Cougars vs. Huskies 1926 - November 1926 Alumnus magazine

COUGARS, 9; HUSKIES, 6
The Alumnus, November 1926

"Butch" Meeker, W.S.C. quarterback, 1926

Dog hair flew all over the University’s big stadium Saturday, Oct. 23, when an enraged Cougar clawed and fought its way to a decisive victory over a snarling Husky in the traditional battle of the two state institutions. The final score was 9 to 6. Doped to lose by anywhere from 12 to 27 points, Washington State provided the biggest upset of the Coast conference when they shattered all hopes of another gridiron championship for the University.

The victory, however, was not unexpected by the Crimson and Gray warriors, for they left Pullman with but one thought in mind—to win.

Not once did they lose their determination when Washington at the start of the game drove steadily down the field to with in one yard of the State’s goal line, only to be held. Nor did they lose their dogged will-to-win when Cook, Purple and Gold guard, booted two field goals, one from the 42-yard line in the first quarter and the other from the 39-yard line in the final session, for a total of six points. But, led by that dynamic foootball personality, Butch Meeker, the team kept up its courage until the last quarter, when it made its bid for victory.

With the ball on the Huskies’ 44-yard line, Meeker called on Carl Gustafson, fullback, who furnished the power and drive to place it on the University’s 10-yard line in five plays. Rohwer was stopped on the next play Gustafson was called back again. Meeker faked him the ball. Another half coming in was also faked the pigskin. Then, with the Washington line and secondary defense concentrated at center, Meeker raced around end and ran unmolested across the goal line. He converted the try-for-point. Tough little “Butch” was the first Cougar in two years to plant his cleats behind the Husky goal.

Guttormsen, using reverse English on his “bean,” donated the Staters their other two points in the second quarter when he picked up Meeker’s short place-kick on the one-foot line and touched it down behind his own goal, making it a safety.

Mel Dressel, 1926 W.S.C. tackle

The defensive work of Mel Dressel at right tackle and John Parkhill, Cougar left end, was outstanding throughout the game. The line as a whole outplayed and outfought the highly-touted forward wall of Bagshaw’s.

The work of Koenig and Rohwer, Crimson and Gray halfbacks, went far toward forming the stone-wall defense that Washington could not penetrate when penetration would have meant victory.

Patton at half and Cook at guard were the stellar lights of the Husky aggregation.

Kramer, Smith and Graham on the line were a tower of strength. More than one Husky was nailed behind his line by Kramer. Smith scooped up a Washington fumble late in the last quarter at a time when the Huskies were getting dangerously near the State goal. Graham, always fighting, ruined many a center drive. Exley, end, had difficulty in snaring passes that came his way, but did good work on the defense.

It was an ideal day for a ball game. The sun shone brightly and with the field in tip-top shape there was nothing to mar the playing. Somewhere around 28,000 fans watched the game with nearly as many shouting for a Cougar victory as for a Husky win. The W. S. C. rooters had a section to themselves and they formed a howling, hungry gang of victory seekers.

The Crimson and Gray pep band, in colorful uniforms, did itself proud. Between halves the band marched over in front of the university rooter section and, forming a W, played “Bow Down to Washington.” the Husky fight song. Another W was formed on the W. S. C. side, and the band played “Fight, Fight, Fight for Washington State.” The naval band of the University entertained with selections.

The last of the Washington stadium bonds were burned between halves, when with proper ceremony the debt reminders were tossed into a blaze in the center of the field.

The play-by-play account follows.

First Quarter

Washington won the toss and elected to kick. Tesreau for Washington kicked out of bounds on the 15-yard line and the ball was brought back for a second kick-off. Tesreau kicked to Meeker on the goal line. Meeker returned to the 29-yard line. On an end run Sweet gained one yard at left end. Sweet punted to Guttormsen on Washington’s 40-yard line and he returned to Washington’s 46-yard line.

