Apple Cup
Best and worst quarterback performances in recent Apple Cup history

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Here's a look at some of the best — and worst — quarterback performances in recent Apple Cup history.

Best record as a starter since 1970 Cody Pickett, Tom Flick and Warren Moon, Washington 3-0.

Worst record as a starter since 1970 Jack Thompson, Washington State, 0-3.

Five greatest passes in recent Apple Cup history

1. Drew Bledsoe's 44-yard TD pass to a sliding Philip Bobo, with C.J. Davis skidding right beside him, in 1992.

2. Steve Pelluer's touchdown pass to a diving Paul Skansi at the end of the first half in 1981, which turned the momentum UW's way for good.

3. Pickett's 21-yard TD pass to Corey Williams to win the 2003 game in Seattle.

4. Ryan Leaf's 51-yard TD pass to Chris Jackson in the third quarter in 1997 to regain momentum for WSU after the Huskies had closed the gap to 24-21.

5. Pickett's 48-yard pass to Reggie Williams, who was being covered by Marcus Trufant, late in the fourth quarter in 2002 that set up a Huskies touchdown that allowed UW to later force overtime.

Best overall performance
 
Impossible to top Bledsoe's 260-yard day in a blinding snowstorm in Pullman in 1992. Best by a Husky is Pickett's 368 yards (completing 35 of 57 passes) in 2002.

Most statistically unimpressive performance by a winning QB

Clete Casper, Washington State, 1982. Casper was named the MVP of the game by ESPN for WSU's incredible 24-20 upset in Pullman despite completing just 7 of 14 passes for 44 yards and two interceptions. Casper's biggest accomplishment that day was running WSU's option offense to perfection as the Cougars rushed for 242 yards, the reason they won the game.

Most overlooked performance

Washington's Chris Chandler completed 15 of 20 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns — the most thrown by a QB on the winning side of the Apple Cup — as the Huskies won 44-23 in 1986. But the game is most remembered for Jeff Jaeger kicking his NCAA-record 80th career field goal.

Best performance in a losing cause

Leaf, in the first start of his career, completed 22 of 33 passes for 291 yards and one touchdown in 1995 in Seattle, though the Huskies won 33-30.

Bob Condotta