Gaskin runs No. 16 UW Huskies past No. 7 WSU 28-15 in snowy Apple Cup

Myles Gaskin had already made his mark on the Apple Cup in the first three years of his career. But in his final game against Washington State on Friday, the UW Huskies running back cemented himself as one of the most legendary performers ever in the 111-game history of the series.

Apple Cup 2018: ‘Snow Dawgs’ beat WSU | Photo gallery | Stats

Gaskin broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, his third score of the day, and finished with 170 yards on 27 carries to lead No. 16 Washington to a 28-15 victory over No. 7 Washington State in a snowy 111th edition of the Apple Cup.

It was the sixth straight Apple Cup win for UW, which clinched its second Pac-12 North championship in three years in the process. The Husky win also dashed a trio of hopes for the Cougs (10-2 overall): the program’s first Pac-12 North title, a potential trip to the Rose Bowl, and a long shot to crash the four-team College Football Playoff.

In four career Apple Cups, Gaskin rushed for over 100 yards three times and scored a combined 10 touchdowns, including seven in the last two years.

Here’s a quarter-by-quarter look at Friday night’s Apple Cup at Martin Stadium in Pullman.

First quarter

UW 7, WSU 0

With steady snow flurries coming down, the Huskies relied on Gaskin to get their offense going. And while an interception by WSU’s Skyler Thomas of Washington quarterback Jake Browning ended a promising first offensive series by UW, Gaskin was there on the second one to plunge in from 5 yards out to open scoring late in the frame.

Gaskin finished the first quarter with 52 rushing yards on 10 carries. His touchdown was set up by a long, 48-yard pass from Browning to Andrew Baccellia.

UW nearly started the game with a pick-six, but safety Taylor Rapp couldn’t hang on to WSU QB Gardner Minshew’s ill-advised throw.

Like UW, WSU had a trip to the red zone end with a turnover. Minshew led the Cougars on a nine-play, 59-yard drive to the Husky 12 yard line, but a fumble on fourth down was recovered by Washington’s Ben Burr-Kirven.

UW – Myles Gaskin 5 run (Peyton Henry kick), :08

Second quarter

UW 14, WSU 7

Above all, the reason Washington State came into the Apple Cup with a 10-1 record and ranked seventh in the country is because of its explosive offense. That wasn’t seen through two quarters at Martin Stadium in the Apple Cup, though, where a snow storm erased the Cougars’ home-field advantage and instead gave rival Washington a boost because of the Huskies’ effectiveness in the run game.

Just like in the first quarter, UW found the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown run by Gaskin.

GASKIN DOES IT AGAIN.#PurpleReign

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/klQVyaJDjl

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 24, 2018

Despite the less-than-pass-friendly conditions, Jake Browning was able to find tight end Hunter Bryant for a 27-yard gain to open that scoring drive, and running back Salvon Ahmed added a 24-yard gain on a short pass, nearly scoring himself but just stepping out of bounds at the WSU 16.

WSU did find some success on offense late in the quarter with James Williams running in from 11 yards out to cap an 11-play, 49-yard TD drive with 33 seconds remaining. The Cougars ended the half with a missed opportunity, however, as while they recovered a UW fumble on the following kickoff, Minshew’s final pass attempt at the end zone was picked off by the Huskies’ Byron Murphy.

MURPHY INT!#PurpleReign

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/X3E30aO8Kw

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 24, 2018

UW – Myles Gaskin 5 run (Peyton Henry kick), 5:37
WSU – James Williams 11 run (Blake Mazza kick), :33

Third quarter

UW 20, WSU 15

For a moment early in the third quarter, the Apple Cup was the Hunter Bryant show. The talented sophomore tight end had an impressive catch-and-run for 59 yards, and on the next play the Huskies reached into their bag of tricks for a 22-yard double pass in which wide receiver Aaron Fuller connected with Bryant for a TD.

Browning ➡️ Fuller ➡️ Bryant#PurpleReign

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/xzHqTXHNt3

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 24, 2018

WSU’s special teams helped out its struggling offense in the most unique of ways, however, as the Cougars blocked UW’s PAT attempt and Washington State’s Hunter Dale ran it all the way back for a defensive two-point conversion.

Hunter Dale with the 2 point conversion! #GoCougs #AppleCup pic.twitter.com/9DFRs24HYq

— WSU Cougar Football (@WSUCougFB) November 24, 2018

The Cougars’ defense was next up to help out the offense, Dillon Sherman recovering a fumble on a strip sack of Jake Browning by Willie Taylor III. That gave WSU a short field, and five plays and 23 yards later, the Cougars had cut the lead to 20-15 on a 1-yard Williams touchdown run (WSU failed a two-point conversion attempt as Minshew’s pass was caught out of the back of the end zone).

WSU was able to hold down Washington’s offense for the rest of the third quarter, keeping it a one-score game going into the final quarter, where the Cougars had seen much more success than the Huskies in 2018.

UW – Hunter Bryant 22 pass from Aaron Fuller (kick blocked), 12:40
WSU – Hunter Dale 2-point defensive PAT return, 12:40
WSU – James Williams 1 run (pass failed), 4:44

Fourth quarter

UW 28, WSU 15

Myles Gaskin needed 10 yards to reach 1,000 yards for a fourth consecutive season. Well… he got 80.

GASKIN. ALL. THE. WAY.#PurpleReign

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/SgfcBb8oDj

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 24, 2018

Not only was that his third touchdown of the game (and 60th of his career), but it was the biggest play of the day, pushing Washington’s lead back to two scores against a Washington State team that has been great in the fourth quarter all season long.

That turned out not to be a worry for the Huskies, who were able to keep WSU from adding any more points and eventually run the clock out to clinch the Pac-12 North championship.

UW – Gaskin 80 run (Salvon Ahmed run), 12:30

Follow @BrentStecker