39. 9/06/08 – Last second Win over Huskies: #16 BYU - 28, Washington - 27

             The #16 BYU Cougars (1-0) traveled to Seattle to play the Washington Huskies (0-1), hoping to earn their first win on the Huskies’ home turf. Overall, Washington held a 4-2 advantage over BYU in a series that dated back to 1985.

In their opening possession, the Cougars drove to the Washington 38. On third-and-14, QB Max Hall rolled right and spotted WR Austin Collie heading for the end zone. Max zipped a 38-yard TD pass to Collie for the first score of the game. Midway through the first quarter, Washington marched 66 yards, scoring when QB Jake Locker tucked the ball and scrambled 14 yards to the front-left corner of the end zone, knotting the score at 7-7 after one quarter of play.

Early in the second quarter, Washington started the scoring. After methodically moving up the field for 31 yards in six plays, Washington busted out the big play on a 48-yard TD reception from Locker to Jermaine Kearse. The Cougars responded, initiating a 14-play drive that covered 71 yards. On third-and-goal Hall scrambled right and tossed a short pass to TE Andrew George in the back of the end zone, tying the game. Although Hall was intercepted  trying to make something happen with just under one minute remaining in the half, Washington couldn’t take advantage, and both teams headed to the locker room, locked in a 14-14 stalemate.

Washington got the ball to start the third quarter. They slowly worked their way down the field in a 13-play, 65-yard drive that burned almost 7 1/2 minutes off the clock before Luke Kravitz dove into the end zone from a yard out, putting Washington back on top. The Cougars responded with a 63-yard drive capped by an 11-yard TD rush by Fui Vakapuna, who barreled his way through a couple of defenders to reach pay dirt. After three quarters of play, the score was again tied up at 21-21.

As the fourth quarter dawned, the Cougars embarked on a long 97-yard drive. Unfortunately, all the hard-fought ground they’d gained went for naught when they fumbled the ball at the goal line and Washington recovered it in the end zone for a touch-back. Fortunately, the Huskies couldn’t capitalize and had to punt again. The Cougars rebounded from their gut-wrenching failure by starting yet another long drive. With 3 1/2 minutes remaining, Hall fired the ball to TE Dennis Pitta, who hung onto the ball, despite a hard hit in the back, for a 15-yard TD strike. Sticking to the plot, Washington methodically worked their way down the field. With the clock ticking down toward triple zero, Locker scrambled left, breaking a tackle and diving into the end zone on the keeper, apparently sending the game to OT. However, in the emotional celebration that followed, Locker was flagged for excessive celebrating, moving the PAT attempt back 15 yards. With 0:02 remaining, the Cougars blitzed the kicker and DL Jan Jorgensen managed to block the extra point attempt, allowing BYU to escape by the barest of margins - 28-27.

Jan Jorgensen
Courtesy of BYU Photo

Max Hall
Courtesy of BYU Photo

Dennis Pitta
Courtesy of BYU Photo

Max Hall passed for 338 yards, and TE Dennis Pitta led the receivers with 148 yards receiving. The last second win didn’t impress pollsters, and BYU dropped two spots in the next AP poll. The Cougars however rode the wave of the big win to a 6-0 start that would move them as high as #9 in the AP poll, and allow them to accomplish the rare feat of staying in the Top 25 all season.

 Game link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQCjxFnCrGc

 

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