WSU's Kevin Lopina to start at QB vs. Huskies

Senior quarterback Kevin Lopina will make his second consecutive start for Washington State on Saturday in the Apple Cup game against rival Washington.

Lopina was the hero of last year's Apple Cup when he rallied the Cougars to an overtime victory. He's been benched much of this season, but played well in last weekend's loss to Oregon State.

Coach Paul Wulff said Tuesday that Lopina would start, with Marshall Lobbestael and Jeff Tuel possibly seeing playing time if needed.

Tuel, a freshman, has started much of this season and been the most effective quarterback. But he missed the past two games after suffering a knee injury at Arizona.

"He's not 100 percent, and I don't know he will be by game day," Wulff said.

Tuel has been practicing this week, but Wulff will not risk additional injury to get him into the game.

"We wouldn't put him out there if we feel it could further injure him," Wulff said. "If the doctors think there is too much risk, we definitely would not play him."

Washington coach Steve Sarkisian seemed most concerned about Tuel and WSU's newly healthy offensive line.

"If they get Tuel back and throw downfield, they can create real problems with our offense by keeping us off the field," Sarkisian said.

Lopina completed 17 of 29 passes for 167 yards in last year's 16-13 overtime win over Washington. The biggest was a 48-yard pass to Jared Karstetter in the final minute that led to the game-tying field goal.

Lopina was named starter at the beginning of this season but was benched for ineffective play after the second game in favor of Lobbestael. Tuel replaced Lobbestael as starter in the fifth game.

Injuries have forced Washington State to start 13 freshmen at some point this season, the most in at least 20 years. Last week, wide receiver Easton Johnson was asked on Thursday to move to safety because the Cougars were so short of bodies. He responded with 10 tackles.

Washington State (1-10, 0-9 Pac-10) has the nation's second-worst offense in points scored (13.9 per game) and total yards (256 per game). Part of the problem is that the offensive line has been decimated by injuries, and only got back to full health in last week's 42-10 loss to Oregon State. Lopina completed 15 of 32 passes for 133 yards against the Beavers, was not intercepted and was only sacked once.

Washington (3-7, 2-5) is a 24-point favorite, despite losing four straight games. That's largely because the Huskies have been competitive in many of their losses, while the Cougars have not.

But Washington State has some recent history on its side. The Cougars have won two straight Apple Cups and four of the past five. They are looking for their third consecutive win for the first time in a series that dates to 1900. Washington leads the series 64-31-6.

Wulff, who's been under fire this season as his team has struggled, played in four Apple Cups as an offensive lineman for the Cougars in the late 1980s.

"Those are games you always remember," Wulff said. "You have memories that last for your lifetime. You prepare for that excitement. There is a lot of fun involved in that."

Part of the fun is the trash talking. Washington tight end Kavario Middleton got it going Monday when asked about the big point spread favoring the Huskies. Middleton said the Huskies "plan on scoring 50."

Wulff was asked what he thought of that remark.

"I talk to our players all the time to make sure they don't say anything that would give anybody bulletin board material," Wulff said. "I hope my guys didn't say anything like that."