Apple Cup Preview: Will Washington’s Defense Stop WSU’s Record-Setting QB?; Week 3 Picks
Washington Huskies Aim to Stop WSU's Dual-Threat QB John Mateer in Apple Cup: Key Players, Game Time, and Prediction for Week 3 Matchup at Lumen Field
Date: September 14, 2024, 12:30 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
TV: Peacock
Washington State Cougars Overview
Record: 2-0
Last week: Win vs. Texas Tech, 37-16
Conference: Pac-12
Coach: Jake Dickert
Key Players:
John Mateer (So.) Quarterback - Last week in the Cougars’ win over Texas Tech, Mateer set a WSU record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 197 yards. Yes, 197 yards. His 252 total rushing yards through two games is best for 12th in the country, regardless of position. Whether Mateer can effectively pass the football, is another question. Through two games, Mateer has completed 20-of-36 passes for 467 yards and six touchdowns.
Wayshawn Parker (Fr.) Running Back - Parker is off to a hot start for the Cougars. In week one, he rushed for 96 yards on eight carries, scoring both rushing and receiving touchdowns. In last week’s win against Texas Tech, Parker ripped off a 43-yard touchdown.
Stephen Hall (Jr.) Cornerback - The Cougars lost both safety Jaden Hicks and cornerback Cam Lampkin to the NFL. Hall, a team captain, is one of the team’s cornerbacks that has stepped up in the Cougar secondary through the team’s first two games. Against Portland State, Hall had a 100-yard interception return. Against Texas Tech, he tallied eleven tackles including 1 tackle for a loss.
Injury News
Washington
Tight end Quentin Moore (leg) is “probably . . . doubtful.”
Washington State
Right tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe (knee) will be a game-time decision. He has missed the team’s first two games. Fa’amoe started all 12 games for WSU last season.
Punter Nick Haberer (back) will be a game-time decision. Haberer is on the Ray Guy Award Watch List.
Five Things to Know
Some Apple Cup History. This will be the first time since 1961 that the Apple Cup is a non-conference game. The teams last played the Apple Cup at Lumen Field in 2011 with the Huskies winning that game, 38-21. The teams also played the Apple Cup in 2005 at Lumen Field with WSU winning 20-17 in that game. Washington has a 77-33-6 all-time record in the 115-game series. The Huskies have won 19 of the last 25 Apple Cups and have won the last two. In last year’s Apple Cup with a little over a minute left in the game, the Huskies went for it on fourth and-1 at their own 30-yard line. The rest is history:
Steve Belichick’s defense may be really good. We will have a better idea of how good after facing a WSU offense that has produced 107 points in two games. But let’s dwell on the Husky defense after two games. Washington has yet to give up a touchdown through two games. Only five teams in the country share this accomplishment with Washington. They are all ranked: No. 1 Georgia, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Ole Miss, and No. 6 Missouri. The last time Washington did not not allow a touchdown for two consecutive games? Its 1991 National Championship season.
Cougar players have created some bulletin-board material. WSU’s Kyle Williams wore a colorful shirt after his team’s win against Texas Tech last weekend:
Cougar safety Tyson Durant told reporters on Tuesday that Will Rogers “hasn’t faced anywhere near the D-line we have over here, so if we get some pressure on him, I think he’s gonna struggle.” To be fair, Durant was talking about Eastern Michigan and Weber State, and he wasn’t talking about Rogers’ time in the SEC. But, if the Washington offensive line needed some juice, maybe this clip was it.
The transitive property. The transitive property does not always translate to sports, but if you’re into that, in week one the Huskies beat Weber State 35-3 and the Cougars beat Portland State 70-30. Last week, Weber State beat Portland State 43-16.
The future of the Apple Cup. After Washington joined the Big Ten, the two schools agreed in principle to a five-year continuation of the Apple Cup, through at least 2028. The next four games will be back on the school’s campuses, starting in Pullman in 2025.
Washington’s Keys to Victory
Key 1: Make John Mateer Pass.
The jury is out on whether Mateer can be an effective passer against a competent defense. He has only passed the ball 36 times through two games. While getting pressure on a quarterback is always important, given Mateer’s running ability, it may be prudent for Washington’s defensive line and linebackers to keep Mateer in the pocket and force him to make plays against Washington’s secondary. Through two games, the Huskies pass defense has been stellar, currently ranking No. 9 in the country in pass efficiency defense.
