Washington State University Athletics

Cougar fortunes dip from first to last.

November 23, 1998

FINAL 1998 WSU RESULTS

Record: 3-8-0, 0-8-0             [OPP REC]
9/5     Illinois        (20-13)   [3-8-0]
9/12    @ Boise State   (33-21)   [6-5-0]
9/19    Idaho           (24-16)   [8-3-0]
9/26    @ California    (14-24)   [5-6-0]
10/3    @ UCLA          (17-49)  [10-0-0]
10/10   Oregon          (29-51)   [8-3-0]
10/17   USC             (14-42)   [7-4-0]
10/24   Bye 
10/31   ASU             (28-38)   [5-5-0]
11/7    @ Arizona        (7-41)  [10-1-0]
11/14   @ Stanford      (28-38)   [3-8-0]
11/21   Washington       (9-16)   [6-5-0]

TENTATIVE 1999 SCHEDULE

9/4     Idaho at Pullman
9/11    UTAH
9/18    SW LOUISIANA
9/25    ARIZONA
10/2    CALIFORNIA
10/9    Stanford
10/16   Bye
10/23   Arizona State at
10/30   OREGON STATE
11/6    Oregon
11/13   SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
11/20   Washington
11/27   Hawaii
WSU Home Games in CAPS

1998 PAC-10 STANDINGS

THE COACH: WSU - Mike Price (Puget Sound ‘69) has a 56-57-0 (.496) record at WSU in 10 years and a career mark of 102-101-0 (.502) in 18 seasons at Weber State (1981-88; 46-44-0) and WSU (1989-present).

PRICE PICKS UP 100TH WIN: Washington State’s Mike Price picked up his 100th win in WSU’s 20-13 victory over Illinois Sept. 5.

WSU’S HOME WIN STREAK SNAPPED: Washington State’s eight-game win streak at home (6-0 last year, 2-0 to start this year), was snapped by Oregon when the Ducks notched a 51-29 victory...this year WSU is 2-3 at home.

WSU ON TV: The Cougars made four regional or national TV appearances this season, twice on FOX Sports Net (Illinois, USC) and twice on ABC (Cal, UCLA)...in addition, the annual Apple Cup finale was telecast by all four ABC stations in the state of Washington.

GLEASON, EMERSON PAC-10 ACADEMIC PICKS: WSU linebackers Steve Gleason and Grady Emmerson were named to the 1998 Pacific-10 Conference academic first team...Gleason has a 3.15 grade point average (GPA) in management and information systems, while Emmerson has a 3.33 GPA in math education...both players are juniors...three other Cougars received honorable mention recognition, junior quarterback Steve Birnbaum, defensive end/linebacker Serign Marong and offensive guard Mike Sage.

PAC-10 RECOGNITION: The All-Pac-10 team will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 1.

WSU ADDS 12th GAME FOR 1999: The Washington State Cougars will have a chance to play a school-record 13 games in 1999 following the addition of Hawaii to the schedule...WSU and Hawaii have not met in football since 1929...they also played in 1925...Hawaii won the first matchup, WSU the second...the addition of the game in Honolulu gives WSU 12 games next year, with a chance at a bowl game...teams with a 12-game schedule must win seven to qualify for a post-season bowl bid.

CAPTAINS: WSU - OT Rob Rainville (79), DT Gary Holmes (95) and LB Steve Gleason (34).

COUG LINE THE BIGGEST: WSU’s 1998 starting offensive line was the biggest in school history...the starters weighed a collective 1,508 pounds, an average of 301.6 pounds...Mike Sage was the largest at 323 pounds…new center Lincoln Walden-Schulz, at 274, was the smallest...before this season WSU had never started an offensive line averaging over 300 pounds...early in 1998, when Mickey Long, 305, started at center, the average was 307.8 pounds...here were the regular Coug starters in 1998:

    LT Rob Rainville, 315, senior
    LG Ryan Tujague, 294, junior
    C Lincoln Walden-Schulz, 274, junior
    RG Mike Sage, 323, senior
    RT Reed Raymond, 302, sophomore

TRUE FROSH ON DL: First year freshman Joey Hollenbeck from Enumclaw, Wash, started for senior Gary Holmes (out with an ankle sprain) at California, becoming the first true freshman to start on the defensive line since Ken Collins started in 1978...at Stanford another true freshman, Mark Hedeen, also earned a starting spot.

