game by a TRUE freshman since 2005 (105, DeMaundray Woolridge, vs. Grambling State in Seattle)
- WSU's 52 points at Stanford were the most scored in a conference game since 54 against Oregon State in 2019, most in a road conference game since scoring 56 at Oregon State in 2018
- WSU's 306 rushing yards at Stanford were the most since rushing for 344 against Idaho in 2006
- WSU's 514 yards of total offense at Stanford was a season-high and most since 2019 against Oregon State (641)
- WSU's 52 points were the most scored against Stanford in series history
- RB Nakia Watson rushed for 116 yards against ASU, the first Coug with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Jerome Harrison in 2005
- In win at Arizona, Ward rushed for a season-high 59 yards including a 17-yard touchdown, the most rushing yards by a Coug QB since Jeff Tuel rushed for 79 yards in the win at Oregon State in 2010

SPECIAL TEAMS MAKING THEIR MARK
- Nick Haberer leads Pac-12 with 24 punts fair caught, hang time (4.14), 2nd with 18 punts inside 20
- Renard Bell had a 73-yard kick return at Wisconsin, Robert Ferrel had 34-yard punt return vs. Cal
- Robert Ferrel has 3 punt returns of 20+yards; 34 - CAL, 27 - OSU, 21 - STAN, 2nd in Pac-12 in punt return (10.7)

WELCOME BACK RENARD 
The 2022 Cougar wide receiver core is led by a familiar face, graduate senior Renard Bell, 24, who returned for his seventh season in Pullman after missing last year with a knee injury. The Los Angeles native, who redshirted the 2016 season, owns an impressive resume.
- had 3-yard TD catch against Idaho, had 73-yard kickoff return in win at No. 19 Wisconsin week 2
- had 6 rec for 84 yards against No. 15 Oregon, 8 catches for 115 rec yards, 37-yard TD in win over Cal
- 174 career receptions, 3 away from breaking into WSU Top-10
- 18 career TD receptions, tied for 10th in WSU history for career TD rec
- 6 career 100-yard games
- 50 career games played including 37 career starts, 32 career wins
- has caught a pass from 9 different Cougar QB's (Luke Falk, Tyler Hilinski, Gardner Minshew II, Anthony Gordon, Gage Gubrud, Jayden de Laura, Gunner Cruz, Cammon Cooper, Cameron Ward)

CAMERON WARD PUTTING UP THE NUMBERS
Quarterback Cameron Ward transferred to Washington State this past January after two record-setting seasons at Incarnate Word in Texas. The sophomore from West Columbia, Texas won the Jerry Rice Award following the 2020 season, the award given to the most outstanding freshman player in FCS football after setting UIW single-season records with 2,260 yards and 24 touchdowns in just six games. Last season at UIW, Ward was named an FCS second-team All-American, the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Walter Payton Award Finalist (give to the most outstanding offensive player in FCS) after leading UIW to a 10-3 record with school records of 4,648 passing yards, 47 touchdown passes and 357.5 passing yards-per-game. Ward was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, given to the most outstanding player in college football and The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, given to the top offensive player in Division I football either born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School.
- Ward threw for 299 yards and 4 TD passes vs. Colorado State, 12th career game with 4+ passing TD
- Ward was the fourth Cougar quarterback to win his first three WSU starts since 1976; 
   Chad Davis (1994), Steve Birnbaum (1998), Anthony Gordon (2019)
- Against No. 15 Oregon, Ward set season-highs with 37 completions and 375 passing yards, rush TD
- In win over Cal, threw for 343 yards and three TD (17, 37, 1) in win over Cal
- Against No. 14 Utah, completed 27-of-32 passes, 87.0 comp. pct tied for 2nd-best in WSU history
- At Arizona, threw a TD and ran for TD, fourth time this season with rush TD and pass TD

NEW COUGS MAKE THEIR DEBUTS
- 27 players have made their WSU Debuts including 17 who made their collegiate debuts
- 7 true freshmen have played; TE Andre Dollar, RB Jaylen Jenkins, CB Javan Robinson, WR Leyton Smithson, QB John Mateer, OL Zack Miller, RB Djouvensky Schlenbaker

JAKE DICKERT JOINS ELITE GROUP WITH WIN at NO. 19 WISCONSIN
With the win at No. 19 Wisconsin:
- Jake Dickert became 1 of 4 WSU head coaches to beat a ranked team in his 1st full season
- WSU recorded its 1st win over a ranked team and 1st nonconference road win over a ranked team since beating No. 25 Iowa State in the 2018 Alamo Bowl
- WSU recorded its 1st TRUE road win over a ranked team since at No. 24 Stanford in 2018
- WSU recorded its 1st nonconference TRUE road win over a ranked team since beating No. 17 Colorado in 2003
- WSU recorded its 1st win over a Big Ten Conference team since beating Rutgers 37-34 in 2015
- Jake Dickert became the ninth WSU head coach to start his 1st full season 3-0, first since Mike Price 1989

SIX NAMED 2022 TEAM CAPTAINS 
WSU voted six players as team captains for the 2022 season; WR Renard Bell, OL Konner Gomness, EDGE Brennan Jackson, DB Armani Marsh, EDGE Ron Stone Jr., WR Lincoln Victor.

15 COUGS ENTER 2022 WITH DEGREES
Renard Bell, WR    Social Science
Ahmir Crowder, DT    Human Development
Robert Ferrel, WR    PB-Humanities
Kaleb Ford-Dement, DB    Social Science
Daiyan Henley, LB    Criminal Justice
Brennan Jackson, EDGE    Business Administration
Chris Jackson, DB    Social Science
Jarrett Kingston, OL    Business Management
Derrick Langford Jr., DB    Social Science
Jordan Lee, DB    Public Health
Armani Marsh, DB    Sport Management
Christian Mejia, DT    Kinesiology
Amir Mujahid, DT    Social Science
Simon Samarzich, LS    Sport Management
Grant Stephens, OL    Human Services

WSU, GESA CREDIT UNION ANNOUNCE GESA FIELD
Last season, Washington State and Gesa Credit Union announced a partnership to provide Gesa the naming rights to the playing surface at Martin Stadium, now named Gesa Field, pronounced gee-sah. The 10-year agreement is valued at a minimum $11 million, will escalate with additional Gesa consumer-based incentives. The agreement with WSU Athletics formalized the first major sponsorship announced under Gesa Credit Union which recently merged with Inspirus Credit Union making it the second-largest credit union in the state. 

WSU INDUCTS ALL-FEMALE CLASS INTO ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
WSU inducted eight individuals and one team into its Athletic Hall of Fame week three against Colorado State. As part of the Cougars' year-long Power of IX campaign celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the 2022 class is an all-female class. The list of eight inductees and one team comprising the 2022 class includes: Eka Burduli (tennis, 2005-08), Tammy Crawford (rowing, 1990-2002), LaToya Harris (volleyball, 1999-2002), Kiersten Dallstream (soccer, 2006-09), Lisa Fraser (soccer, 1989-94), Anastasia Kostina (golf, 2003-06), Celestine N'Drin (track & field, 1986-90), Georgette Reed (swimming/track & field, 1988-91), 1991 Women's Basketball.

COUGAR FOOTBALL BROADCAST TEAM
Matt Chazanow is in his eighth season as the play-by-play voice for Cougar football, men's basketball and baseball broadcasts. Joining Chazanow for his fifth season will be former Cougar quarterback Alex Brink who is the only WSU quarterback to win three Apple Cups and was later a seventh-round draft pick by the Houston Texans. Returning for her 11th season as the sideline reporter is Jessamyn McIntyre.