Tesreau went off right tackle for 8 yards. Patton darted through right guard for a first down on Washington State’s 42-yard line. Guttormsen gained a yard at right tackle. Guttormsen made one-half yard at right guard. A pass from Tesreau to Guttromsen gained seven yards.

Tesreau kicked over the goal line. Washington State was penalized 5 yards for being off side and the ball was brought back. Charleston went through the same hole for a first down on Washington State’s 16-yard line. Patton shot through right guard for 3 yards. Washington State took time out for consultation.

Charleston hit left tackle for a yard and a half. Patton gained two and a half yards at right tackle. Charleston drove through left tackle to the 4-yard line for a first down here. Charleston hit left guard for one yard. Patton hit right guard for a yard, but Washington was off side and penalized 5 yards. On a crisscross play Patton went through right tackle to the W.S. C. 2-yard line.

Dressel replaced Hansen at left tackle for Washington State. Patton was held for no gain at right tackle. On a cut-back play Charleston was stopped on the 1-yard line and Washington State took the ball on downs. Sweet kicked to Guttormsen on the W. S. C. 35-yard line. He returned 3 yards.

Patton hit left guard for a yard. Tesreau’s pass to Guttormsen was incomplete. Tesreau failed to gain at left tackle. Cook came back for a place kick. Cook’s place kick from the 40- yard line sailed squarely over the bar.

Score: Washington 3, Washington State 0.

Speidel, for Washington State, kicked out of bounds on Washington’s 40- yard line and the ball was brought back. Speidel kicked to Tesreau on Washington’s 25-yard line and Tesreau returned 10 yards.

Guttormsen went off right tackle for 5 yards but Washington was penalized 15 yards for holding.

Tesreau punted to Meeeker on State’s 32-yard line, and Meeker returned 5 yards. Meeker failed to gain at left end. Gustafson fumbled and recovered and gained a yard at right guard.

Sweet kicked to Guttormsen on Washington’s 15-yard line. He returned to Washington’s 25-yard line. State was penalized 15 yards. Sweet kicked over Guttormsen’s head, the ball rolling to Washington’s 13-yard line, as the quarter ended.

Score: Washington 3, Washington State 0.

Standing on his own goal line Tesreau punted to State’s 32-yard line, where Sweet fumbled but recovered. Meeker hit right tackle for a yard. Rohwer’s attempt to pass was foiled when Schuh and Cutting downed him for a 10-yard loss. Brix for Washington knocked down a second pass from Rohwer’s hands.

Meeker drop-kicked over the Washington goal line from the 48-yard mark and it was Washington’s ball, first down, on the 20-yard line.

Tesreau made a yard at left tackle. Tesreau punted to Meeker, who was downed in his tracks on the W. S. C. 46-yard line by Schuh.

Joe Koenig, 1926 W.S.C. halfback

For Washington State Koenig replaced Sweet at halfback. Koenig passed to Rohwer for a first down on Washington’s 39-yard line. Koenig lost 3 yards at left end. Meeker gained 1 yard at right guard.

Exley dropped a pass from Rohwer. On an attempted place kick, Meeker kicked down into the corner of the field and Guttormsen, in picking up the ball, stepped over the Washington goal line, where he downed the ball for a safety.

Score: Washington 3, Washington State 2.

On the free kick, Tesreau for Washington punted from the 20-yard line. Tesreau kicked to Speidel on Washington State’s 40-yard line. He returned to Washington’s 39-yard line. Rohwer lost three yards at left end. On a crisscross, Meeker gained three yards at center. Rohwer passed to Meeker on Washington’s 33-yard line. Time out for Washington State.

Meeker’s attempted place kick from the 40-yard line was low. It was Washington’s ball, first down, on the 20-yard line. Guttormsen hit right tackle for 3 yards. Tesreau punted high. Cutting downing the ball on Washington’s 40-yard line.

A pass from Rohwer to Meeker was incomplete. Rohwer went off left tackle for 3 yards.

