Washington Huskies football
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College Football has a long and storied history at the University of Washington. Over the years the Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific Ten Conference Championships, 7 Rose Bowl Titles and 1 National Championship. Washington's all-time record of 639-363-50 (as of 2005) ranks 17th by all-time winning percentage and 16th by all-time victories. The Huskies play in historic Husky Stadium with a seating capacity of 72,500.
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[edit] 1991 National Champions
The Huskies opened the 1991 season on the road, with a 42-7 victory over the Stanford Cardinal. Following a week off, Washington traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska for a showdown with #9 Nebraska. Trailing 21-9 late in the third quarter, Washington staged a rally, scoring 27 unanswered points to claim a 36-21 victory. The Husky offense, led by Junior QB Billy Joe Hobert gained a total of 618 yards. The 618 yards given up by the Cornhuskers was the most in 35 years. The following week saw the return of QB Mark Brunell, the 1991 Rose Bowl MVP who suffered a knee injury during the spring, as the Huskies beat Kansas State 56-3, while holding the Wildcats to -17 yards on the ground. The Huskies followed with back-to-back shutouts of Arizona and Toledo. California was next and the Huskies traveled to Berkeley to face the #7 Golden Bears. Washington won a wild game that was decided on the final play when Walter Bailey broke up a pass on the goal line to preserve a 24-17 win for the Huskies. Oregon and Arizona State visited Husky Stadium next and each walked away with a loss. The Huskies went on their final road trip of the season, first to USC where they won in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the first time since 1980. Needing a victory to clinch a Rose Bowl berth, Washington rolled to a 58-6 win over Oregon State. The Washington State Cougars came to Seattle for the Apple Cup but were no match for the Huskies, as Washington won 56-21, setting up a showdown with Michigan for the National Championship. The Huskies defense, led by Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy winner Steve Emtman, held Michigan to only 205 total yards, all while holding Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard to only one catch. The Husky offense, led by QBs Mark Brunell and Billy Joe Hobert, racked up 404 years of total offense in leading the Huskies to a 34-14 Rose Bowl victory. Hobert and Emtman shared MVP honors.
- Consensus All-American picks were Steve Emtman (DT) and Mario Bailey (WR). Dave Hoffmann (LB) and Lincoln Kennedy (OT) were All-American selections.
- Don James was voted Pac-10 and National Coach of the Year.
- Steve Emtman was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and Mario Bailey was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
- Mario Bailey (WR), Ed Cunningham (C), Steve Emtman (DT), Chico Fraley (LB), Dana Hall (CB), Dave Hoffmann (LB), Donald Jones (LB) and Lincoln Kennedy (OL) were First Team All-Pac 10.
- The Huskies lead the NCAA in total defense for most of the year, allowing only 237.1 yards per game.
The Huskies were voted National Champions by the USA Today/CNN Coaches Poll.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 7 | @ *Stanford (8-4) | W | 42 | 7 | |
| September 21 | @ Nebraska (9-2-1) | W | 36 | 21 | |
| September 28 | vs. Kansas State (7-4) | W | 56 | 3 | |
| October 5 | vs. *Arizona (4-7) | W | 54 | 0 | |
| October 12 | vs. Toledo (5-5-1) | W | 48 | 0 | |
| October 19 | @ *California (10-2) | W | 24 | 17 | |
| October 26 | vs. *Oregon (3-8) | W | 29 | 7 | |
| November 2 | vs. *Arizona State (6-5) | W | 44 | 16 | |
| November 9 | @ *USC (3-8) | W | 14 | 3 | |
| November 16 | @ *Oregon State (1-10) | W | 58 | 6 | |
| November 23 | vs. *Washington State (4-7) | W | 56 | 21 | |
| January 1 | vs. Michigan (10-2) | W | 34 | 14 | @ Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl |
| *Conference Game | 495 | 115 | |||
[edit] 1985 Orange Bowl Champions
The Huskies opened the 1984 college football season with a 9-0 record which included a 20-11 win at #4 Michigan in Michigan Stadium. While being ranked #1 in the AP poll, the Huskies dropped a 16-7 game to eventual Pac-10 champion USC, which cost Washington a chance at the Rose Bowl. The Huskies instead were invited to play in the Orange Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners. The game is famous for the Sooner Schooner incident. After Oklahoma kicked a field goal to take a 17-14 lead in the forth quarter, a penalty was called on the Sooners which nullified the score. The Sooner Schooner driver, who didn’t see the flag, drove the wagon on the field and was immediately flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The ensuing field goal attempt was blocked and lead a momentum shift which saw Washington score two touchdowns in less than a minute in route to a 28-17 victory. Senior Jacque Robinson rushed for 135 yards and was named MVP, the first player in history to be named MVP of both the Orange and Rose Bowl.