HOW OPPONENTS SCORE: WSU’s opponents scored 349 points in 11 games (31.7 per game)...they rushed for 23 touchdowns (159 points), passed for 14 touchdowns (97 points)...opponent special teams scored 93 points (42 points on interception returns, seven on punt returns, 14 points on fumble returns, 30 on field goals)

COUGS IN PAC-10: Dee Moronkola (kickoff returns, 1st, 31.5), Kevin Brown (rushing, 1st, 95.09), Lamont Thompson (interceptions, 7th, 0.36; punt returns, 8th, 7.69), Chris Martin (interceptions, 10th, 0.27), Kareem Anderson (net punting, 5th, 40.50), Rian Lindell (field goals, 7th, .73), Nian Taylor (receiving yards, 6th, 84.7), Steve Birnbaum (total offense, 8th, 151.9), DeJuan Gilmore (kickoff returns, 17.14, 9th), Leaford Hackett (receptions, 8th, 4.91).

COUGS NATIONALLY: Several Cougars are ranked high nationally, including: Dee Moronkola KO returns, 31.5 yards/game, 2nd), Lamont Thompson (interceptions, 0.36/game, t-39th), Nian Taylor (receiving yards, 84.7, 32nd), Kevin Brown (rushing, 95.09, 36th).

SENIORS TOTAL 18: WSU’s Pac-10 championship team of 1997 played 23 scholarship seniors...in 1998 just 11 members of the 19-player senior class were on scholarship...also, the list includes Nian Taylor, who is expected to return next year...he will be granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA if he graduates on time this spring.

LINDELL: Junior Rian Lindell, who booted four field goals at Boise State to tie the WSU one-game record, made seven straight to close out the 1997 season and seven straight earlier this season during a 14-for-15 string...for the rest of the season Lindell made just one of nine attempts, a 34 yarder against UCLA...three of his misses were blocked...overall, he finished 8-of-17 in 1998 and was 8-of-12 inside 40 yards and 1-for-5 outside 40 yards.

MOST STARTS: Seniors Dee Moronkola and Rob Rainville each finished their careers with 25 starts...here’s a list of WSU’s leading starters in 1998:

    Dee Moronkola - 25
    Rob Rainville - 25
    Rian Lindell - 23 (23 consecutive)
    Love Jefferson - 23
    Steve Gleason - 21 (21 of last 22)
    Gary Holmes - 19
    Lamont Thompson - 15 (15 consecutive)

TRAVELING A NEW EXPERIENCE: For half of WSU’s 60-player travel squad at Stanford (WSU’s last road game), making a road trip was a new experience in 1998…30 of the players on the WSU travel roster were in their first season as a member of the travel squad...in addition, 24 players were in their first year of competition for the Cougars and nine were not on campus in 1997.

BROWN TOPS PAC-10 RUSHERS: Kevin Brown, who rushed for 666 yards in WSU’s final four games games in 1998, jumped to the top of the list of Pac-10 running backs...Brown gained 1,046 total yards and had six games of 100+ yards, including three in a row and five in WSU’s last seven games:

BROWN NINTH ON WSU LIST: Kevin Brown’s 1,046 rushing yards in 1998 ranks ninth on WSU’s single season list...with 85 yards against Washington, he moved past Rich Swinton, now tenth with 1,018 during the 1988 season, and Kerry Porter, who had 1,000 yards in 1983.

SCORING STREAK ALIVE AT 166: The Washington State Cougars have scored in a record 165 straight games. The current streak started with a 16-14 win over Ball State in the fourth game of the 1984 season and came on the heels of a 44-0 blanking at the hands of Ohio State. The following is a breakdown of WSU scoring by game since 1980:

