SEATTLE – Louis Rankin rushed for 115 yards on 19 carries, including a 48-yard touchdown, and Washington ended an eight-game losing streak and gave coach Tyrone Willingham his first Huskies victory with a 34-6 win over Idaho on Saturday.

Washington's defense stymied quarterback Steven Wichman and Idaho's rushing attack, holding the Vandals without a touchdown.

The Huskies' improving quarterback Isaiah Stanback had an interception and a fumble in a scoreless opening quarter, but he redeemed himself nicely, running for a touchdown and passing for another in the third quarter.

The Huskies (1-2) won for the first time in almost a year — since beating San Jose State 21-6 at home Oct. 9, 2004.

They'll face Notre Dame, Willingham's former school, in Seattle next Saturday. The Fighting Irish pushed out Willingham with two seasons left on his five-year contract after last season and the Huskies hired him in an effort to rebuild a program that was 1-10 in 2004.

Facing a longtime foe in a series in which Idaho last won a game exactly 100 years ago, Washington rebounded from a 56-17 loss to California in its Pac-10 opener last Saturday.

Idaho (0-3) was supposed to be a credible opponent after playing Washington State, another Pac-10 team, close in its opener. The Vandals held their own for a quarter against UW.

Washington led 17-3 at halftime, scoring all its first-half points in the second quarter after failing to get into the end zone on second-and-1 in the opening period.

Stanback lost a fumble that was recovered by teammate James Sims and then threw an interception before Evan Knudson missed a 28-yard field goal attempt wide left with 8:16 left in the first quarter.

But Stanback and the Huskies' offense got going in the second period, taking advantage of a stand by the Washington defense.

Sims scored on a 1-yard run on fourth down with 3:32 gone in the second quarter to cap a 74-yard drive and give the Huskies a 7-0 lead.

The Huskies stopped Wichman twice for no gain to take over the ball on the Washington 27 with 7:17 left in the second period and scored 20 seconds later on Rankin's 48-yard touchdown run.

Mike Barrow kicked a 30-yard field goal with 2:26 left in the second quarter for Idaho.

Three plays after a 45-yard pass from Stanback to Craig Chambers, Knudson converted an 18-yard field-goal attempt for Washington as time ran out in the first half.

The third was all Washington. Stanback scored on a 5-yard run and passed 6 yards to Johnie Kirton for another touchdown. Linebacker Joe Lobendahn set up the scoring run by intercepting a pass by Wichman and the TD pass to Kirton followed a shanked 21-yard punt out of bounds at the Idaho 27.