(AP) - Peyton Bender was somewhat of an unknown in high school when he traveled from sunny South Florida to chilly Eastern Washington to throw the football for Mike Leach.
Now Bender may get the chance at his first college start Friday when No. 20 Washington State (8-3, 6-2 Pac-12) faces rival Washington (5-6, 3-5) in the Apple Cup.
Bender has been forced into action the last two games because starting quarterback Luke Falk was taken off the field. Falk was checked for a concussion against UCLA on Nov. 14 and cleared to return, but he was carried off on a backboard last Saturday in the third quarter against Colorado.