YR      RECORD  0   1-9 10-19   20-29   30-39   40-49   50> PT/PPG
1980    4-7-0           1       6       4                   287/26.1
1981    8-3-1           5       2       5                   297/24.8
1982    3-7-1   1   1   6       2       1                   170/15.5
1983    7-4-0       1   5       3       1       1           237/21.5
1984    6-5-0   1       1       5       2       1       1   317/28.8
1985    4-7-0       1   2       2       5               1   313/28.5
1986    3-7-1       1   4       4       2                   221/20.1
1987    3-7-1       3   5                       3           238/21.6
1988    9-3-0                   5       3       3       1   415/34.6
1989    6-5-0       1   1       3       2       3       1   351/31.9
1990    3-8-0           4       3       2       1       1   266/26.0
1991*   4-7-0       1   4       2       1       2       1   280/25.4
1992    9-3-0       1   1       4       4       1       1   337/28.1
1993    5-6-0       3   2       2       1       1       2   271/24.6
1994    8-4-0       3   3       6                           192/16.0
1995    3-8-0       1   4       3       2       1           236/21.5
1996    5-6-0           2       6       1               2   314/28.5
1997    10-2-0          1       2       5       1       3   483/40.3
1998    3-8-0       2   3       5       1                   210/21.0
     103-107-4  2   19  54      66      42      18      14  5456/25.3

* = TD RECORD: WSU scored at least one touchdown in 82 consecutive games between 1984 and 1991...the streak ended with a 44-3 loss to UCLA in 1991.

PAC-10 SCORING STREAK AT 181: In addition to having scored in 166 consecutive games, WSU also has scored in 181 straight Pac-10 Conference games, by far the longest active scoring streak in the league...the last time WSU was shut out in a Pac-10 game was Oregon State’s 7-0 win in 1975 at Corvallis.

COUGS STINGY IN FIRST QUARTER: WSU's defense has allowed 286 first quarter points in the last 68 games (4.21/quarter) over the past six years...WSU allowed 41 first-quarter points in 1993, 29 in 1994, 45 in 1995, 43 in 1996, 48 first quarter points in 1997...in 1998, however, the Cougs gave up 87 in 11 games...in the first four games WSU allowed just 14 points, 49 in the next three games, then 24 in the final four games.

PRICE THIRD IN WINS: WSU coach Mike Price is third among the current Pacific-10 coaches with 102 wins...Arizona’s Dick Tomey has 145, followed by ASU’s Bruce Snyder, 114...Price, in 10 years at WSU, is second in consecutive years at the same school...Tomey is in his 12th at Arizona.

COUGARS HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO: Washington State picked up three players off the 1997 San Francisco City College club, running back Kevin Brown (West Covina, Calif., sophomore), cornerback Chris Martin (Brooklyn, New York, junior) and receiver Jerry Roquemore ( Gahanna, Ohio, junior)...all three were starters in 1998.

MIKE PRICE AMONG WSU'S BEST: Only one Washington State football coach with tenure of five years or longer at WSU put together a better record than Mike Price...Price, in his 10 seasons at WSU, is 56-57-0 (.496), while his career mark is now 102-101-0...Babe Hollingbery was 93-53-14 (.625) during his 1926-42 (17 years) tenure...Price’s record is the best at WSU in the last 50 years for coaches with a tenure of three or more years...Price’s 56 wins at WSU ranks second to Hollingbery’s 93...Jim Walden is third on the victory list at 44.

NOTHING LIKE HOME: The Washington State Cougars love to play at home and after looking at the team’s home and away records during Mike Price’s 10-year tenure, it’s easy to see why teams don’t enjoy their trips to Pullman...Price at home has a 32-21 record, including a 26-121 mark the past seven years...on the road, WSU is 24-36...WSU’s 6-0 home record in 1997 was the best ever for the Cougars, who previously had never won six home games in one year:

COUGARS VS. RANKED TEAMS: In 1998 WSU lost to No. 4 UCLA, No. 15 Oregon and No. 10 Arizona...in 1997 WSU defeated No. 22 USC and lost to 21st ranked ASU...unranked at the start of the season when WSU won, UCLA finished the year ranked seventh...in the final game of the year, WSU lost to co-national champion Michigan......in 1996 WSU lost at No. 5 Colorado, defeated No. 25 Oregon and No. 19 California and lost to No. 12 Washington...WSU, in 1995, suffered losses to three nationally ranked teams: No. 2 Nebraska, at No. 5 USC and at No. 12 Oregon.

