BERKELEY, CALIF. – Tyrone Willingham will be on the sideline for the final time.

Steve Sarkisian will be in Pasadena, Calif.

The Apple Cup will be two weeks in the rearview mirror.

And where the Washington Huskies’ minds will be is anyone’s guess.

Washington and California belatedly end their regular seasons today at Memorial Stadium in what has become almost an afterthought of a football game for a lot of folks with other things on their minds.

One of those is Willingham, who said he will do his best to treat this game like any other.

“I think the focus will still be the same: Let’s find a way to win the football game,” he said. “Obviously, you’d like for all your seniors to participate – that’s something big to have them have a chance to finish out. But the No. 1 thing will be find a way to win the football game. ... There will be no real sentimental conversation surrounding my last ballgame or anything of that nature.”

Even without that, his players are aware of what’s going on.

“I don’t think it’s really hit everyone yet that he’s leaving,” redshirt freshman cornerback Quinton Richardson said early this week. “I really do appreciate him, though. He’s the one that gave me my scholarship and got me here, and I really do appreciate it and I’m going to miss him. He is the head coach, and he was there for us when we needed him.”

Several players said they would like to send Willingham and this senior class off with a win.

And they’d all like a win for themselves, too.

The Huskies are 0-11, and this is their final chance to avoid going into the record books as the first winless team in modern UW history, and the first 0-12 team in the history of the Pacific-10 Conference.

No one goes into a season hoping to finish 1-11, but it’s the highest goal still available to these Huskies.

“It would make a big difference for me because it would be my first college win,” said Jermaine Kearse, a freshman from Lakes High School. “It would be a good motivation for me to get that first college win this year and then carry it on to next year.”

All indications are that the Huskies will play their next season under Sarkisian, now USC’s offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach. The hire still hasn’t been officially announced, and Sarkisian will be with the Trojans today when they meet rival UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

Even before Sarkisian’s selection was reported Thursday, the Huskies understood that film of this final game will be studied carefully by whatever coach will be in charge when the team regroups for spring practice.

“A lot of guys see it as motivation – you want to go harder and give it the extra 10 percent,” Richardson said. “I look at it both ways. I sort of go hard no matter what in a game. But at the same time, I know that the new coach is coming in, I’ve got to audition to keep my position and things like that.”

One other wild card for this game is its timing.

Washington wanted to create some bye weeks in its 12-game season, and one of the ways that was achieved was moving this game to the end of the regular season: two weeks after California’s win over Stanford in the annual Big Game, and two weeks after the Huskies’ overtime loss to Washington State.

That was Washington’s 13th consecutive defeat in a string dating to Nov. 17, 2007, when Washington beat Cal, 37-23.

Coach Jeff Tedford has reminded his team of that game, and also of his expectation that these Huskies will want to get that zero out of their win column for Willingham and probably a majority of the assistant coaches.

“They’re always prepared to play,” Tedford said. “And I know that Tyrone is a strong competitor and he has a lot of pride, and he’s going to have the kids ready to come in here for their last game of the season, his last game. So, I’m sure it will be very emotional, I’m sure they’ll be ready to play. Tyrone has always had his teams prepared.”

Don Ruiz: 253-597-8808

blogs.thenewstribune.com/uwsports

HUSKIES FOOTBALL GAMEDAY

WASHINGTON (0-11, 0-8 PAC-10) AT CALIFORNIA (7-4, 5-3)

Kickoff: Noon, Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, Calif.

Television: FSN. Radio: 950-AM.

The series: Washington leads, 47-37-4. Cal has won five of the past six, but UW won last season at Husky Stadium, 37-23. The Golden Bears have won the past two in Berkeley.

What to watch: Both schools played their rivalry game two weeks ago and then took a week off, so the level of intensity – or lack of it – could determine how the game unfolds. ... Cal uses a 3-4 base defense to take advantage of its linebacker strength. ... Freshman Willie Griffin will start at tailback for UW, backed up by Terrance Dailey. Sophomore Brandon Johnson, who rushed for 121 yards vs. Cal last season, was left home for disciplinary reasons. ... UW coach Tyrone Willingham has said he won’t indulge any personal emotions about his final game, but many eyes will be on him.

What’s at stake: Washington is trying to avoid the first winless season in the school’s modern football history. The Huskies also are trying to end a 13-game losing streak, which is the longest in school history and longest current streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. ... Many Huskies said they would like to send Willingham and the senior class out with a win. ... Seventeen Cal seniors will be playing their final home game. ... The Bears are likely bound for the Emerald Bowl regardless of their result today.

TNT pick: Cal, 42-10. Score could be far better or worse depending how ready to play either team is.

Prime numbers

WASHINGTON

8Ronnie Fouch (QB), 6-1/203, Fr.

California native gets eighth start as a redshirt freshman.

21Willie Griffin (TB), 5-8/198, Fr.

Team’s fourth-leading rusher gets his third career start.

23Mesphin Forrester (CB), 6-2/202, Sr.

Only defensive starter ineligible to return next season.

40Mason Foster (LB), 6-1/229, So.

Second in Pac-10 and 58th nationally with 8.36 tackles per game.

58Juan Garcia (C), 6-3/305, Sr.

Sixth-year senior finally plays final game as a Husky.

CALIFORNIA

4Jahvid Best (TB), 5-10/193, So.

Leads Cal in rushing and receptions and Pac-10 in all-purpose yards.

5Syd’Quan Thompson (CB), 5-9/184, Jr.

Has four of Cal’s Pac-10-leading 21 interceptions.

7Anthony Felder (LB), 6-3/235, Sr.

Former Seattle/O’Dea star leads his team with 80 tackles

13Kevin Riley (QB), 6-2/224, So.

Gets ninth start today, but shares time with Nate Longshore.

56Zach Follett (LB), 6-1/238, Sr.

Second in Pac-10 with 17 tackles for loss, fourth with 7.5 sacks.

Don Ruiz, The News Tribune