Patton intercepted Meeker’s pass on Washington’s 20-yard line and returned to Washington’s 33-yard line before being downed. Guttormsen went off left guard for 2 yards. Douglas replaced Cutting at left end for Washington.

Tesreau drove through right tackle for 5 yards. Time out for Washington. On punt formation Patton hit right tackle for 3 yards and first down on Washington’s 43-yard line. Charleston failed to gain at left tackle.

A pass from Tesreau to Charleston netted a first down on the W. S. C. 39-yard line. Tesreau lost a yard at left tackle.

A pass from Tesreau to Guttormsen gained 5 yards but the ball was brought back and Washington State was penalized 5 yards. Tesreau’s pass to Douglas was grounded. A pass from Tesreau to Charleston made first down on the Washington State 27-yard line. Tesreau gained 3yards at right tackle.

A pass from Tesreau to Douglas was intercepted by Meeker on Washington State’s 25-yard line. Gustafson hit center for 5 yards. Rohwer gained 2 a left tackle.

Gustafson made 3 yards at right guard. Linden replaced Meeker for Washington State. Koenig failed to gain at right guard as the half ended.

Score: Washington 3, Washington State 2.

Third Quarter

Cutting was back at left end for Washington and Meeker at quarterback for Washington State as play started. Speidel for Washington State kicked to Tesreau on the 10-yard line and Tesreau returned to the 27-yard line. Tesreau shot off right tackle for 5 yards.

Tesreau punted to Meeker on the W. S. C. 20-yard line and Meeker was forced out of bounds on his own 27- yard line. Rohwer went off left tackle for six yards.

Meeker broke through right guard for a first down on Washington’s 47-yard line.

Meeker lost a yard at right tackle at Washington was off side and drew a 5-yard penalty. Rohwer hit left tackle for four yards.

Carl Gustafson, 1926 W.S.C. fullback

Gustafson plowed through center for two yards and first down on Washington’s 37-yard line.

Rohwer went over left tackle for 4 yards. Patton intercepted a pass from Rohwer on his own 5-yard line and raced to his own 32-yard line before he was downed.

Tesreau gained 2 yards at left tackle. Patton circled left end to Washington State’s 45-yard line before he was forced out of bounds.

Guttormsen made four yards at right tackle. Patton dove through center for 2 yards. Tesreau plowed through left guard. Charleston made first down on Washington State’s 35-yard line. Patton hit right tackle for 2 yards. On a crisscross, Patton gained 3 yards at right tackle and was hurt on the play. Time out for Washington.

Tesreau gained a yard at left tackle. Cook came out of the line to try a place kick from the 37-yard line. Cook’s attempt was wide and the ball was downed by Cutting on Washington State’s 1-yard line in the corner of the field.

Koenig punted to Guttormsen on the W. S. C. 33-yard line and Guttormsen returned to the 27-yard line. Patton failed to gain at right tackle. Washington’s backfield was in motion and Washington was penalized 5 yards. Time out for Washington State.

Guttormsen failed to gain at right end. Patton dove through right tackle for 2 yards. Tesreau’s pass was incomplete. Cook was again called back for a place kick, this time from the 38- yard line. Cook’s place kick sailed cleanly between the goal posts.

Score: Washington 6, Washington State 2.

Speidel, for Washington State, kicked off to Guttormsen on Washington’s 14-yard line. He returned to the 35- yard line. On a crisscross, Guttormsen failed to gain at right end. Patton gained 3 yards at left end. Tesreau punted out of bounds on the W. S. C. 14-yard line.

Rohwer headed through left tackle and then cut back to the right for 11 yards. Rohwer made 2 yards at left tackle as the quarter ended.

Score: Washington 6, Washington State 2.

Fourth Quarter

A pass from Rohwer to Koenig put the ball on Washington State’s 37-yard line. Meeker made first down through center. A backward pass from Meeker to Rohwer lost 8 yards. A pass from Rollwer to Meeker made 2 yards.

