Spark for Cougars Is Sparks : Pacific 10: Washington State tailback rushes for two touchdowns in 23-6 victory over Washington.

PULLMAN, Wash. —  Derek Sparks rushed for two touchdowns and Kevin Hicks ran for one as Washington State defeated No. 18 Washington, 23-6, Saturday in icy Martin Stadium.

Washington State, 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the Pacific 10, finished fourth in the conference and is expected to be invited to the Alamo Bowl.

Washington (7-4, 4-4) is on probation for NCAA rule violations and ineligible for any postseason play.

Sparks, filling in with Hicks for injured starter Frank Madu, scored on two one-yard runs in the first half. Hicks scored on a three-yard run as Washington State took a 21-6 halftime lead.

The Cougars scored after lengthy drives kept alive by long passes from Chad Davis to his tight ends. Davis completed nine of 20 passes for 193 of the Cougars’ 327 yards.

The Cougars held Washington to 197 yards, only 102 on the ground. Washington tailback Napoleon Kaufman, who rushed 20 times for 66 yards, set a school all-purpose yardage record of 4,041 yards.

Washington scored on its first possession on Leon Neal’s seven-yard run to end a 67-yard drive. John Wales’ attempted point-after kick was tipped.

The Cougars answered on the next series with a 67-yard drive. Sparks scored on a one-yard plunge to make it 7-6 with 3:30 remaining in the first quarter.

Davis’s 49-yard pass play to Bryant Thomas and a 17-yard pass to Hicks set up Sparks’ second touchdown to complete a 79-yard drive with 3:26 to play in the second quarter.