[hoopsguy]

100,089 on hand. There is a buzz in the air for this one.

Mahdavi converts a 3rd down with a 19 yard run.
Washington State runs a fake punt on 4th and 6 from their 46. No good. Wow, gutsy call early in the game.

RB Dwayne Baker gets the call (perhaps out of respect for his OT performance two weeks ago?) and gets 11 on his first carry.
Edwards completes a pass to Jackson, who is then leveled by ILB Ken Lenon. Fumble! WSU ball, as Lenon picks it up and advances it 17 yards.

3 and out, defense looks pretty good so far.

Dawson runs for 21 on his first carry.
Another fumble by a WR! This time it is Mike Voight. WSU recovers it at their 48.
This is starting to feel like the Oregon State game, although we are on the wrong side of the turnovers.

DT Jared Burford steamrolls through the offensive line and sacks Williams for a 10 yard loss.
3rd and 20 - incomplete. Holding on the defense. This is like a broken record over the last two years. J.R. Jackson is whistled.
DE Joe Banducci leaves the game with a foot injury. We were already short one defensive end, so this is a concern.
Williams and Odom connect for 23 yards on 3rd and 17. First completion of the day for Williams after an 0-4 start.
Another defensive holding call. I'm right on the verge of being thrown out of this game.
The defense finally gets off the field after stopping WSU at the 9. 27 yard field goal is good, 3-0, 4:40 left in the quarter.

We have had four runs, each for 10+ yards, after Dawson opens the drive with back-to-back first downs.
8 on the next touch for Dawson.
ILB Lenon makes another big play, registering a sack on Edwards to force a 3rd and 17 back at the 42.
Punt.

ILB Bryant Bruschi makes a big play for the defense. He penetrates and meets the ballcarrier, wrapping up and forcing a fumble. SS Taz Simms grabs the loose ball and runs it back to the 8 yard line.

Two carries for Dawson and we have our first score. 7-3, 0:08 left in the quarter.
Dawson has seven carries for 62 yards so far. He looks healthy today.

Williams is finding a groove on this drive. He starts with 3 straight completions, advancing the ball up near the 50.
Another defensive holding call on Jackson on a failed 3rd down. I'm going apeshit on the sidelines but somehow avoid being ejected.
Williams is in the zone. They have driven down to the 7, 68 yards and not one of them on the ground.
3rd and goal from the 7, the pass is completed for 5 yards but holding is called on the offense. Accept the penalty or decline, setting up 4th and goal from the 2?
We decline. Williams stays in and throws a TD pass to Odom. I hate this game at moments like that. 10-7, 10:10 left in the half.

DT C.J. Sawyer sacks Edwards on first down.
3 and out. Edwards is 3-7 for 35 yards right now.
Dogshit punt by Harry Dayne. 26 yards, returned for 17 yards to our 30.

Defense is rude to the Cougars. 3 plays, 4 yards.
44 yard field goal is good. 13-7, 6:56 left in the half.

Edwards refuses to throw the ball away on 2nd and 2, gets sacked to lose 9.
Punt.

One play drive for Washington State. Williams to Wilkerson, 61 yards. 20-7 and we are in trouble. 5:20 left in the half.

Nice play to start the drive. Edwards executes a screen pass to perfection, sucking in the defense before releasing it to Gannon Dawson. He goes for 61 yards, from 20 to 20 (OK , 19).
Another sack allowed - DT C.J. Sawyer rolls up Edwards.
Voight drops a pass on 3rd down.
Ellis misses a 44 yard field goal. Just disgusting.

Williams to Morris for 28 yards, into Bruin territory.
The home crowd is very anxious right now.
25 yards to TE Dale Harrison. Down at the 17.
15 more to Mahdavi, at the 2. Williams is carving us up.
Williams to Mahdavi for a TD. 27-7, 1:12 left to play.

