SEATTLE, Wash. - There was no writing history Saturday at Husky Stadium. Instead, it was a repeat of so many games over the past 100 years - Washington won. This time 34-6 over a University of Idaho team that didn't match pregame expectations.

"I feel like we came out flat," said UI receiver D.J. Smith, who finished the game with just half of his averages - six receptions for 70 yards. "We needed more energy on offense.

"We just didn't execute the plays I thought we should have."

An ineffective rushing game made the Vandal passing attack vulnerable to the big play. Add a penchant for penalties and breakdowns across the board, and the afternoon became a long one for the Vandals.

Quarterback Steven Wichman bore the brunt of the furious UW attack. He was sacked seven times for 52 yards in lost offense. On the ground, the Vandals were credited with minus-four yards. Jason Brown led those with positive yards with 34 on 10 carries.

"You've got to run the ball better," head coach Nick Holt said. "You've got to be less predictable on second down. That was a big down for us. I have to give credit to the UW coaching staff. They called a great game."

Penalties also took a toll. The Vandals were yellow-flagged 10 times for 83 yards; the Huskies four times for 25. Two calls were crucial pass interference infractions to which Holt alluded to more than once after the game.

"We had three 15-yard penalties in the secondary - two by the same guy," Holt said.

Then there were the turnovers. While Wichman's completion percentage was solid (19-of-28) and his yardage was solid (187), he was intercepted twice and a third turnover came via the passing game when Smith fumbled after being hit hard as he caught the ball in the open field.

"As a total effort, a total football team, you have to protect the ball better," Holt said.

All those added together resulted in abysmal field position as the game progressed. During a span that included most of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, the Huskies had drives that started at the UI 43, UI 26, UI 27 and their own 47. By the time that run ended, the Huskies had scored on six successive possessions.

"Our guys got stuffed on the inside all game, which is intolerable," Holt said.

It wasn't as if the game started on a bad note, although the Vandals were not able to generate the type of start they needed.

The first quarter was a mishmash of highlight reel plays, penalty flags and defense. Wichman, much like UW quarterback Isaiah Stanback, spent a fair amount of time scrambling to find an open receiver. Neither had much success. Wichman completed three (of four attempts) and Stanback missed all four attempts.

The Huskies had the upper hand on the ground with Louis Rankin going for 47 yards on 10 tries. Drives ended on missed field goals (UW) and pass interceptions (UI's D.J. Dykes taking down a Stanback throw) and punts (two for the Vandals and one for the Huskies). Field position was hampered by penalties (four totaling 31 yards for the Vandals) and sacks (Wichman was taken down three times). The result was a 0-0 tie.

The momentum in the second quarter shifted in favor of the Huskies. UW completed a drive that began in the first quarter with one-yard surge by Sims with 11:28 left in the first. The successful PAT by Evan Knudson put the Huskies up 7-0.

On the ensuing UI series, the Vandals stalled at the UW 27 when they failed to convert the first down on back-to-back one-yard tries by Wichman. In two plays the Huskies were up 14-0 thanks to a 48-yard run by Louis Rankin.

Idaho scored on the next series, but again, a drive stalled and the Vandals resorted to a field goal - this one a 30-yarder by Mike Barrow with 2:24 to go before the half.

The Huskies made it 17-0 at the half when Knudson booted an 18-yard field goal as time expired.

Another sack by junior defensive end Donny Mateaki was the key play in UI's first drive of the second half stalling at the Vandal 49. T.J. Conley's punt was blocked and the Huskies made the most of the favorable field position with a three-play, 43-yard drive - with the big play a 38-yard reception by Sonny Shackelford - to go up 24-3 with 8:50 left in the third.

DeAngelo Ramsey's return of the kickoff put the Vandals at the UI 25 but penalties on the first play negated Antwaun Sherman's first-down rush and dropped UI back to its own 15. D.J. Smith fumbled the ball after being hit hard as he pulled in a Wichman pass and again the Huskies were deep in UI territory at the 26. UW had to settle for a field goal and a 27-3 lead with 6:16 left in the third.

More trouble was ahead for the Vandals on their next series. Not only were they driven back with a sack, but they were penalized and dropped back to their own 6. The punt was blocked partially and the Huskies took over at the UI 27. In the short field, the Huskies needed just three plays before they scored again - this time on a six-yard reception by Kirton. The drive used just 1:07 and left UW in command with a 34-3 lead with 3:14 left in the third.

The Vandals finally scored again when Barrow booted a 38-yard field goal with 7:58 left in the game. The drive, however, was a microcosm of the game - seven plays for minus-one yard.