RED ZONE: Washington State scored 17 times in 28 trips into the Red Zone this year (60.7%), 10 touchdowns (35.7%) and seven field goals...the Cougs missed four field goals, lost the ball on downs once, had four interceptions, fumbled the ball away once and had the game end once...opponents had 42 opportunities in the Red Zone, scoring 30 touchdowns and four field goals (81.0%)...they missed five field goals, suffered two interceptions and failed on downs once...in 1997 the Cougs scored 49 times (39 TDs) in 55 Red Zone entries (89.1%), while WSU opponents converted 23 times (20 TDs) in 32 tries (71.9%).

SPECIAL TEAMS, DEFENSE SCORE: WSU’s special teams and defense scored 47 of the team’s 223 points...the breakdown includes 24 points from field goals, 14 from kickoff returns, seven from a returned fumble and one safety.

RUSHING TOTALS UNDER 100: In the last six years WSU has held 30 of 68 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing...the lows include Montana State’s -35 and Pacific’s -6 in 1993 and Montana’s -6 in 1995...in those 68 games, WSU has held opponents to 50 or less yards 12 times:

1993 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 3/11
    Michigan 179, USC 104, Washington 302.
1994 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 3/12
    Tennessee 149, Oregon State 178, Washington 102.
1995 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 5/11
    UCLA 137, Nebraska 428, California 134, Stanford 131,
    Washington 222.
1996 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 10/11
    Colorado 192, Temple 125, Oregon 118, SJSU 100, 
    Arizona 145, OSU 141, California 44, Illinois 148,
    UCLA 164, Stanford 102, Washington 213.
1997 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 8/12
    UCLA 209, USC 31, Illinois 173, Boise State 46,
    Oregon 154, Cal 109, Arizona 73, ASU 150, USL 75,
    Stanford 160, Washington 101, Michigan 128.
1998 - Games WSU Allowed 100 Yards Rushing - 9/11
    Illinois 123, Boise State 120, Idaho 100, California 79,
    UCLA 256, Oregon 247, USC 214, ASU 242,
    Arizona 361 Stanford 94, Washington 178.

1993 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 8
1994 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 7
1995 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 12
1996 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 6
1997 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 7
1998 Plays Allowed 20 Yards or Longer - 17
    Idaho: Thomas 21, Dean 46.
    UCLA: Lewis 23, Foster 40, Stanley 29.
    Oregon: Droughns 50.
    USC: Papadakis 53, Soward 26.
    ASU: Paulk 70, Green 25.
    Arizona: Candidate 75-45, Smith 38-29, Northcutt 22
    Stanford: Borchard 21; Washington: Hurst 45.
1994 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 15
1995 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 24
1996 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 33
1997 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 35
1998 Plays Allowed 10-19 Yards - 41

WASHINGTON STATE SINCE '92: The Washington State Cougars have won 43 games since the start of the 1992 season, the seventh best overall mark among league teams......the Cougars' 25 conference wins also ranks seventh when totaling league victories...here's a look at the records for Pac-10 teams, 1992-98:

100-YARD RUSHERS FEW: Only 19 running backs have been able to crack the 100-yard mark in the last six years against WSU’s defense...UCLA’s Skip Hicks is the only back to have done so in back-to-back seasons and the Bruins are the only team to have a back go over 100 yards in three straight seasons, 1995-96-97:

1993 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 2
    Tyrone Wheatley, Michigan, 117
    Napoleon Kaufman, Washington, 181
1994 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 1
    J.J. Young, Oregon State, 100
1995 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 5
    Karim Abdul-Jabar, UCLA, 125
    Ahman Green, Nebraska, 176
    Reynard Rutherford, California, 124
    Anthony Bookman, Stanford, 123,
    Rashaan Shehee, Washington, 212
1996 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 2
    Skip Hicks, UCLA, 116
    Corey Dillon, Washington, 155
1997 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 4
    Skip Hicks, UCLA, 190; Robert Holcombe, Illinois 163;
    Michael Martin, ASU, 111; Anthony Bookman, 
    Stanford, 115
1998 - Players Gaining 100+ Yards vs. WSU - 5
    Steve Havard, Illinois, 103, Reuben Droughns, UO, 217.
    Gerald Green, ASU, 119, Trung Canidate, Arizona, 174.
    Willie Hurst, Washington, 155.

