Stanford edges Washington at home

In what has become a regular occurrence during the Tyrone Willingham era at the University of Washington, the Huskies held tough for two quarters, but folded down the stretch and lost their sixth game in a row dating back to the 2007 Apple Cup as they fell 35-28 to Stanford at home in front of an announced crowd of 61,986.

Washington suffered three key injuries in the first half when QB Jake Locker (broken right thumb), RB David Freeman (ankle) and LB Donald Butler (concussion) all had to leave the game for good. Washington managed to keep the score close, but old bugaboos kept rearing their ugly heads and that’s what led to Washington coming out on the short end of the stick.

Coming into the game, Stanford ranked ninth in the conference in total offense at just over 272 yards per game and they ranked seventh in scoring offense at just over 22 points per game, but they about matched those in just two quarters, amassing 235 yards and 21 points before they left the field at halftime.

On the night the Cardinal managed to post 460 yards and 35 points while holding the Huskies to 378 yards.

Washington’s defense looked befuddled most of the night, continuing a trend that has been the bane of the Huskies’ existence – allowing the Cardinal to convert 10 of 12 third downs in to first downs.

Offensively, the Huskies drove the ball, but shot themselves in the foot with penalties, turnovers and a sack that took them out of field goal range early in the second quarter.

Washington’s first series was stopped when the exchange between QB Jake Locker and RB David Freeman was mishandled and Stanford recovered at their own 28. However, the visitors from Palo Alto were just as generous, fumbling on their third play when RB Toby Gerhart was stripped of the ball by Washington LB Donald Butler and S Tripper Johnson pounced on the ball at the Stanford 34.

Five plays later, RB Brandon Johnson took it over from one yard out and the Huskies had the early lead, 7-0.

But as has been the case, when the Husky offense does something well, the other team takes that as their queue to get started as well and they took their next possession 62 yards in seven plays as RB Anthony Kimble carved his way through Washington’s sieve-like defense for a 13-yard touchdown.

Stanford then took their next possession in for the go ahead score as they marched 80 yards on 12 plays ending when QB Tavita Pritchard hit TE Jim Dray on a beautifully timed drag route for an 11-yard touchdown.

However, the Huskies continued to fight and managed to knot the score at 14-14 when Johnson got his second touchdown of the night, another one-yard dive for a touchdown.

But Stanford had an answer as the Cardinal went 77 yards in five plays, ending when Pritchard hit WR Doug Baldwin for a 61-yard touchdown on third-and-nine. On the play Baldwin split five Huskies and headed down the sideline for the score.

Stanford continued to make big plays throughout the second half, getting an 83-yard touchdown run by Kimble on a simple off-tackle play. Kimble was able to make LB Matt Houston miss and then he outraced the secondary to the endzone, putting Stanford up 28-14.

Washington answered as Fouch drove the Huskies 69 yards in seven plays and hit freshman WR Jermaine Kearse for a five-yard touchdown, but Stanford came right back, as Pritchard capped an eight-play, 56-yard drive by hitting WR Ryan Whalen who had beaten CB Quinton Richardson for an 18-yard touchdown reception.

The Huskies made a late push late, getting a one-yard touchdown run by Fouch, but they didn’t recover the onside-kick.

Washington (0-4) will now travel to Tucson to take on Arizona (3-1) who had the weekend off after beating UCLA last weekend.