Recap and highlights: Late field goal lifts Oregon State over No. 25 Washington State 41-38
CORVALLIS — Buddah Al-Uqdah bent his knees and reached out his arms, wearing a huge smile in the Oregon State end zone. That’s where he had just taken an interception for a touchdown, giving No. 25 Washington State the lead in Saturday’s fourth quarter, and he had to take a moment to celebrate.
So the Cougars’ standout linebacker did his best Spider-Man impression, pretending to shoot webs out of his palms. His teammates crowded around him, bathing in the moment. Their defense had languished much of this one. This was their finest moment of the game.
But WSU’s defense couldn’t make it count, not in a 41-38 loss to Oregon State, which got a 55-yard field goal from Everett Hayes with 20 seconds left. The Cougs got the ball back with that much time to spare, but without any timeouts, their desperation attempt to tie the game fell short.
That sequence was set up when the game swung in the biggest way with less than two minutes to play. That’s when WSU quarterback John Mateer lasered a pass over the middle to senior receiver Kyle Williams, who was stripped of the ball on his way down, and Oregon State recovered. That gave the Beavers the ball at midfield with a shade under two minutes to play, a golden opportunity to go win the game, and they cashed in.
It’s the second straight loss for the Cougars (8-3), who dropped a game last weekend to New Mexico. This is a different type of setback, to OSU, which had lost five straight coming into this game. The Beavers’ 41 points are their most all season.
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Late in the fourth stanza, the Beavers punctuated a 16-play, 8:34-drive with a short touchdown pass from Ben Gulbranson to Darrius Clemons, who dove to the turf to make the catch. That knotted the game at 38-all with 2 minutes, 45 seconds to play.
Al-Uqdah’s interception came moments after WSU tied the game. That was thanks to a short touchdown rush from quarterback Mateer, who surged in from short yardage, helping snap WSU out of the type of second-half drought that has followed the Cougs around all season. For the game, he totaled 75 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
It all added up to a back-and-forth affair at Reser Stadium, where WSU’s defense shared a big chunk of blame for Oregon State’s 21-point half, taking a 21-17 lead into the halftime break. It was the Beavers’ highest scoring first half all season, and to that point, they had tallied more points in the first half than their previous three games combined.
The Cougars’ defense made the Beavers’ offense look like anything but the depleted unit it is. Their starting quarterback was Gulbranson, who completed 22 of 32 passes for 292 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and backup Gabarri Johnson added five carries for 11 yards and one touchdown, which came in the first quarter.
The mistakes were plentiful. In the first frame, WSU couldn’t bring down the mobile Johnson, missing a pair of tackles on a 15-yard touchdown rush. OSU set up its shorter scoring plays, a one-yard plunge from running back Salahadin Allah in the second quarter and a one-yard surge from Gulbranson in the second, with big plays. In the second quarter, the Beavers converted a third-and-long with a 17-yard pass, and later in the frame, Gulbranson completed two passes of 20-plus yards.
But WSU’s offense had an answer nearly every time. The Cougs tied the game in the first quarter with a 28-yard pass from quarterback John Mateer to Carlos Hernandez. Later in the second quarter, after kicker Dean Janikowski salvaged a drive with a 33-yard field goal, Mateer found his way into the end zone on a short QB keeper.
But the Cougs’ highlight of the game — maybe of the season — came courtesy of senior receiver Kyle Williams. It arrived in the third quarter, when Mateer completed a quick out to Williams, who freed himself with one juke and took it 57 yards to the end zone, ripping an imaginary chainsaw to celebrate. It’s his third straight game scoring, and it was his seventh touchdown in three games.
Washington State’s regular-season finale is Nov. 30 at home against Wyoming.
First quarter
15:00 – WSU 0, OSU 0: Beavers win the toss and defer to the second half. Mateer and the Cougars offense will take the field first.
14:30 – WSU 0, OSU 0: Mateer stumbles in the backfield and is upended on a third-and-1 attempt. Cougars backed up by unsportsmanlike conduct on the play. Beavers take over at their 45 after a punt.
7:05 – OSU 7, WSU 0: Johnson comes in at QB and keeps a speed option to the left, he breaks a couple tackles and sprints into the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. Beavers start with an 11-play, 55-yard drive, that included a fourth down conversion.
Poor start for the WSU defense, which allowed eight carries for 44 yards and Gulbranson to complete all three of his pass attempts.
4:19 – OSU 7, WSU 7: Cougars answer right back with a quick scoring drive, capped with a 28-yard touchdown from Mateer to Hernandez.
Mateer is 4 of 5 for 59 yards. Parker has made an impact on the ground with three carries for 20 yards.
0:35 – OSU 7, WSU 7: Big stop for the WSU defense, which stuffs Hankerson on fourth-and-1. Cougars take over near midfield.
Second quarter
13:31 – WSU 10, OSU 7: Mateer having a harder time running against this Oregon State defense than previous Mountain West opponents. He’s stopped for a loss on third down and Cougars settle for a field goal, a 33-yarder from Janikowski.