BROWN GOES OVER 200: Kevin Brown rushed for 202 yards at Stanford, the seventh most rushing yards ever by a WSU player...he is the sixth Cougar to top 200 yards...the others are Rueben Mayes (357, 216, 201), Bernard Jackson (261), Tali Ena (218), Michael Black (214) and Steve Broussard (205)...only three Cougar backs have carried the ball as many times as Brown did at Stanford, 37 times, record holder Steve Broussard (41), Mayes (39) and Black (37).

SCHEDULING: Coaches often talk about whom an upcoming opponent faces the week before or the week after the two teams collide...here’s a look at WSU opponents and whom they play before and after meeting the Cougars:

TOUGH PLAYING DL AT WSU: Since coming off the Rose Bowl nine months ago, WSU has lost seven defensive linemen...those anticipated to be in fall camp who are no longer members of the team include: Saeed Abdul-Malik (250 pounds, junior, JC transfer who did not receive his AA degree), James Agnew (330, RS-So., decided not to play football), Takari Blash (265. RS-Jr., attending school but not playing football), Eric Hodge (246, junior, a JC transfer who left fall camp after one week), Nate Mallory (265, RS-Fr., did not meet NCAA eligibility requirements), Delmar Morais (257, RS-Sr., injuries), Taeao Salausa (284, Sr., transferred)...adding to the woes is the loss of senior Gary Holmes following a severe ankle sprain in the Idaho game.

TURNOVERS: The Cougs were -17 in turnovers in 1998…the Cougs turned the ball over at least four times in seven games, but did not have turnovers against Oregon, the first zero turnover day since Temple in 1996...for the season WSU has lost 15 of 22 fumbles and threw 25 interceptions, a total of 40 turnovers...WSU was -1 in turnovers in 1997, +9 in 1994, even in 1995 and -9 in 1996.

COUGAR ATTENDANCE RECORD: WSU recorded a record 208,002 attendance in 1998, an average of 34,667 per game (6 games)...WSU’s previous high was 199,678 for six games in 1997...the 1998 average fell just short of WSU’s 1994 record average of 34,719 (5 games).

RECORDS: Several Cougar records were broken or tied in 1998, including: Nian Taylor and Steve Birnbaum teamed up on a 97-yard pass and run play against Idaho...Taylor caught three TD passes against Idaho to tie the WSU record...Dee Moronkola returned five kickoffs a school record 211 yards against Oregon...Moronkola also has tied a WSU record with two KO returns for scores (91 at Boise State, 88 against Oregon)...Paul Mencke’s six interceptions against USC tied a WSU one-game record...Rian Lindell tied a WSU record when he booted four field goals at Boise State...Kevin Brown set a record for sophomore running backs with 1,046 yards in one season.

PAC-10 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Kareem Anderson was named special teams player of the week for his 47.6 yard average on five punts against Illinois; Nian Taylor was offensive player of the week for his eight-catch, 254 yard, three touchdown performance against Idaho.

SI TABBED COUGAR QUARTERBACKS: A fall issue of Sports Illustrated tabbed Washington State as the best college in the nation for quarterbacks...the weekly magazine rated every position for the past 10 years and concluded, on the strength of Cougars Timm Rosenbach, Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf, WSU had done the best job of turning out top-notch quarterbacks.

THOMPSON ON OFFENSE AND DEFENSE: Lamont Thompson, with 10 interceptions in 15 career starts, is just four interceptions behind WSU record holder Richard Reed, 1966-68..Thompson also saw limited action as a wide receiver during his sophomore season and caught two passes for 34 yards at UCLA.

LINDELL ON CAREER SCORING LIST: Rian Lindell will enter his senior season ranked tenth on WSU’s career scoring list with 142 points (93 in 1997, 49 in 1998).

WSU NEAR THE TOP AND BOTTOM IN TURNOVERS: Washington State forced 23 turnovers in 1998, 11 fumbles and 12 interceptions...that ranked the Cougars 42nd nationally in taking the ball away from the opponent...however, WSU’s 40 turnovers was the most in NCAA Div. I...WSU’s turnover margin was -1.55 per game and tied for 111th nationally.

