Sept. 17, 2005

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Willingham Post-Game Press Conference
Player Interviews: Hopoi | Kirton | Eriks

SEATTLE (AP) - 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.

Idaho's Nate Nichols (27) knocks the ball loose from Washingtons' James Sims (22) near the goal line in the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005, in Seattle. Sims was ruled to have already crossed the goal line before losing the ball, for a Washington touchdown. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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 one 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.