Washington 27, Stanford 9

11/3/2007 9:31 PM

By JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) -Louis Rankin ran for 255 yards and a touchdown in the best performance by a Washington running back in 11 years, helping the Huskies avenge a humiliating loss to Stanford last year and win their first Pac-10 game this season, 27-9 over the Cardinal on Saturday.

Rankin carried the ball 36 times as Washington (3-6, 1-5) relied on its ground game, finishing with a season-high 388 yards on the ground to snap a six-game losing streak.

Rankin's total was the most for a Huskies back since Corey Dillon ran for 259 yards against Oregon in 1996 and fourth most since 1947. Jake Locker also ran for two scores and set the Washington single-season rushing record for a quarterback.

A year ago, Stanford went to Washington winless and pulled off a 20-3 upset that cost the Huskies a chance at a bowl bid. This time, Washington played the role of spoiler, all but ending any hopes for the Cardinal (3-6, 2-5) to make a bowl game in coach Jim Harbaugh's first season on The Farm.

Stanford has won just once in four games since its shocking upset at Southern California last month and dropped to 1-10 in two years at its renovated stadium with no wins in eight conference games.

Maybe it's fitting that Washington coach Tyrone Willingham won a Pac-10 game here before any Stanford coach. Willingham was head coach of the Cardinal for seven years, leading them to their last winning season in 2001 and the Rose Bowl at the end of the 1999 season. His 44 wins at Stanford are second most for a coach since Pop Warner left the school following the 1932 season.

Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard was taken to the locker room after the Cardinal's second drive of the game. He came back out in the second quarter but T.C. Ostrander remained in the game. Ostrander began the season as the starter before losing the job after he was sidelined by a seizure. Ostrander finished 16-for-28 for 133 yards.

The Huskies had six sacks and held the Cardinal to 253 yards.

Locker finished with 97 yards rushing, giving him 791 to break the mark set by Dennis Fitzpatrick in 1974.

After Stanford cut Washington's lead to 13-9 on a 1-yard run by Tyrone McGraw late in the third quarter, Rankin helped the Huskies regain control. He had a 42-yard run on the ensuing drive and then scored from the 1 on the opening play of the fourth quarter to make it 20-9. Locker added a score in the closing minute.

Washington dominated the first half statistically, outgaining Stanford 303-156. But the Huskies only led 10-3 at the break.

Locker threw an interception deep in Stanford territory in the first quarter and an apparent touchdown was wiped out in the final minute of the half when the replay official ruled Anthony Russo did not hold onto a 23-yard pass from Locker. After a sack, Jared Ballman missed a 47-yard field goal.

Stanford also couldn't convert its chances. Derek Belch missed a 32-yard field goal on the first drive. The Cardinal then failed to score after recovering a fumble by Louis Rankin at the Washington 1. Corey Gatewood fumbled reaching for the end zone on a second-down run.

The only touchdown of the half came on a 98-yard drive late in the first quarter. Locker completed a 26-yard pass to Russo on third-and-16 from the 8. Rankin followed with a 42-yard run and Locker capped the drive with a 17-yard scramble.