Mateer is 6 of 7 for 95 yards passing, but has lost one yard on three carries.
7:06 – OSU 14, WSU 10: Tough drive by the Beavers, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Allah.
Beavers, who were shut out last week, have touchdowns on two of their first three possessions. Gulbranson has completed 8 of 8 attempts for 98 yards. Johnson has relieved him at QB for run plays, where he’s taken four carries for 36 yards.
2:00 – OSU 14, WSU 10: Cougars driving at the two-minute timeout, have the ball at the OSU 25, looking to retake the lead before halftime.
1:04 – WSU 17, OSU 14: Mateer takes a QB power to the short side of the field for a 3-yard touchdown. That’s a 13-play, 75-yard drive for the Cougars, who leave little time for the Beavers before halftime.
An unsportsmanlike penalty by WSU will backup the kickoff, however.
0:13 – OSU 21, WSU 17: Brutal half for the WSU defense ends in allowing a 1-yard touchdown run on a QB sneak by Gulbranson. Beavers go 61 yards in 44 seconds.
Halftime
Oregon State had its most successful offensive half of the season to lead Washington State 21-17 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis.
The Beavers totaled 241 yards, 153 passing from Gulbranson, who did not have an incompletion. That resulted in OSU scoring more points in two quarters than it did in the previous three games combined.
WSU’s offense has done its part, with two touchdowns and a field goal on four possessions.
The Beavers will receive the second half kickoff.
Third quarter
11:29 – OSU 24, WSU 17: Cougars finally get a stop, but not before the Beavers drive into field goal range for a 46-yarder from Hayes. OSU comes out of the locker room with a nine-play, 46-yard drive and points.
Cougars can tie it up on their next possession.
9:57 – OSU 24, WSU 24: Mateer hits Williams for a 57-yard touchdown to tie it back up. Cougars strike back in just 1 minute, 32 seconds.
Mateer has completed 13 of 15 attempts for 199 yards and two TDs, keeping the Cougars in it.
7:53 – OSU 24, WSU 24: Huge play for the WSU defense, as O’Connor intercepts Gulbranson near midfield.
Gulbranson now with four incompletions in the second half, after going perfect in the first.
6:12 – OSU 24, WSU 24: Cougars can’t capitalize on the great field possession and go three-and-out. OSU starts at its 9.
1:41 – OSU 31, WSU 24: Beavers retake the lead on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Gulbranson to Terry II, who shakes off a pass interference and powers through a tackle into the end zone.
Cougars have now allowed 401 total yards.
Fourth quarter
12:04 – OSU 31, WSU 31: Mateer run in for a 4-yard touchdown on his fifth straight carry of the drive. WSU’s QB doing everything to win this game, he has 221 yards passing with two touchdowns and 64 yards rushing with two more touchdowns.
11:09 – WSU 38, OSU 31: Al-Uqdah makes the play of the game for the WSU defense, he picks off Gulbranson and runs it back for a 29-yard touchdown.
Can’t be understated how big that is for the Cougars defense, after a lackluster performance today.
2:45 – OSU 38, WSU 38: Clemons catches a 4-yard touchdown from Gulbranson to tie the game for the Beavers. Immense drive from OSU, which goes 75 yards in 16 plays.
Mateer and the Cougars will have plenty of time to work with on a potential game-winning drive.
1:49 – OSU 38, WSU 38: Williams fumbles while fighting for extra yardage and the Beavers recover. OSU will now have a chance to win at the WSU 48.
0:54 – OSU 38, WSU 38: Gulbranson completes a pass for a first down on fourth-and-6, the Beavers are in field goal range and look to be setting up for a go-ahead kick.
0:20 – OSU 41, WSU 38: Hayes drills a 55-yarder to give the Beavers the lead. Cougars are going to need something special now, no timeouts left.
0:00 – OSU 41, WSU 38: Cougars pass the ball around and it eventually goes down for a fumble recovered by OSU. Beavers win it and the fans rush the field.
Pregame
There will only be one Pac-12 team with a winning record in conference play this season.
That will be decided today, when No. 25 Washington State (8-2) travels to Reser Stadium in Corvallis to take on Oregon State (4-6), the only two official members of the Pac-12. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. on KSKN (CW Network).
The conference is set to grow in the coming years, but today’s game will be the only between Pac-12 opponent this season. The Cougars and Beavers will play twice next year, as the teams filled their slates without a Mountain West scheduling agreement.
WSU is coming off a 38-35 loss at New Mexico that ended any hope of the Cougars making the College Football Playoff. The Cougs still have bowl positioning to play for.
Meanwhile, OSU has lost five straight and hit a new low last week with a 28-0 loss to Air Force – one of the worst teams in the Mountain West.
Series history
Washington State holds a 57-48-3 all-time series lead over Oregon State and has dominated the last decade with nine wins in the last 10 meetings. WSU won last season 38-35 in Pullman.
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