GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Rife with All-American talent and future NFL players, the Washington secondary ranks among the very best in college football. The Huskies’ bevy of playmaking defensive backs — Taylor Rapp, Jojo McIntosh, Byron Murphy, Myles Bryant — match up with the kind of deep and diverse wide-receiving corps on which coach Mike Leach’s air-raid offense thrives.
DRAFT SLANT
–OT Kaleb McGary began surging in draft projections a year ago, garnering some of the attention shifted from projected first-rounder Trey Adams’ injury. McGary’s remained a vital anchor on the Washington front five, and ranks No. 3 on NFL Draft Scout’s rundown of 2019 offensive tackle prospects.
McGary plays a huge role in the Apple Cup, facing Washington State’s prolific sacking defense. Cougars coordinator Tracy Claeys relies on abundant shifts and pre-snap motions that test a lineman’s ability to pick up assignments.
ROSTER REPORT:
–RB Kamari Pleasant is doubtful for the Apple Cup due to an unspecified injury. Pleasant worked into the rotation last month with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed both sidelined.
–QB Jake Browning, with 11,589, is 230 yards shy of passing Carson Palmer for fifth-most career passing yards in Pac-12 history, and three touchdowns from passing Jared Goff for fifth in career passing touchdowns at 94.
–OT Trey Adams’ return to the lineup last week serves as an example of the NCAA’s new four-game policy put into action. The rule, in its first year, allows players who only appear in four games to still redshirt. Adams already stated his intent to return to Washington for a fifth season earlier this month, but he can still contribute to the Huskies’ 2018 Pac-12 title pursuit.
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