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Apple Cup
Chuck Allen
QVPR Editor
Well, the Cougars are once-again Apple Cup champions.
What does that mean? Not much in the real world, considering that the Cougars only doubled their win total for the season with the 16-13 double overtime victory on Saturday over the University of Washington.
But in the world of college football pride, it means a great deal for the Cougars. All season WSU was the laughingstock of college football. They were considered by most to be the worst team in Pac-10 history and likely the worst team in recent college football history. The had one victory against a JV squad from Portland, but when it came to playing with Division 1 big boys, they hadn't come within 25 points of an opponent and didn't score a touchdown in five of their eight Pac-10 games this season, prior to playing the Dawgs.
Even the Huskies, which had gone winless, were considered to be a better team than WSU. They have more talented players and had been more competitive during the season.
And for 59 minutes on Saturday, that appeared to be the case as the Huskies were on their way to sealing WSU's fate as the worst team ever with a 10-7 lead.
Well as most of you know by now, the Cougars came back and won the game. The biggest play came when WSU receiver Jared Karstetter, who is a nephew of Quincy residents Kent and Lisa Karstetter, ran by two UW defenders and caught a well-thrown ball from WSU quarterback Kevin Lopina for a 48-yard gain, which set up the tying field goal.
The teams traded field goals in the first overtime, then WSU had a chance to win the game on a field goal when UW's kicker missed.
Now, I'm a WSU fan. I know what it's like to lose in heartbreaking fashion, especially in the Apple Cup. And when WSU tried the winning field goal, I had visions of UW blocking the kick and running it back for a touchdown. But, well, these are different days for the two programs. The kick went through the uprights and WSU was no longer the worst team in the history of the Pac-10.
That distinction now belongs to WSU's rival.
While it kind of makes me happy.
I do hope that eventually both programs will get back to the point where the Apple Cup decides which team goes to a better bowl.
That would be better than playing to avoid the title of worst of the worst.