In winning, the Huskies became the first team from the Pac-10 to play in and win the Orange Bowl. The Huskies finished the year ranked #2 in the polls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 8 | vs. Northwestern (2-9) | W | 26 | 0 | |
| September 15 | @ Michigan (6-6) | W | 20 | 11 | |
| September 22 | vs. Houston (7-5) | W | 35 | 7 | |
| September 29 | vs. Miami (Ohio) (4-7) | W | 53 | 7 | |
| October 6 | @ *Oregon State (2-9) | W | 19 | 7 | |
| October 13 | @ *Stanford (5-6) | W | 37 | 15 | |
| October 20 | vs. *Oregon (6-5) | W | 17 | 10 | |
| October 27 | vs. *Arizona (7-4) | W | 28 | 12 | |
| November 3 | vs. *California (2-9) | W | 44 | 14 | |
| November 10 | @ *USC (9-3) | L | 7 | 16 | |
| November 17 | @ *Washington State (6-5) | W | 38 | 29 | |
| January 1 | vs. Oklahoma (9-2-1) | W | 28 | 17 | @ Miami, FL Orange Bowl |
| *Conference Game | 352 | 145 | |||
[edit] 2001 Rose Bowl Champions
Washington opened the 2000 season with a 44-20 victory over the Idaho Vandals. The Miami Hurricanes traveled to Seattle the next week and Senior QB Marques Tuiasosopo threw for 223 yards and ran for 45 as the Huskies handed the #4 Hurricanes their only loss of the season 34-29. The following week former Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel led his Huskies to Boulder, Colorado to face his former team. The Huskies celebrated their coach's homecoming with a 17-14 victory. Oregon spoiled Washington's hopes for a perfect season with a 23-16 setback but the Huskies responded the next week with a dramatic 33-30 victory over eventual Fiesta Bowl champion Oregon State. The following five weeks saw the Huskies have to battle back from second half deficits in every game, including a 31-28 win over Stanford that was marked with tragedy. Safety Curtis Williams was paralyzed after a neck injury during the game. For the remainder of the season, players and coaches word the letters "CW" on helmets and uniforms in honor of him. After several second half comebacks, Washington was finally able to win a game easily with a 51-3 victory over Washington State in the Apple Cup setting a record for largest margin of victory in the series. With the win over the Cougars, paired with an Oregon State win over Oregon, the Huskies were headed to the Rose Bowl. Marques Tuiasosopo earned Rose Bowl MVP honors as he led Washington to a 34-24 win over Purdue and Drew Brees. The Huskies finished ranked #3 in the polls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2 | vs. Idaho (5-6) | W | 44 | 20 | |
| September 9 | vs. Miami (Florida) (11-1) | W | 34 | 29 | |
| September 16 | @ Colorado (3-8) | W | 17 | 14 | |
| September 30 | @ *Oregon (10-2) | L | 16 | 23 | |
| October 7 | vs. *Oregon State (11-1) | W | 33 | 30 | |
| October 14 | @ *Arizona State (6-6) | W | 21 | 15 | |
| October 21 | vs. *California (3-8) | W | 36 | 24 | |
| October 28 | @ *Stanford (5-6) | W | 31 | 28 | |
| November 4 | vs. *Arizona (5-6) | W | 35 | 32 | |
| November 11 | vs. *UCLA (6-6) | W | 35 | 28 | |
| November 18 | @ *Washington State (4-7) | W | 51 | 3 | |
| January 1 | vs. Purdue (8-4) | W | 34 | 24 | @ Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl |
| *Conference Game | 387 | 270 | |||
[edit] The 'Whammy in Miami'
The 'Whammy in Miami' was a college football game played between the University of Washington Huskies and the University of Miami Hurricanes on September 24, 1994 in Miami's Orange Bowl. The game was the first football contest between the two schools, but they did share a piece of football history. During the 1991 season, both teams finished the year with identical 12-0 records and both teams were crowned National Champions. The teams were unable to settle the championship on the field, as both teams were locked into their respective bowl games (Washington in the Rose and Miami in the Orange). As a result, both schools agreed to schedule the other for a series of games.
