Cracraft leads No. 23 Washington State over California 56-21
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Luke Falk threw five touchdown passes, including three to River Cracraft, and No. 23 Washington State beat California 56-21 on Saturday night for its eighth consecutive victory.
The surging Cougars (8-2, 7-0 Pac-12, No. 23 CFP) have their longest winning streak since 1930 and are on a surprising quest for a Pac-12 championship.
Davis Webb threw for 425 yards and three touchdowns for Cal (4-6, 2-5), which has lost three straight games and is struggling to keep its bowl hopes alive.
Cracraft caught nine passes for 87 yards before leaving midway through the third quarter with a leg injury.
Falk completed 36 of 50 passes for 373 yards with one interception. The former walk-on broke a team record with his 23rd game of at least 300 passing yards.
The Cougars produced 654 yards of total offense in the game.
California’s high-flying offense piled up 525 yards but struggled to get into the end zone. Demetris Robertson had a pair of touchdown receptions for the Golden Bears.
California had won 10 of the past 11 games between the teams and had not lost in Pullman since 2002.
Washington State receiver Gabe Marks caught seven passes to give him 295 career receptions, breaking the Pac-12 record of 294 held by Colorado’s Nelson Spruce.
Sam Darnold leads USC to 26-13 upset of No. 4 Washington
SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns and Southern California upset No. 4 Washington 26-13 on Saturday night, snapping the Huskies’ 12-game winning streak and damaging their College Football Playoff hopes.
Darnold was outstanding against one of the top defenses in the Pac-12, showing why USC has surged since he became the starter. Darnold’s lofted pass over linebacker D.J. Beavers and into the arms of tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe for an 8-yard touchdown strike in the opening moments of the fourth quarter gave USC an 11-point lead that Washington (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12, No. 4 CFP) couldn’t overcome.
“To play that game, at this age, in that atmosphere? Unbelievable,” USC coach Clay Helton said.
Ronald Jones II added 93 yards rushing and a touchdown. USC (7-3, 6-2, No. 20 CFP) won its sixth straight and should get back into the AP Top 25 . The Trojans also kept alive their slim hopes of winning the Pac-12 South.
Washington coach Chris Petersen cautioned all week that USC was back to looking like the most talented team in the Pac-12 and he was proved correct. Darnold flustered Washington’s defense by keeping plays alive with his feet and found gaps in the Huskies secondary that have been difficult for others to find.
Darreus Rogers had six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, while Imatorbhebhe added five catches for 78 yards. Washington lost starting middle linebacker Azeem Victor in the second quarter to a lower right leg injury that required an air cast and a cart to take the Huskies’ leading tackler off the field. But his absence was felt more in the pass game where USC exploited the middle of the field.
Washington quarterback Jake Browning was 17 of 36 for 259 yards, including a 70-yard TD pass to John Ross where he shook USC’s Adoree’ Jackson at the line of scrimmage. Ross finished with eight catches for 154 yards, but the Huskies were held to 17 yards rushing.
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