Key 2: Start fast.
What’s an ideal start for the Husky offense? A score on its first drive, and multiple scores in the first quarter. Through two games, Washington’s offense has yet to score any points in the first quarter. Against Eastern Michigan last week, the Huskies punted on three straight possessions. There were many self-inflicted wounds: failing to convert on a 3rd-and-2, Will Rogers tripping himself on a rollout, and a bad shotgun snap. Can the Huskies play crisp and flawless first quarter football?
Key 3: Get Jonah Coleman going.
I refuse to remove this key until an opposing team can prove they can stop Coleman. In last week’s win against Eastern Michigan, Coleman rushed for 104 yards on 11 carries, and also tallied four receptions for 29 yards. Dickert and WSU’s returning players on defense are familiar with Coleman’s abilities. Last season, Fisch, Coleman, and Arizona beat WSU 44-6 on the road, with Coleman rushing for 70 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns. He also caught four receptions for 98 yards for a total of 168 all-purpose yards. If WSU sells out to try to stop Coleman, then the pass game will open up for Rogers, Denzel Boston, and Jeremiah Hunter.
Prediction
The Huskies’ opponents have progressively been getting more challenging, with Washington State providing the biggest test for the Huskies so far this season. I expect that Belichick will have a plan to slow down Mateer on the ground. On offense, the Huskies should be able to have a field day running the ball on the Cougars. WSU has allowed an average of 181.5 rushing yards per game. Granted, some of that probably came in garbage time, but history suggests that the Cougars will have a tough time stopping Coleman.
Spread: Washington is favored by 4.5 points
The Pick: Washington 31, Washington State 16
Week 3 Picks
2024 Record vs. the spread: 2-8
2024 Record, straight up: 9-1
Week 2 Record vs. the spread: 1-4
Week 2, straight up: 5-0
Week 3 reader guest picker: Woody
No. 20 Arizona (2-0) at No. 14 Kansas State (2-0) (Friday at 5 p.m., Fox)
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita is a winner and is battle-tested, and has won three straight road games dating back to last year, including a road win against a ranked Washington State team. Wildcats will win here.
The spread: Kansas State is favored by 7.5 points
The pick: Arizona 34, Kansas State 31
Woody’s pick: Kansas State 33, Arizona 32
No. 24 Boston College (2-0) at No. 6 Missouri (2-0)(Saturday at 9:45 a.m., SEC Network)
Missouri’s defense has pitched two consecutive shutouts to start the season. Looks like the Tigers’ defense hasn’t lost a step, even with a new defensive coordinator at the helm, Corey Batoon.
The spread: Missouri is favored by 17 points.
The pick: Missouri 31, Boston College 16
Woody’s pick: Missouri 37, Boston College 27
No. 4 Alabama (2-0) at Wisconsin (2-0)(Saturday at 9 a.m., FOX)
It took awhile for Alabama to get going last week, but once the offense clicked, it clicked with 28 points in the fourth quarter. A road game at Wisconsin won’t be kind to a slow start, but Alabama’s talent is overwhelming.
The spread: Alabama is favored by 16 points.
The pick: Alabama 35, Wisconsin 17
Woody’s pick: Alabama 30, Wisconsin 17
No. 9 Oregon (2-0) at Oregon State (2-0) (Saturday at 12:30 p.m., FOX)
This game is tricky, but I think Oregon comes into Corvallis and blasts the Beavers. Oregon’s pass defense is among the best in the country, leading the country in pass breakups.
The spread: Oregon is favored by 16 points.
The pick: Oregon 44, Oregon State 24
Woody’s pick: Oregon 34, Oregon State 31
Indiana (2-0) at UCLA (1-0) (Saturday at 4:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
The Hoosiers get a Rose Bowl road test against UCLA. Indiana’s offense is legit and UCLA only has a shaky road win against Hawaii under its belt. While UCLA has had a few weeks to prepare, I don’t think their offense will be able to keep up with Indiana’s.
The spread: Indiana is favored by 3 points.
The pick: Indiana 28, UCLA 24
Woody’s pick: Indiana 30, UCLA 24
"first time since 1961 that the Apple Cup is a non-conference game." Wow. Nice article, thank you!