INTERCEPTIONS GO THE OTHER WAY: Washington State quarterbacks threw 25 interceptions in 1998, well short of the school record 36 in 1970, but the errant passes were costly, nonetheless...opponents returned six of the interceptions for touchdowns...WSU does not have a record for interceptions returned for touchdowns, but this year’s total could well be the most ever against the Cougars.

11 START ALL 11 GAMES: A total of 11 players started all 11 games for WSU in 1998 and of those 11, all but two are expected to return next year...not returning are seniors Rob Rainville and Love Jefferson...the returnees include Reed Raymond, Rob Meier, Jesse Ratcliff, Earl Riley, Chris Martin, Lamont Thompson, Kareem Anderson and Rian Lindell...Nian Taylor is listed as a senior but will return next year, providing he graduates in the spring.

COUGAR SENIORS DRESS FOR FINAL GAME: Washington State sent 19 players into Martin Stadium Saturday for the final game of their Cougar career...the list included six starters, TE Love Jefferson, CB Dee Moronkola, DE Jonathan Nance, OT Rob Rainville, OG Mike Sage and WR Nian Taylor...Taylor, however, is expected to return next year, since he can regain his freshman year of eligibility if he graduates this spring...Taylor has said he wants to return for another season...the complete list of WSU seniors follows:

BIRNBAUM, MENCKE SPLIT QB TIME: For the final six games of 1998, junior Steve Birnbaum and sophomore Paul Mencke split playing time, occasionally changing during a series...Birnbaum started the first six games for WSU, then Mencke took over for three games before Birnbaum returned to the starting role for the final two games...here is a look at their game-by-game performances:

REVIEWING WSU’S 1998 SEASON

WSU captured its seventh straight home opener with a 20-13 win over ILLINOIS…Kevin Brown led WSU offensively with 111 yards in his Cougar debut...defensive tackle Rob Meier returned a fumble 52 yards for WSU’s first score after Jonathan Nance knocked the ball loose with a sack…the win was Mike Price’s 100th career victory;

The Cougars came from behind to beat BOISE STATE 33-21 at Boise…28 Cougars were making their first road trip and 22 of the 60 are in their first competitive season with WSU…Dee Moronkola had an 88-yard kickoff return for one score, DeJuan Gilmore broke a 79-yard TD run and Chris Martin made 14 tackles and intercepted two passes.

Lamont Thompson picked off two passes and Steve Birnbaum threw for 299 yards as WSU beat IDAHO 24-16...Nian Taylor was the receiving star, scoring all three Cougar TDs...he caught eight passes for 254 yards...James Price had 13 tackles, including two sacks...WSU had 479 yards in total offense, with 366 passing, 113 rushing.

Washington State’s defense rose to the occasion against CALIFORNIA, but three costly turnovers by the offense produced three Bear touchdowns in a 24-14 setback...Lamont Thompson and Dee Moronkola each had interceptions as WSU forced three turnovers, but gave the ball up six times, including four interceptions...each team converted just two third-down opportunities...Kevin Brown rushed for 80 yards and Leaford Hackett caught four passes for 139 yards and one score...Thompson and James Price had nine tackles each and Steve Gleason two sacks.

The Cougars fell behind 28-0 and never threatened No. 4 UCLA in a 49-17 loss at the Rose Bowl...the Cougars turned the ball over on three of their first four possessions and UCLA scored each time...Kevin Brown ran for 109 yards and Steve Birnbaum quarterbacked the Cougs for all but the final series...Anthony Matthews had his first interception of the season after replacing the injured Dee Moronkola, while Rob Meiers blocked a UCLA field goal try...the Bruins blocked two WSU punts and rushed for 272 yards.

WSU fell behind to OREGON 21-0 in the first quarter and trailed 38-7 at halftime in a 51-29 loss...Oregon’s 527 yards in total offense is the most allowed by WSU since 1995 against Nebraska (also 527) and the most in a league game since 1991 against UCLA (598)...Kevin Brown rushed for 100 yards and Leaford Hackett caught 11 passes (97 yards), one off the school record...sophomore Paul Mencke took over for starter Steve Birnbaum at the start of the second half and finished up for WSU, completing 11 of 20 passes for 99 yards...WSU did not have a turnover for the first time since 1996 against Temple...Dee Moronkola returned five kickoffs for a school record 211 yards, including a 91-yard TD return.

