Huskies Breakdown

Herald Staff

$ Turning point

With Washington down 24-16, 8:30 left in the game, UW cornerback Omare Lowe intercepted a Kyle Boller pass and returned it to the Cal 31. The pick set up a TD pass from Marques Tuiasosopo to tight end Jerramy Stevens that cut the Cal lead to 24-22 with 6:49 left. The turn of events sent the crowd rocking Husky Stadium and filled Cal with doubts.

Hitoftheday

Cal cornerback Chidi Iwuoma collided with UW tailback Rich Alexis in the third quarter, knocking Alexis back and preventing a first down.

Craziest play

In the fourth quarter, the Huskies, down 24-22, went for a 2-point conversion. Tuiasosopo hit Braxton Cleman for an apparent successful conversion to tie. But there were three, count ‘em, THREE penalties: Cal had too many players on the field and was also whistled for a facemask penalty. The Huskies were caught holding. On the replay, Tuiasosopo missed on a pass to wideout Justin Robbins in the end zone.

Bestandworst

Worst penalty: The Huskies were called for roughing the kicker in the first quarter, giving the Bears the ball on the UW 30. Three plays later, Cal scored its first TD and led 7-0.

Worst penalty II: In the third quarter, Cal was on its on 22 on third-and-10. Boller threw incomplete, but Lowe was called for holding and the Bears picked up a first down.

Best run: Bears tailback Joe Igber broke two tackles at the line of scrimmage and didn’t stop until he gained 40 yards to the UW 16 in the third quarter. Two plays later, Boller scored from 15 yards out to give the Bears a 24-13 advantage.

Biggest break: Tuiasosopo lost a fumble on a promising second-quarter drive, but Cal was called for offside, and Washington kept the ball, first-and-10, on the Bears 30.

Biggest break II: On third-and-22, Cal safety Dewey Hale intercepted a Tuiasosopo pass, but Cal was called for 1) pass interference; and 2) holding, and the Huskies got an automatic first down on the Bears 29.

Biggest waste of a break: On the next play, the Huskies were called for unsportsmanlike conduct, which put Washington back on the 44.

Best cameo appearance: On the play after THAT, third-string tailback Willie Hurst caught a 23-yard pass to the Bears 21. Five plays later, John Anderson hit a 21-yard field goal to cut the Cal lead to 14-13.

Longest short drive: In the third quarter, the Huskies took 13 plays to go 37 yards for Anderson’s aforementioned 21-yard field goal.

Biggest waste of a drive: Anderson missed a 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, wasting a drive that started on the Husky 30 that lasted 11 plays and nearly five minutes.

Biggest waste of a turnover: After forcing Boller to lose a fumble on his own 12 in the fourth quarter, the Huskies sputtered, a “drive” that included a holding penalty, and they had to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Anderson to cut the Cal lead to 24-16.

Best clutch play: On third-and-24 from the Cal 44, Tuiasosopo scrambled and finally found Paul Arnold for a 28-yard pass completion to the Bears 16 in the first quarter.

Best catch: Cal wideout Chase Lyman, a true freshman, made a gorgeous over-the-shoulder catch in the second quarter on a fade route for 34 yards to the Bears 47.

Ugliest fourth-down play: On fourth-and-3, Boller lobbed one to Derek Swafford. The ball bounced twice before Swafford was done running his pattern.

Ugliest option play: Alexis had a pitch bounce off his chest, but Tuiasosopo recovered the ball for a 3-yard gain to the Cal 34.

Worst fumble: Igber lost one on his own 17-yard line with 6:31 left in the game. On the next play, Alexis scored the go-ahead touchdown, giving the Huskies a 24-22 lead.

Best kickoff return: UW returner Derrick Johnson took the second-half kickoff 56 yards to the Cal 41-yard line.

Closest measurement: Alexis made a first down on fourth-and-10 by an inch in the third quarter.

Best tale to tell the grandkids: Washington walk-on Owen Biddle blocked a punt late in the game by pro-in-the-making Nick Harris. Not only did Biddle block it, he returned the ball 27 yards to the Bears 9-yard line. Two plays later, Todd Elstrom caught a 7-yard TD pass to put the Huskies up, 36-24.

Quotesoftheday

“You could see them come apart at the seams.” UW tight end Jerramy Stevens.

“I don’t think we panicked. Those three turnovers were not panic turnovers. They started gaining huge momentum and we just lost it.” Cal coach Tom Holmoe.

“I don’t know how many of these I can take.” UW coach Rick Neuheisel.

“The whole state of Washington is kind of a curse on us.” Cal punter Nick Harris.

“It gives me a stomach ache knowing we were so close.” Cal tight end Keala Keanaaina.

Compiled by John Sleeper

Herald Writer