Huskies Rock Their Voters : Pacific 10: They campaign for a return to the top spot in the polls by beating up Stenstrom, Stanford, 41-7.

Lessons to be learned from Washington’s 41-7 victory against Stanford Saturday at soggy Husky Stadium:

--If a Washington player begins a sentence with, “We’re not concerned about the polls . . . “ quickly remind him of the penalties for perjury. Also mention the lecture/threat delivered to a Seattle sportswriter by mammoth Husky offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy minutes after Saturday’s game. Kennedy suggested the local writer vote second-ranked Washington No. 1 in this week’s Associated Press balloting--or else.

--If a Stanford player begins a sentence with, “This is for the Rose Bowl . . . “ immediately laugh. That’s what the Huskies did as they all but eliminated the 15th-ranked Cardinal from the Pacific 10 Conference race, and in the process, tightened their own grip on the invitation to Pasadena.

--And if someone questions if Washington (8-0) could win a share of a second consecutive national championship, simply point that person toward Stanford quarterback Steve Stenstrom. If Stenstrom could lift his newly sprained left wrist above his head, chances are he would wave it in favor of the Huskies, who knocked him out of the game midway through the second quarter.

So complete was Washington’s victory that Stanford free safety John Lynch said he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Here he was, part of the third-ranked defense in the country, and it gave up nearly 500 yards, 275 of them on the ground. Worse yet, Stanford (6-3) couldn’t even stop the Huskies’ second- and third-teamers.

“They’re as good as I’ve seen,” said Lynch, who has faced Texas A&M;, Notre Dame and Arizona, among others, this season. “I’d vote for them . . . if I had a vote.”

Seattle Post-Intelligencer writer Dan Raley has a vote, and last week he decided to switch it from Washington (8-0) to Miami. Raley was one of three who changed sides, but he was closest to the angry Husky players.

“Notice I didn’t talk to you earlier this week,” Kennedy said to Raley in the postgame interview room.

Few Huskies went out of their way to talk to the supposed traitor this week. A boycott of Raley was discussed--all in the name of pressuring him to vote for Washington.

“It might be a little bit of blackmail,” Kennedy said. “It was an issue to where a great deal of people thought you were an . . . for doing this.”

Lynch and Stenstrom might side with Kennedy, especially after they watched the Huskies score 41 consecutive points and extend their winning streak to 22 games. And Pac-10 historians will note that the Huskies have beaten Stanford nine times in a row and 13 of the last 14 times.

“They put it to us pretty good,” said Lynch, the realist.

Actually, Stanford scored first on a 31-yard pass from Stenstrom to flanker Justin Armour with 11:57 to play in the first quarter. It was the first time Washington had been behind since Nov. 23, 1991. It was also the last time the Huskies would trail.

By the end of the first quarter, Washington had tied the score and never looked back. Quarterback Mark Brunell, who started for the Huskies, accounted for part of the first touchdown when he scrambled halfway across the field and then, at the last moment, passed to running back Leif Johnson, alone in the end zone. The official scoring summary listed the touchdown pass as three yards, but Brunell had scrambled back to his own 23 before he threw the ball.

Washington added 14 more points in the second quarter, 13 in the third and seven in the fourth. By game’s end, Brunell had two touchdown passes and a scoring run. His backup, Billy Joe Hobert, had a 50-yard touchdown run. Running back Matt Jones contributed a three-yard score and linebacker James Clifford had a 42-yard interception return.

“I don’t care what people think of us,” Clifford said. “Today we played for ourselves. We played for our pride. You shouldn’t limit us to what we can do. Our attitude is, ‘We can.’ ”

And they did. Just ask Stenstrom, who was sacked five times. He departed the game wincing in pain.

“I saw him get hit and I thought, ‘Wow!’ ” said Hobert. “That’s how our defense is. If (Washington quarterbacks) didn’t wear green jerseys at practice, I wouldn’t be playing this week, either.”

The constant hits might have caused Stenstrom to become a bit jittery. Who could blame him? His line had given up 32 sacks coming into the game. By 7:30 in the second quarter the total had rown to 37 . . . and counting.

“He’s been sacked this year and, what, had two concussions this year?” Clifford said of Stenstrom. “That’s kind of too bad. With each hit you get a little flustered here and there.”

Stenstrom appeared flustered on an ill-advised pass toward Glyn Milburn, who had slipped out of the backfield and was only a few yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Clifford stepped in front of the pass and didn’t stop until he was safely in the end zone.

“I was just sitting there, waiting for (Stenstrom) to throw it,” Clifford said.

What had been a somewhat tight game was suddenly on the verge of becoming a blowout. Stenstrom’s injury and Washington’s dominance simply speeded up the process.

“I think they felt . . . they had to send a message,” James said.

They did, loud enough for every poll voter to hear.