PULLMAN, Wash. — Mike Leach looked around and in an instant the mob was already closing in, heading for midfield and encircling the Washington State coach.
After a season of failing to meet expectations and negative attention, the Cougars finally got the kind of celebration they expected to be common when Leach was hired a year ago.
“I was kind of amazed how quick all those fans got out there on the field," Leach said. “Sometimes it takes them a little while. It didn’t take them very long."
Andrew Furney kicked a 27-yard field goal on Washington State’s first possession of overtime, and the Cougars overcame an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun rival Washington 31-28 in the Apple Cup on Friday, snapping an eight-game losing streak.
It was the largest comeback ever in the 105 meetings between the schools and a bright moment in an otherwise dark season on the Palouse. Leach was supposed to take Washington State to a bowl game because that was all he ever did at Texas Tech. The Cougars were going to be the talk of the Pac-12 because of their high-flying passing game, bringing excitement back to a program with little of that for much of the past decade.
Instead, the Cougars wallowed through eight straight losses, some competitive, some embarrassing, coupled with off-field issues that included claims of abuse by coaches from former star wide receiver Marquess Wilson.
In the early evening darkness, as Martin Stadium was blanketed with crimson and gray fans and school president Elson Floyd on a podium at midfield addressed the crowd with the Apple Cup trophy back in hand, none of that mattered.
“We kicked the Huskies out of the place," Floyd screamed over the speaker system.
Washington State played with intensity and a chip. They especially wanted to give injured defensive end Travis Long a chance to hold the Apple Cup trophy after he missed Friday’s game, the first game missed in his entire college career.
Long limped out on crutches before the game to be honored with the rest of the seniors. He concluded his last game at Washington State holding the trophy in the locker room.
In a rivalry known for unpredictability, the 2012 version will rank among the tops in Apple Cup lore. Washington led 28-10 after Bishop Sankey’s second touchdown run late in the third quarter, but the Huskies wilted under self-inflicted turnovers and penalties coming back in favor of the Cougars.
Washington (7-5, 5-4) had a chance to win on the final play of regulation, but Travis Coons’ 35-yard field goal attempt was wide right after a bad snap.
Then on the first play of overtime, Washington quarterback Keith Price threw an interception that defensive lineman Kalafitoni Pole nearly returned for a game-ending touchdown, only to be caught at the 5.
The Cougars (3-9, 1-8 Pac-12) took possession and, after picking up a first down on a throw from Jeff Tuel to Brett Bartolone, Furney kicked a 27-yard field goal, leading to a crush of crimson and gray fans storming.
It was Washington State’s first win over its rival since 2008.
“We were supposed to win this game. It just came together and the way it came together, it was meant to be," Furney said.
The Cougars were the opposite of their trends for most of the season. They jumped ahead for the first time in nearly a month and led 10-7 at halftime, their first lead at the break since blowing a late lead to Colorado in September.
Then came a series of third-quarter mistakes by the Cougars that led to 21 points by the Huskies. Price hit Cody Bruns on a 15-yard touchdown and Sankey’s two TD runs gave Washington what seemed an insurmountable lead.
The Cougars responded.
Carl Winston ran for three touchdowns for Washington State, matching the Cougars’ entire season total of touchdowns rushing entering Friday’s game. His third TD with 7:26 left, combined with Tuel’s 2-point conversion pass to Bartolone pulled the Cougars within 28-25.
Washington was forced to punt with 5:25 left after Price was forced to throw it away on third down. Tuel hit Gino Simone for 18 yards, his first catch of the game, to get into Washington territory and later a 9-yard reception to get inside the Huskies 30. The Cougars stalled after missing on third-and-1, but Furney connected on a 45-yard field goal to pull the Cougars even at 28-28 with 1:59 left.
The Huskies immediately marched deep into Washington State’s end and faced a third-and-1 at the Cougars’ 15 when they were flagged for the 18th time for a false start, tying the school record for most penalties in a game. Sankey was stopped short on third down and Washington coach Steve Sarkisian called timeout with 5 seconds left and sent Coons’ to win it.
But the snap was low, the timing was off and Coons kick never had a chance. With it went the Huskies shot at their first eight-win season since 2001.
Also on Friday:
No. 8 LSU 20
Arkansas 13
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Jarvis Landry made a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch and LSU kept its BCS hopes alive with a win over Arkansas. Zach Mettenberger passed for 217 yards and hooked up with Landry for the play of the day with 1:12 left in the first half to put LSU up 10-0 on a 22-yard TD pass. The Tigers (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) reached double-digit wins for the sixth time in eight seasons under coach Les Miles.
No. 17 Nebraska 13
Iowa 7
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Rex Burkhead scored the go-ahead touchdown in his return from a knee injury and Nebraska secured a spot in the Big Ten title game. The Huskers (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten) will face off against Wisconsin next Saturday in Indianapolis. Alonzo Whaley’s interception with 2:11 left sealed the victory for Nebraska.
No. 23 Kent State 28
Ohio 6
KENT, Ohio — C.J. Malauulu returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown — 12 seconds after another Kent State TD — and the Golden Flashes completed a perfect season in the Mid-American Conference with their 10th straight win. The regular-season finale was a tuneup for Kent State (11-1, 8-0 MAC), which will meet No. 24 Northern Illinois in next week’s MAC championship.
No. 24 Northern Illinois 49
E. Michigan 7
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Jordan Lynch ran for 107 yards and Akeem Daniels scored a career-best four touchdowns as Northern Illinois won its 11th straight game. Daniels scored on runs of 25 and 20 yards in the first half and finished with a career-high 112 yards on 12 carries to help the Huskies (11-1, 8-0) cap a perfect run through the Mid-American Conference.
Utah 42
Colorado 35
BOULDER, Colo. — Reggie Dunn responded to Marques Mosley’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with one of his own 13 seconds later, and Utah used five takeaways to outlast Colorado. The Utes (5-7, 3-6 Pac-12) doubled their season total with four interceptions of Nick Hirschman, and Dunn extended his NCAA record with his fifth career 100-yard kickoff return — and his fourth this season.
Arizona State 41
Arizona 34
TUCSON, Ariz. — Marion Grice ran for 156 yards and three touchdowns, and Arizona State added another chapter to what’s become a wild rivalry by scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter to beat Arizona. Trailing 27-17 after Arizona scored 18 points in the third quarter, the Sun Devils (7-5, 5-4 Pac-12) fought back, turning two turnovers and a blocked punt into three touchdowns.
