NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, Associated Press
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Luke Falk threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns and No. 25 Washington State beat No. 18 Stanford 24-21 on Saturday, keeping alive its hopes for a Pac-12 North title.
Snow started to fall heavily at the end of the first quarter. Stanford hadn’t played in snow since a 1936 game against Columbia in New York.
Jamal Morrow rushed for 66 yards for Washington State (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12, CFP No. 25), chewing up time at the end of the game.
Bryce Love, slowed by an ankle injury, was held to 69 yards, his worst outing of the season for Stanford (6-3, 5-2, CFP No. 21). He came in as the nation’s leading rusher, averaging 198 yards a game.
The Cougars finished 7-0 in Pullman this season.
Love ran 52 yards for a touchdown on Stanford’s first play of the second quarter.
Falk replied with a 12-yard pass to Tavares Martin Jr. to tie it.
On WSU’s next possession, Falk threw a 27-yard pass to Renard Bell in the end zone for a 14-7 lead that held up at halftime. A fan jumped out of the stands after the touchdown and mooned the players in the end zone before being hustled away by security.
Washington State drove to Stanford’s 13 on its first possession of the second half, but had to settle for Erik Powell’s 41-yard field goal and a 17-7 lead.
Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello fumbled the ball after the snap, but it bounced back into his hands and he ran 14 yards for a touchdown that brought Stanford within 17-14 in the third.
On Washington State’s next possession, the Cougars went for it on fourth-and-1 at midfield. But Falk’s pass was intercepted by Bobby Okereke and returned 52 yards for a touchdown that gave Stanford a 21-17 lead.
Falk led the Cougars 94 yards, culminating in an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jamire Calvin, for a 24-21 lead with 6:56 left in the game.
Stanford went three-and-out and WSU chewed up more than three minutes of clock before punting the ball with 35 seconds left in the game. Frankie Luvu’s interception ended the Stanford threat.
THE TAKEAWAY
Washington State needs to win at Utah and at Washington to claim the Pac-12 North title.
UP NEXT
Stanford hosts No. 12 Washington on Friday night.
Washington State plays at Utah on Saturday
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