The pick: Why Washington will beat Washington State in the 112th Apple Cup

SEATTLE – Washington has been wildly inconsistent this year. Washington State can definitely match its intrastate rival in that regard.

The Huskies have been particularly bad on offense, scoring a measly 33 points in their last two games. The Cougars have been equally atrocious – and quite possibly worse – on the defensive side of the ball, giving up 67 points to UCLA, 54 points to Oregon State and, in a showing that might have topped both, 33 points to a California team that hadn’t topped 30 points all season and hasn’t done it again since, averaging 19.4 points per game. And backup quarterback Devon Modster was running the show for the Golden Bears.

For a multitude of reasons that wouldn’t fit in the print block we’ve been allotted, Chris Petersen’s team is more beatable than it’s been in at least four years. But you may need to carve out even more space for Washington State’s list.

It does seem that whenever the Cougars end their extended Apple Cup slump, they’ll do it in a down year for the Huskies. This qualifies as one of those. But, given how tough this matchup has been for Leach and the Cougars, it would be better if it didn’t coincide with a down year in Pullman.

The Cougars won’t have snow obscuring them this year, but maybe they’d take it if it meant they could clear up every other problem.

The pick: Washington 44, Washington State 21.