Washington Is Hit by Blizzard, 42-23 : Pacific 10: Washington State keeps its footing in the snow and keeps its bowl hopes alive.

Washington State Coach Mike Price, happy with the way his team plays in snow, hopes the reward is a game that usually is played in sunshine.

“Is there any bowl where there’s snow? We’re a pretty good snow team,” Price said Saturday after the Cougars upset No. 5 Washington, 42-23, in a blizzard.

Shaumbe Wright-Fair had no trouble finding his footing at snow-covered Martin Stadium, running for three touchdowns.

The Cougars scored four third-quarter touchdowns, including two on passes by Drew Bledsoe, to ice the game after Washington, 9-2 overall and 6-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference, had led at halftime, 7-6.

Price said the Cougars elected to kick off to start the third quarter so that Bledsoe would have the wind at his back.

“We took advantage of the conditions and beat them,” Bledsoe said, noting that the snow was dry and didn’t affect his ability to throw the ball.

“They didn’t get a good pass rush on us,” Bledsoe said. “The offensive line was great today.”

It was a bad day for the teams that will play in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Big Ten champion Michigan (8-0-3) stumbled to its second tie in as many weeks, 13-13, against Ohio State. Washington lost for the second time in three games after being ranked No. 1 and had to share its Pac-10 title with Stanford, which defeated California, 41-21.

Washington State (8-3, 5-3) finished its best season since 1988.

“We can’t make excuses. We both played on the same surface,” Washington Coach Don James said. “The thing I told them, I don’t think they should feel bad about losing a game on a day like that. It hurt, but I don’t think it is something they should hang their head over.”

As Washington Gov. Booth Gardner presented the Apple Cup trophy in the locker room, the Cougars waited to see if their record would get them a bowl invitation.

“If we don’t go to a bowl game, it’s a crime,” Bledsoe said.

Washington State had 475 yards to Washington’s 267.

Wright-Fair ran for 193 yards in 22 carries and scored on runs of 51, 41 and three yards.

Oblivious to constant snowfall that obliterated yard lines, Bledsoe completed 18 of 28 passes for 260 yards and one interception.

Washington quarterback Mark Brunell scored twice on one-yard runs, and Darius Turner scored a two-yard run late in the game.

The Huskies were unable to move the ball consistently. Third-quarter Washington drives ended in three punts and a fumble by Napoleon Kaufman, which Washington State’s Torey Hunter recovered at the Husky 34.

Washington State completed scoring drives of 70, 80, 68 and 32 yards in the third quarter, with Bledsoe throwing scoring passes of 44 yards to Phillip Bobo and 15 yards to Calvin Schexnayder.

Wright-Fair’s 51-yard run up the middle with 3:57 to play in the third quarter made it 28-7.

Tackle Konrad Pimiskern’s fumble recovery in the end zone 2 1/2 minutes later made it 35-7.

Kaufman carried 15 times for 51 yards, giving him 1,048 yards and making him Washington’s first sophomore to rush for 1,000 yards.