Ted Rohwer, 1926 W.S.C. halfback

Koenig punted over Guttormsen’s head to the Washington 8-yard line, and Guttormson returned 10 yards. Patton failed to gain at right guard.

Tesreau punted out of bounds on Washington State’s 40-yard line. A criss-cross gained 2¼ yards at left end. Meeker raced around left end to Washington’s 46-yard line, where Guttormsen drove him out of bounds. Meeker gained 3 yards through center.

Meeker’s pass to Parkhill was incomplete. Meeker’s pass to Exley was incomplete and Washington State drew a five-yard penalty for the second censecutive incomplete pass.

Koenig punted over the Washington goal line. The ball was put into play on the 20-yard line, first down for Washington.

Patton hit left tackle for two yards. Tesreau made three yards at right tackle. Curry replaced Parkhill at end for W. S. C.

Meeker passed to Gustafson for 8 yards. Gustafson hit left tackle for 3 yards and a first down on Washington’s 33-yard line. Gustafson plowed through left guard for a first down on the 23-yard line. Washington took time out for consultation.

When play was resumed, Gustafson plowed through left guard for 8 yards, putting the ball on the 15-yard line. Gustafson hit right guard for three yards and a first down on Washington’s 13-yard line. Rohwer failed to gain at right tackle.

Meeker Scores Touchdown

Meeker shot around right end for a touchdown. Meeker place-kicked the try for point and made it.

Score: Washington 6, Washington State 9.

Douglas replaced Cutting for Washington. Speidel kicked off to Guttormsen on Washington’s 15-yard line and Guttormsen returned to the 35- yard line.

Exley knocked down Tesreau’s pass. A pass from Tesreau to Douglas was incomplete, but when a Washington State player interfered with Douglas, Washington was given the ball and a first down on the Washington State 43-yard line.

Patton gained a yard at right tackle. A pass from Tesreau to Schuh made a first down on the W.S.C. 25-yard line. Hanley replaced Charleston for Washington and Horan replaced Gustafson for Washington State.

Hanley gained 2 yards at right tackle, lacking inches of first down. Shaw replaced Wright at guard for Washington. Patton gained 2 yards at right tackle.

Hanley gained half a yard at right guard. Hanley fumbled and Washington State recovered the ball on her own 14-yard line. Meeker made two yards at right tackle.

Rohwer broke through left tackle for 5 yards and was hurt on the play. Koenig made 4 yards and a first down on his own 28-yard line. Pat Wilson was hurt on the last play and was carried from the field and Pape replaced him. Rohwer made 6 yards at right tackle as the game ended.

Final score: Washington 6, Washington State 9.

The Starting Lineup

W.S.C. U.of W.
Exley………….. LER…………..Schuh
Hansen…………LTR…………..Brix
Kramer…………LGR………….Cook
Graham………….C………….. ..Bonamy
Smith………….. RGL………….Wright
Speidel…………RTL…………..Wilson
Parkhill…………REL………….Cutting
Meeker…………..Q………….. Guttormsen
Sweet…………..LHR………….Tesreau
Rohwer………...RHL…………. Patton
Gustafson………..F………….. ..Charleston

Substitutions

Washington—Douglas for Cutting, Cutting for Douglas, Hanley for Charleston. Shaw for Wright, Pape for Wilson, Douglas for Cutting.

W. S. C.—Dressel for Hansen, Koenig for Sweet. Linden for Meeker and Meeker for Linden, Curry for Parkhill, Horan for Gustafson.

Scoring

Touchdown—W. S. C. 1 (Meeker).
Try for point—Meeker.
Field goals—Washington U. 2 (Cooke).
Safety—Washington U.

The 1926 Football Season:

The Football Situation - October 1926, The Alumnus magazine

Cougars vs. Idaho - November 1926, The Alumnus magazine

Cougars vs. Montana Grizzlies - November 1926, The Alumnus magazine

Cougars vs. U.S.C. Trojans - November 1926, The Alumnus magazine

The Victory Team - December 1926, The Alumnus magazine