The Cougs were even with USC 14-14 in the second quarter, but the Trojans then scored 28 unanswered points to record a 42-14 win...Paul Mencke started his first collegiate game at quarterback for WSU and looked brilliant early, completing five of six passes in the first quarter and seven of eight as WSU earned a 14-14 tie...for the rest of the game he was eight of 33 with five interceptions (four in the last quarter)...WSU’s rushing game produced just 126 yards, with Mencke’s 39 the leader...Dee Moronkola had a 49-yard KO return and Lamont Thompson returned five punts 44 yards...Thompson led WSU on defense with eight tackles.

ASU pulled away from WSU late in the first half, then after the Cougars closed to within three points, the Sun Devils again distanced themselves from the host school in a 38-28 win before a Dads’ Day crowd of 34,039 at Pullman...alternating quarterbacks Paul Mencke (starter) and Steve Birnbaum, WSU generated 482 yards in total offense, but turnovers continued to kill the Cougars...ASU scored three times after WSU turnovers, including one interception return for a score...Kevin Brown had his fourth rushing day of 100 or more yards, piling up a career high 153 yards...he scored once and Nian Taylor, who had seven catches for 168 yards, scored twice...Grady Emmerson, replacing the ailing Steve Gleason at linebacker, led the WSU defense with 13 tackles, while Jonathan Nance forced and recovered one fumble, deflected two passes and had one QB sack.

ARIZONA lived up to their lofty #10 national ranking by overcoming WSU's early 7-3 lead in a 41-7 Wildcat win...Paul Mencke and Leaford Hackett teamed up on a 35-yard pass play on WSU's second possession to stake WSU to a 7-3 lead, but the Wildcats quickly answered with Trung Canidate's 75-yard TD burst...Canidate later scored on a 45-yard run as the Wildcats scored 38 unanswered points...WSU had the offense, 377 yards, but also had the turnovers, five, including three interceptions (one for a TD) and two lost fumbles...Kevin Brown rushed for 126 yards, his second straight game of 100+ yards and fifth of the year...Steve Birnbaum completed 14 of 20 passes for 192 yards, but threw three interceptions and had no TD passes...Chris Martin forced Arizona's only fumble and Rob Meier returned it six yards...WSU, for the third straight game, did not pick off an interceptions, after forcing 11 in the first six games.

WSU put it all together for three quarters before STANFORD scored 24 unanswered fourth quarter points to pull out a 38-28win over the Cougars...early in the fourth quarter WSU had a 28-14 lead, but Stanford used two WSU interceptions, one that set up the winning score, to capture the win...the Cardinal had 169 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter...Kevin Brown rushed for 202 yards, the seventh best performance in WSU history, but five interceptions finally wore down the Cougar defense.

Rain fell throughout most of the low-scoring Apple Cup, won by Washington 16-9...like they had done the previous week at Stanford, the Cougars won many of the statistical battles, but did not dent the scoreboard until a late touchdown with 2:36 left in the game...until then WSU's only score came on a second quarter safety when Washington's center snap sailed high over the punter's head and through the back of the endzone...meanwhile Washington was able to put together an 80-yard scoring drive in the first quarter and a 44-yard drive in the third quarter for a 14-2 lead...in the final quarter the Huskies added a field goal after a 13-yard drive...WSU picked up 368 yards in total offense, 106 yards more than Washington...the Cougars had more first downs and more plays, but also had more penalties that Washington, 14 for 124 yards...the Coug defense, paced by Steve Gleason's 10 tackles, limited the visitors to 84 yards passing and 178 yards on the ground...Gleason had two of WSU's three sacks and safety Earl Riley had WSU's only interception and the team's only pick since playing Oregon at mid-season.

1998 RANKINGS FOR THE COUGARS

* = Tie

1998 TEAM STATISTICAL RANKINGS

* = Tie

1998 WSU FOOTBALL STARTERS

NOTE: WSU's starting offensive lineup usually includes three wide receivers and one running back, but can include four wide receivers and no running backs, or two wide receivers and two running backs.