PULLMAN, Wash. -- Brock Huard threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Jerome Pathon in overtime and No. 12 Washington stopped Washington State on its possession for a 31-24 victory in the annual battle for the Apple Cup.

Washington State was mistake-prone in the extra period, committing an offsides penalty that moved Washington to the Cougars' 4-yard line. Three players later, Huard hooked up with Pathon for the go-ahead score.

"Every emotion I had was left out there, no doubt about it," said Huard, who was 12 for 24 for 144 yards. "I love this team, man. That's all I have to say. They believe in me and ride around me and Jerome made the play. This is a team that is 9-2 now. Every challenge that came up, we rose to the occasion. I just love to play with these guys."

Washington State's OT possession started well with an 18-yard pass from Ryan Leaf to Kevin McKenzie, but the Cougars were penalized for holding on the next play. After an incompletion, Leaf was sacked before throwing another incompletion. On fourth down, he threw into the end zone to Chad Carpenter, who caught the ball out of bounds, ending the game.

"He ran the best corner route I have ever seen him run," Leaf said of Carpenter. "I laid it to the only place where I thought he could catch it. The ref came up to me and said it was a good call."

Washington (9-2, 7-1 Pac-10) came away with its sixth straight win after blowing a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter. Corey Dillon rushed for 155 yards and extended his own school record with three more touchdowns for the Huskies, who won at Pullman for the first time since 1990.

Quarterback Ryan Leaf passed for one touchdown and ran for another in the fourth quarter for Washington State (5-6, 3-5), which lost its last four games.

"I think it is indicative and reflective on the coaching staff, the assistants, the seniors on our team. The character is reflected on their ability to never give up like that," Cougars coach Mike Price said. "Was it 24-zip? It was 24-0 and we didn't give up. It wasn't easy sledding. It was a tough situation, but the kids never gave up and competed the way I expected them to compete."

Dillon scored on runs of one, one and five yards to give Washington a 24-3 lead midway through the third quarter.

The Cougars' slumbering offense woke up after the Huskies' John Wales missed a 37-yard field goal with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter. Washington State moved 80 yards in just over two minutes and finally reached the end zone as Leaf ran around left end for a two-yard TD.

Washington ran three plays and punted back to the Cougars, who needed only 2:40 to go 64 yards. Leaf hit Shawn Tims for a 33-yard score that sliced the margin to 24-17.

Following a 23-yard punt by the Huskies' Hamid Sarshar, Washington State moved 40 yards in 73 seconds. Leaf completed passes of 19 yards to Carpenter and eight yards to Shawn McWashington to set up Michael Black's 10-yard touchdown run.

"I felt everything that could go wrong was going wrong," Leaf said. "Then we throw a 47-yard bomb. The quarterback has to have a bad memory. He has to go on with the next play and always think something better is going to happen."

Washington had a chance to win it in regulation, but Wales' 41-yard field goal attempt hooked just wide of the left goal post with three seconds left.