Pickett was ineffective most of the game, but he came through to direct a 73-yard, fourth-quarter drive that saved the Huskies (6-6, 4-4 Pac-10) from their first losing season since 1976.

Washington also denied the rival Cougars (9-3, 7-2) a chance at a third straight 10-win season. Washington State is assured of a bowl bid, but that only marginally offsets the disappointment of a sixth straight Apple Cup loss.

Marquis Cooper sealed the win for Washington when he intercepted a pass by freshman Josh Swogger and returned it 38 yards for the final TD, touching off pandemonium in the crowd of 74,549.

When the game was over, the Huskies staged a lengthy celebration at midfield and students spilled out of the stands to join in the fun. The Cougars walked solemnly to the locker room.

Last year in Pullman, the Huskies erased a 20-10 deficit with four minutes to play and won 29-26 in overtime. This time, they trailed 19-14 after Drew Dunning's fourth field goal, a 26-yarder, with 4:43 on the clock.

The loss spoiled a steady 128-yard rushing effort by Washington State's Jonathan Smith, and Dunning's four field goals helped him become the school's career scoring leader.

It was another sloppy effort by the Cougars, who committed seven turnovers - just as they did in victories over Oregon State and Arizona State. This time, though, their good fortune didn't come through.

The Cougars were trying to become the first Pac-10 team since Southern Cal in 1933 to win 10 games in three straight years.

This win will be especially sweet to Washington fans, who have endured one of the most turbulent years in school history after a tough season that followed the firing of former coach Rick Neuheisel last summer.

Fans climbed on the east goal posts at Husky Stadium, trying unsuccessfully to bring them down.

Smith appeared to give the Cougars enough offense to win, breaking off runs of 28 and 19 yards on the first drive of the third quarter. He added two 14-yard bursts in the fourth to set up Dunning's 26-yarder.

Pickett wasn't phased, though.

He found Charles Frederick for a 15-yard gain to Washington State's 39 on fourth-and-4 near midfield with two minutes to play. Then he fired a shot to Williams in the right corner of the end zone.

Until then, nothing seemed to work - not the blitzing defense by the Huskies, not the fake field goal they tried unsuccessfully while trailing 13-7 early in the second half.

Pickett completed 23 of 45 passes for 183 yards for two TDs with two interceptions.

Washington State quarterback Matt Kegel benched himself for the second straight week after taking a few hits on his sore throwing shoulder. Swogger was 10-of-23 for 107 yards with three interceptions.

Kegel was 6-of-12 for 50 yards with 1 TD and two interceptions before leaving in the second quarter.

Dunning made field goals of 33 and 34 yards and became Washington State's career scoring leader on a 20-yarder early in the second half. His 334 points eclipsed kicker Jason Hanson's scoring from 1988-91.

The Huskies were coming off a 27-22 loss at struggling Arizona and an abysmal 54-7 loss last week at California where Washington surrendered 731 yards. Coach Keith Gilbertson had a pained expression and looked ready to weep as he hugged each senior during pregame introductions.