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Jon Wilner: Four thoughts on the Apple Cup, including why UW’s win may benefit Pac-12

September and October didn’t go as the Huskies planned, but November couldn’t have been scripted any better for UW. The Cougars' Apple Cup loss may have eliminated them from the playoff, but also absolved the Pac-12 of further embarrassment.

1. Goodbye, playoff.

Washington State had a narrow path to the CFP, but with two weekends remaining, at least the Cougars had a path.

They were part of the conversation, albeit the outskirts of the conversation, and for that the conference owes WSU, Mike Leach and Gardner Minshew a debt of gratitude.

Had they lost a second game along the way — to Stanford or Cal, for instance — the Pac-12 would have been as much a part of the playoff discussion throughout November as Conference USA.