Preview: No. 12 Washington looks for payback vs Washington State

Washington and Washington State meet in the Apple Cup on Saturday night. Washington won the game last year 40-13. The team with the purple and gold logo was humiliated last November when Washington's quarterback spiked a flag on the logo. This year's team is motivated by the memory of the defeat. If Washington wins, it will go to the Pac-12 championship game. If it loses, the team will be eliminated. It's a rivalry game between the two teams. They both won't forget the past. For Washington, last season's defeat was painful. for Washington it was the end of a difficult season.

Washington's Michael Penix Jr. has passed for at least 300 yards in nine of 11 games this season. He finished with 298 yards against Oregon State and threw for 229 against Colorado. An average game against Washington State will move him to more than 4,000 yards passing for the season and he can break the school record.

Washington State has been more efficient since the return of Nakia Watson. Washington's run defense has struggled recently, including 318 yards allowed to Oregon and 175 to OSU.

The Apple Cup has been played in a year ending in 2 four times. In 1982, the Apple cup was played on the Pullman campus after being played for nearly 30 years in Spokane. The Cougars upset the Huskies 24-20 and denied Washington a berth in the Rose Bowl. Drew Bledsoe and the Cougar routed the Washington Husky 42-23 in 2002. Washington won a controversial 29-26 game in triple overtime in 2003.