The pick: Why Washington will beat Washington State

PULLMAN — In recent days, Washington State coach Jake Dickert has been effusive in his praise for his team’s new starting quarterback, the way John Mateer has responded to mistakes.

Mateer may have endured a couple slow starts in WSU’s 2-0 start to the season, but that’s part of the process, Dickert says. What he liked about Mateer’s first series in the Cougs’ wins over FCS Portland State and the Big 12’s Texas Tech — three-and-out and an interception, respectively — was the way he came back both times.

Against Portland State, Mateer became more accurate and hit his receivers in spots where they could make plays in space. Against Texas Tech, Mateer turned his attention to the rushing game, where he torched the Red Raiders for 197 yards, the most ever in one game by a WSU QB.

“Remember,” Dickert said, “sometimes you come in with a game plan, we run these plays, and all of the sudden, you see something different.”

On Saturday afternoon in Seattle, the site of the 116th Apple Cup, Mateer will be seeing something different in Washington’s defense. The Huskies have blown out FCS Weber State and FBS Eastern Michigan, but they’ve also racked up nine sacks, and new defensive coordinator Steve Belechick won’t be content to give WSU the same rush-three, drop-eight look that Mateer and the Cougs punished last week.

Every quarterback has to go through a maturation process, a time where they learn more about themselves and how to attack defenses. Here’s predicting Mateer will experience that in a setback to UW on Saturday. He will be better for it in the end, guiding the Cougs to bushels of wins this fall, but he’ll have to start by learning how to crack a staunch defense like the Huskies’.

The pick: Washington 20, Washington State 13.