The Apple Cup and poll positions are on the line this weekend as the Evergreen State rivals of the Pacific-10 Conference collide along with No. 1 USC and No. 16 Fresno State. The Huskies and Cougars will be playing for pride in Seattle with no bowl bids on the line whereas Fresno State can once again knock off a Bowl Championship Series contender and climb even higher in the polls.
 
No. 1 USC (10-0, 7-0) vs. No. 16 Fresno State (8-1, 6-0)
Conference front-runners from the Pac-10 and the Western Athletic Conference square off Saturday at the Memorial Coliseum. Since this is a non-conference game sandwiched in the heart of conference play, this may be one of the most overlooked games this year.
Fresno State is close to clinching a WAC title, but don’t think for a second it is already eyeballing next week’s conference game against Nevada. Coach Pat Hill and his Bulldogs have a chance Saturday night to both knock off yet another Bowl Championship Series contender and vindicate their team’s motto:
“Anyone, anytime, anywhere.”
Fresno State has eight wins this season surrounding its lone loss, 34-31 at Oregon Sept. 17, the last of which was a 27-7 dethroning of defending WAC Champion Boise State on ESPN Nov. 10. Fresno State quarterback Paul Pinegar passed for 307 yards and two deep scoring strikes to wideout Paul Williams.
Tailback Wendell Mathis kept the offense balanced, rushing for 121 yards and a touchdown. He has helped Fresno State have one of the most potent offenses on the west coast. Both he and Pinegar have the ability to score against USC’s formidable at best defense, but the biggest factor of the game lies in how Fresno State’s defense will handle the Trojans’ NFL-like offense.
Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, LenDale White, Dwayne Jarrett – the weapons are there for USC to make any game one-sided but even so, coach Pete Carroll maintains a high level of respect for Hill and his squad.
“He has always done a great job,” Carroll said. “He has captured not just a great football program but a great community.”
Last week the Trojans made quick work of California in Berkeley. Leinart led the offense, passing for 246 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for two others.
The pride of the San Joaquin Valley may be known as giant killers in college football, but the defending national champions from Los Angeles may be too much for the Bulldogs – or anyone.
 
Washington (2-8, 1-6) vs. Washington State (3-7, 0-7)
Several Washington State fans last week referred to this game as the “Crapple Cup” following the Cougars’ 34-31 home loss to Oregon. The Cougars were beaten by less than a touchdown for the fifth time this season but have a chance Saturday to take home the Apple Cup for the second straight year for the first time since 1982-83.
The Cougars have not beaten Washington in Seattle since Ryan Leaf was under center, but could win this game if their offense plays well. Tailback Jerome Harrison has not had a sub-100 yard game yet this season and quarterback Alex Brink continues to improve.
Washington enjoyed their first conference win in two years last week against Arizona. The new-found momentum from the win might be enough to get the Huskies past Washington State, but a decent outing from quarterback Isaiah Stanback couldn’t hurt. The junior ended against Arizona with 96 yards on the ground and passed for 157 yards.
With no bowl game in sight for either team, this is it. To the winner goes the Apple Cup and to the loser, a last-place finish in the Pac-10.

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