With Gesa Field stuffed to the brim, Coug fans were ready for the 117th Apple Cup on home turf. The WSU defense got off to a hot start, with defensive end Buddha Peleti sacking quarterback Demond Williams on the very first play of the game. 

However, what would ensue was an offensive onslaught from the Huskies, racking up 471 total yards: 298 passing and 178 rushing. Wide receiver Denzel Boston got the ball rolling for UW as he reeled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Williams into the corner of the endzone. 

The Cougs’ responded to the opening drive by handing the ball right back to the Dawgs. Quarterback Zevi Eckhaus threw a pass that tipped off his receiver’s hand right into the arms of safety Alex McLaughlin. 

UW did not squander the turnover, as Willians broke off for a 23-yard rushing touchdown, getting the Huskies out to an early 14-0 lead. WSU wide receiver Josh Meredith knew going into the game that Williams was going to be a threat. 

“We understood that their offense was a hell of an offense,” he said. “They had weapons everywhere. Shout out to him [Williams] looking like Kyler Muray out there.” 

WSU dusted themselves off and got back on offense, driving down field and putting themselves within 20 yards. With the blitz closing in on him, Eckhaus rolled out of the pocket and found tight end Beau Baker for a 12-yard touchdown, putting the game within one possession. 

As WSU attempted to climb into the driver’s seat, the Huskies decided to put some distance between them and their rivals. With two linemen converging on him, Williams managed to houdini his way out of a sack and found running back Jonah Coleman for a 45-yard reception. 

With the Dawgs on the doorstep, Coleman took the rock again dragging two Cougar defenders with him into the endzone, keeping the game out of reach for WSU. For the Cougs, Coleman was a threat that they found hard to manage. 

“He’s kind of just short and stocky,” said linebacker Parker McKenna. “He’ll bounce off you if you don’t tackle him low.” 

Coleman would end the night posting 104 receiving yards and only 59 rushing. His dual threat capabilities gave him a three touchdown performance against the Cougs.  

The first half would conclude with both WSU and UW kicking field goals to keep the score within two possessions. 

Coming out of the break, WSU looked like a new team. The Cougs got the ball to start and marched down field on a mission. With a roughing the passer call putting them in the redzone, Eckhaus connected with wide receiver Devin Ellision on an eight-yard slant route for a touchdown. 

That was Ellison’s first touchdown as a Coug and was the highlight of his 52-yard debut performance. To Eckhaus, having Ellison on the team is a gamechanger. 

“To see him go out there and make those plays was awesome,” Eckhaus said. “Seeing him get into the endzone was awesome… I hope he takes that confidence into the coming weeks.” 

For those lined up with him, Ellison’s impact was very apparent. 

“It’s definitely a guy I would like to line up next to as much as I can,” Meredith said. “He stretches the field… he caught two deep ones today and that’s kind of who he is as a receiver. We need that.” 

Still down by a touchdown, the Cougs tried to put the game back into their own hands. However, after attempting an on-side kick, the Huskies made them pay, jumping on the ball and setting themselves up on the WSU 35-yard line. 

For head coach Jimmy Rogers, the on-side kick was a necessary risk. 

“I knew we had to be aggressive,” Rogers said. “I knew that we needed to keep our offense on the field… I didn’t want to look back at this and second guess the opportunity when it was there.” 

With premium real estate in Cougar territory, Coleman would break off for back-to-back runs, placing the Dawgs only 10 yards out. To cap it off, Coleman took the ball again, rushing two yards for his second touchdown of the night. 

The Cougs refused to go quietly, as Eckhaus fired a dart down field finding Meredith for a 48-yard reception. After a few rushes, with UW penalties sprinkled in, the Cougs were one yard out. Eckhaus decided to take it into his own hands and dive over the backs of his lineman, getting the touchdown to keep the Cougs in the game. 

The fourth quarter, however, was dominated by the Dawgs on both sides of the ball. After Boston kicked it off by getting his second touchdown of the night, the defense got to work. 

As the Cougs looked to respond, Eckhaus fired a pass down field into the waiting arms of McLaughlin, getting his second interception of the night and running it back for a touchdown. The turnovers did not stop there, as Eckhaus fumbled the ball on the ensuing drive, giving the Huskies yet another scoring opportunity.

Despite the turnovers, Eckhaus maintains his confidence and notes room for improvement.

“The biggest thing for me is just trying to find ways to grow within this offense,” Eckhaus said. “That’s why coach Rogers trusted me with starting this week… I gotta play better. So, just finding ways to get better every week.”

With another offensive drive, UW did what they did all game: take advantage. Williams found Coleman on a screen pass who ran it in for the 34-yard touchdown. 

WSU’s next drive would stall out, forcing the first punt of the night. UW took the opportunity, as Williams put a pass into the arms of wide receiver Omari Evans who made a 59-yard house-call for a touchdown. 

With a 59-24 lead, the Huskies watched the clock wind down as WSU fans headed for the exits. In the locker room, the energy for the Cougs was more than somber. 

“Pretty empty,” Meredith said. “People that were in there were not talking. A loss like that sucks. A lot of guys don’t know the true meaning about that game, but it still hurts everyone.”

On defense, the mentality was the same.

“It’s disappointing obviously,” McKenna said. “Being as close as we were and then having the score be what it was. It didn’t really represent how the game was. It stings a little bit.”

For Eckhaus, the loss provides much to learn from.

“I think for me it’s continuing to find ways to grow and become a better leader,” he said. “I don’t think you ever stop growing in that asset. So just trying to find new ways to inspire people and motivate people.”

For Rogers, the team’s potential is far higher than what was displayed. 

“I don’t really believe in moral victories,” he said. “We got to grow as a team. I believe we have a good enough leadership to bounce back from this…the team knows that they’re better than what we’ve been playing like.” 

The Cougs’ record slips to 2-2 after the loss as they get set to play Colorado State University on the road Saturday Sep. 27 at 4:30 pm.