Associated Press Photo
SEATTLE, Wash. (Sports Network) - Kasen Williams' 35-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter gave the Huskies the lead, and Washington held on for a 17-13 upset victory over the eighth-ranked Stanford Cardinal at CenturyLink Field.
One year after losing to Stanford by 44 points, and two weeks after the Cardinal knocked off national title contender USC, Washington (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) used a stifling defense to win its Pac-12 opener.
Stanford (3-1, 1-1), in its first road test, mustered just 10 first downs, 235 yards and did not score an offensive touchdown, ending the program's 11- game winning streak in September.
Bishop Sankey ran for 144 yards on 20 carries, including a 61-yard score on the last play of the third quarter that sparked Washington's stagnant offense.
Keith Price threw for 177 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 19- of-37 throws for the Huskies, who snapped a four-game losing streaking against their conference foe.
Stepfan Taylor, who amassed a career-high 213 yards from scrimmage against USC, gained just 75 on 21 carries in the loss.
Josh Nunes completed only 18-of-37 passes for 170 yards and was intercepted with Stanford driving for a potential go-ahead score.
With Stanford leading, 13-10, the eventual game-winning drive was extended midway through the fourth quarter when Dezden Petty ran for two yards on 4th- and-1 from the Washington 44-yard line.
After another first down, Price hit Williams for a quick out along the right sideline. The sophomore wideout shook off a tackle, momentarily bobbled the ball and dragged a defender over the goal line with 4:53 to play. Williams lost the ball in the end zone, but only after crossing the plane.
Stanford took over on its own 34 and reached the opposing 34, where it faced a 4th-and-4 with under two minutes to play. Nunes threw a jump ball to the right, and Desmond Trufant intercepted it at the eight-yard line.
A neutral-zone infraction on Stanford on 3rd-and-4 moved the chains and allowed Washington to run out the remaining 1:39 on the clock, clearing the way for the home fans to rush the field.
Jordan Williamson hit a 31-yard field goal on Stanford's second possession of the game, and Travis Coons answered with a 43-yarder in the final three minutes of a punt-filled opening quarter.
Both offenses continued to sputter, but Zach Ertz's 35-yard reception down to the Washington 40-yard line got Stanford moving late in the half. The big play came on third down, and another third-down conversion set up Williamson's 28- yard field goal with 1:10 remaining in the half.
Marvin Hall appeared to give Washington a lead with just over three minutes left in the third quarter, but he stepped out of bounds on his would-be 74 punt return.
On the next snap, Stanford defensive end Trent Murphy read a screen in the flat and tipped Price's pass before corralling it and taking it 40 yards the other way for a 13-3 Stanford lead.
The Huskies responded on the last snapped before the fourth quarter, as Sankey took a handoff to the right, slipped through the line of scrimmage, split a pair of defenders in the secondary and sprinted 61 yards for a touchdown.