Huskies Find Right Combo in Corvallis, Win 19-7

There was just one lineup change. A Washington football team coming off consecutive losses started Jordan Chin at wide receiver for the first time. Otherwise, everyone else remained in place.

On Friday night at Oregon State, it was the same Huskies--yet it wasn't.

They ably mixed much needed reinforcements with their regulars, finding enough firepower to throttle the Beavers 19-7 on a balmy night in the Willamette Valley.

Junior Salvon Ahmed got loose for a career-best 174 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard sprint to the end zone in the third quarter that put it away.

Defensively, the Huskies (6-4 overall, 3-4 Pac-12) were even better. They put the clamps on Oregon State (4-5, 3-3) from start to finish.

The UW forced the home team into seven 3-and-out situations.

"That's really impressive," said sophomore outside linebacker Joe Tryon said. "We just hit them in the mouth. They didn't want it."

Coming into his own, Tyron was a menace on the rush, picking up 2 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss, including a key fourth-and-two stop in the second quarter. He's rung up four sacks in his past two games.

"I feel like the game has come to me," Tryon said. "People on the defensive line are doing what they have to do. We're making plays."

Tyron also benefitted from having more speed on the inside. Redshirt freshman linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio came off the bench to be disruptive and lead the UW in tackles with 9.

Ulofoshio played most of the game, filling in for senior starter Brandon Wellington, who sat out the second half with a possible concussion.

"It's been awesome to see him get in there and perform," Huskies coach Chris Petersen said of Ulofoshio. "I'm really happy for him."

Ahmed credited the return of redshirt freshman running back Richard Newton, out two games with an injury, with helping keep the Beavers' defense off balance. Newton chipped in 54 hard-earned yards.

One's a blazer, the other a bruiser inside. The Huskies' version of Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson. Different approaches. It works.

"He pushes me to be better every day," Ahmed said of his running mate. "He's a really good player. It's definitely good to have Rich back."

This game was only in doubt momentarily in the third quarter when Jacob Eason threw a pick-6 in his second consecutive outing.

Oregon State nickel back Jayden Grant stepped in front of a Huskies receiver and took the interception 36 yards to score, cutting the lead to 13-7.

"I didn't see the corner and he jumped it," Eason said. "He stole the ball."

But those were the only points the Beavers could generate, with their offense held in check.

Petersen was satisfied with everything but his team's passing game. He said Eason and the receivers were off rhythm.

Yet there was a positive sign in there, too. Even if most people missed it.

Coming back from an injury, junior wide receiver Ty Jones stepped on the field for the first time this season, if ever so briefly.

Reinforcements, indeed, are on the way.