WSU PRINT
PULLMAN – Washington State may need some time to recover from this one.
In a two-overtime game that spanned more than 4 hours, WSU topped San Jose State 54-52 Friday evening by securing a stop on the last play of the game, a 2-point conversion, keeping an unbeaten season alive with a blitz that jarred the ball loose from SJSU quarterback Emmett Brown.
The winning touchdown came from WSU running back Dylan Paine, who scored from 7 yards out in the second overtime . Cougars quarterback John Mateer added the necessary 2-point try, scrambling and sneaking in, capping a four-touchdown, two-interception game.
In one of the wildest games to unfold in college football this season, WSU kicker Dean Janikowski sent this game to overtime with a 52-yarder with no time left, putting his recent struggles behind him. That came moments after the Cougars looked destined to lose in regulation.
On fourth-and-long, Brown rolled out, scanned the field and rifled a pass to the end zone, where wide receiver Treyshun Hurry leapt and snagged it, taking the lead with 26 seconds to play. A hush of silence fell over Gesa Field.
On San Jose State’s first possession of overtime, Brown – a WSU transfer – tossed an interception to WSU cornerback Ethan O’Connor.
The Cougars had the momentum. They lost it moments later when Mateer threw his own pick, sending the game to a second OT.
In a seesaw affair, WSU (4-0) outscored SJSU 22-8 in the fourth quarter, erasing a two-touchdown deficit with a touchdown pass from Mateer to Josh Meredith and a short scoring rush from Paine. That followed the third quarter, a 21-0 SJSU romp, when the Spartans took a 38-24 lead .
WSU linebacker Kyle Thornton, a week removed from the game-sealing tackle in an Apple Cup victory for the Cougars, snagged the interception that set up the touchdown WSU used to tie the game.
The game changed late in the second quarter, shortly after Mateer found tight end Cooper Mathers for their second touchdown connection of the night. That put the Cougars up 21-10.
Moments later, the Spartans muffed the ensuing kickoff and the Cougars recovered, earning a chance to go up three scores with a few minutes before halftime.
Instead, WSU went three-and-out.
San Jose State followed with a 28-3 scoring run, with two touchdown passes by Brown, a 1-yard touchdown keeper by Brown and an 18-yard touchdown run by running back Floyd Chalk IV, who forced a pair of missed tackles on his way to the end zone.
Brown’s short touchdown rush was set up by a mistake on Mateer’s part. Dropping back in the pocket, he tried a pass that wasn’t there, throwing an interception that landed in the hands of linebacker Jordan Cobbs.
It was the third pick of the season for Mateer, who seldom had much time to throw. SJSU totaled three sacks and six quarterback hurries, abusing the Cougars’ offensive line, even with right tackle Fa’alili Fa’amoe back in the fold after missing the first three games of the season with an injury.
WSU got back in the game a few moments into the fourth quarter.
In six plays and 65 yards, the Cougars drove all the way down field, capping the drive with a touchdown pass from Mateer to receiver Kyle Williams, his first touchdown catch in two weeks.
Williams has been playing at about 70% health the past few weeks, WSU coach Jake Dickert said earlier in the week, indicating Williams is battling nagging injuries.
All game, WSU had trouble containing San Jose State’s passing attack, one of the best in the country. Brown, who started his career with his freshman season at WSU last fall, completed 35 of 54 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Nick Nash, who entered leading the country in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, added 16 catches for 152 yards and two scores.
The Cougs return to action next Saturday on the road against Boise State.