Bowens gives us a spark with a return out to the 49.
QB John Rattay makes his first appearance and completes an 11 yard pass to Brewer.
10 more yards to Brewer, to the 30. Timeout. 0:34 to play in the half.
We complete a pair of short passes and SS Kevin Barnett makes sure there are no yards after the catch. Out of timeouts, looks like a 44 yard field goal attempt.
Ellis misses again. I hate him. We'll be looking for kickers again in the offseason.


Halftime Notes:
Offense lost confidence after the early turnovers. Edwards is 6-14 for 108 yards and it will be on him to try and rally us in this game.
HB Gannon Dawson has 136 of our 180 total yards. But down 20, I don't see him getting a ton of touches.
WSU hasn't established a ground game, but it doesn't matter.

RB Baker gets 17 yards to start the 2nd half.
Incomplete, incomplete, sack. Edwards looks like he is very rusty.

Williams just misses Wilkerson on a play that could have been the backbreaker. Punt.

Edwards finds Brewer on 3rd and 11, and they combine for 22.
Add on 45 more yards for Brewer, as he takes the ball down to the 8 yard line.
3rd and goal from the 3, screen to Dawson, who is tackled right at the goal line. Signal? Down at the 1/2 foot line. Wish we had replay.
And we call in Ellis for a field goal? Are they nuts? And it is blocked. Oh my god.

15 yard run for Mahdavi, who only had 20 on his first 10 carries.
Williams keeps on rolling: 21-31 for 281 yards and the numbers are climbing.
43 yard field goal attempt - short.
Offsides on UCLA, drive continues. And I have been ejected for the 2nd time in 3 years.
4th and goal from the 3. They kick this time. Good.
Motion penalty on offense. Now a 26 yarder is good. 30-7, 0:34 left in the quarter.

Brewer isn't going down meekly like the rest of the team. He again makes things happen after a catch and has himself a 42 yard reception after beating two defenders.
Back to back completions to Voight for 10 and 19 have us at the 4.
Voight dives for a 4 yard reception. Touchdown. And Voight also catches the 2 point attempt. 30-15, 13:43 left in the game.

3 and out for the Cougars.

14 yard pickup for the FB Hagood Morris, keyed by a Nick Moore block.
Moore is called for holding two plays later.
Edwards and Dawson again execute a screen pass for big rewards. 42 yards, down at the one. Edwards is now over 300 yards (16-27, 312). Both Dawson and Brewer are over 100 yards now.
Dawson loses 7 on the next carry. Ugh.
But Voight is open and Edwards finds him for the 2nd time today.
2 point conversion to Jackson. 30-23, 9:06 to play.

DT Jack Farmer lays out a WR on a dump off pass and knocks the ball loose. He then recovers the ball, diving on it at the 25!

A holding call removes a first down. 2nd and 15 from the 30.
Rattay comes in and fires it to TE Gene Fortunato for 17.
The WSU defense stuffs a pair of short passes inside the 10.
4th and 4 from the 8, 6:43 to play.
Ellis kicks a 25 yard field goal. But I have the feeling that WSU just escaped and that was our best chance to win the game (yes, I know we could only tie on that possession without going for 2). 30-26, 6:11 remains.

WSU comes out running, picking up 30 yards and a pair of first downs.
3rd and 9, Williams to Wilkerson for 15. Clutch play, we were just helpless to stop perfect execution at a key moment.
Another first down - we are running out of time and they are running out of yards before the end zone.
The drive ends at the 8, with WSU setting up for a field goal. Good. 33-26, 0:45 left. Over five minutes off the clock.

J.R. Jackson takes the kick in the end zone, but isn't going to kneel. He runs it out to the 33.
Edwards just misses an open Brewer on 2nd down.
On 4th and 10 Stablein wins a battle for position on a high, deep pass. 43 yard gain, 0:10 left and we are at the 24.
Final pass is incomplete. Tough game all around. Credit the Cougars for winning it, rather than us flat pissing it away as we have in several of our losses over the last few years.