PULLMAN, Wash. -- Jake Browning and No. 5 Washington passed its final test of the regular season thanks to one nearly perfect quarter.
Browning threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns and the Huskies used a 28-point first quarter to beat No. 23 Washington State on Friday, claiming the Apple Cup for the fourth consecutive year and the Pacific-12 North title.
Washington will take its College Football Playoff hopes into the Pac-12 championship game on Friday against either Colorado (if they defeat Utah today) or Southern California (if Utah wins today).
Browning threw all three touchdown passes in the first 15 minutes, hitting Dante Pettis on plays of 18 and 61 yards and John Ross on a 6-yarder. Browning had 243 yards passing by halftime, the Huskies had 386 total yards at the break and even Washington State's third-quarter rally didn't make Washington sweat.
Washington (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12) tied a school record with the 28-point first quarter, capitalizing on an early turnover that put Washington State (8-4, 7-2) in a 14-point hole.
Browning completed 21 of 29 passes, becoming the third quarterback in Pac-12 history with at least 40 TD passes in a season. Ross had eight catches for 80 yards and his 16th TD catch of the season.
Washington State quarterback Luke Falk was 33 of 50 passing for 269 yards and a 9-yard TD pass to Gabe Marks in the third quarter. But the Cougars were unable to find the end zone on three drives inside the Washington 10.
Eight years after this matchup was mocked because of how bad the two teams were, the Apple Cup was back on a stage of national relevance and regarded by many fans as the most important matchup of the 109 meetings.
It became a purple party for the Huskies that made the trip over the Cascade Mountains to the Palouse.
Lavon Coleman added 82 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. His 15-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter capped a 98-yard drive and sent many clad in red back to the tailgating lots.
ACC
'Pack tops 'Heels
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Jaylen Samuels ran for one touchdown and threw for another on a trick play, and North Carolina State held on to upset North Carolina 28-21 on Friday, earning bowl eligibility while also locking up a division title for Virginia Tech.
In what at times seemed like a replay of N.C. State's 35-7 rout here two years ago, Matt Dayes rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns. The second of those put the Wolfpack (6-6, 3-5 ACC) up 21-0 early in the second quarter.
"It's about these players and these coaches hanging together amid a lot of heartbreaking days and negativity and doubt," Coach Dave Doeren said. "Guys just kept fighting with each other and for each other and they knew where our program is headed. ... Today was about mastering ourselves and finding a way to win and doing it against our rival."
Samuels threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Stephen Louis on a trick play on the opening drive, and ran 4 yards for the TD that made it 28-7.
Mitch Trubisky threw three touchdown passes for the Tar Heels (8-4, 5-3), including a 48-yarder to Bug Howard that made it a seven-point game with 7:52 left. But on their next possession, they were stopped on downs near midfield with 3:10 to go and N.C. State ran out the clock.
The Tar Heels, 10½-point favorites, needed a victory and a Virginia Tech loss to Virginia to earn a second consecutive ACC championship game berth. This loss locks the Hokies into next week's matchup with No. 4 Clemson in Orlando, Fla.
N.C. State largely kept it on the ground against the ACC's worst run defense, running it 53 times while throwing just 24 passes and rolling up 259 yards rushing and 492 total yards.
Sports on 11/26/2016