Entering the game, the University of Miami had an NCAA record home winning streak of 58 games, was ranked 5th in the nation and had a 2-0 record. The Hurricanes had not lost at the Orange Bowl since 1985 and not to a team from outside of Florida since 1984. The Huskies on the other hand were 1-1, following a loss to USC and win over Ohio State. Odds makers placed the Huskies as a 14 point underdog. The Hurricanes appeared to on their way to another home victory and proving the odds makers right in leading the Huskies 14-3 at half-time. After half-time the Huskies came out firing scoring 22 points in 5 minutes. Key plays included a 75 yard touchdown pass, 34 yard interception return, and a fumble recovery. The Huskies showed no signs of slowing down and dominated the second half on the way to the 38-20 victory. The upset made national headlines, including being the top story on ESPN's SportsCenter.
The final score was Washington 38, Miami 20.
[edit] Huskies and the Rose Bowl
The Washington Huskies have a long history and tradition of playing in the Rose Bowl. The Huskies 14 Rose Bowl appearances are second only to USC in the Pac-10 and third overall (behind USC with 30 and Michigan with 19). The Huskies' seven victories are also third behind USC (21) and Michigan (8). In addition, the University of Washington is also in an elite group of only six schools to make back-to-back-to-back appearances in the Rose Bowl, a feat they accomplished in 1990-1992. The other schools are Ohio State and Michigan from the Big 10 and California, Stanford and USC from the Pac-10.
| Year | Result | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | T | Navy | 14-14 |
| 1926 | L | Alabama | 19-20 |
| 1937 | L | Pittsburgh | 0-21 |
| 1944 | L | Southern California | 0-29 |
| 1960 | W | Wisconsin | 44-8 |
| 1961 | W | Minnesota | 17-7 |
| 1964 | L | Illinois | 7-17 |
| 1978 | W | Michigan | 27-20 |
| 1981 | L | Michigan | 6-23 |
| 1982 | W | Iowa | 28-0 |
| 1990 | W | Iowa | 46-34 |
| 1991 | W | Michigan | 34-14 |
| 1992 | L | Michigan | 31-38 |
| 2001 | W | Purdue | 34-24 |
[edit] Northwest Championship
During the 2002 College Football season, the Washington Huskies found themselves with a 4-5 record with a 3 game losing streak entering the final weeks of the season. In order to help motivate his team, then Head Coach Rick Neuheisel coined the idea of the "Northwest Championship". Due to a quirk in the schedule, the Huskies finished the season facing their three northwest rivals (Oregon State, Oregon, and Washington State) in order for the first time since 1914. The Huskies ended their losing streak and started a quest for the "Northwest Championship" with a 41-29 Senior Day victory over Oregon State. The following week, Washington traveled to Eugene, Oregon to face the #23 Oregon Ducks and walked away with a 42-14 upset victory. Washington then clinched both the "Northwest Championship" and the Apple Cup with a stunning 29-26 triple overtime upset of third-ranked Washington State in Pullman, Washington. The Huskies repeated the feat in 2003.
As of 2006, the Huskies have a combined record of 178-92-15 against their Northwest rivals.
[edit] Related Pages
[edit] Individual Award Winners
[edit] Players
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[edit] Coach |
