Huskies go stagnant, fall to Beavers on late field goal

By Mike Vorel / The Seattle Times

CORVALLIS, Ore. — UW football fans were subjected to a re-run on Saturday night.

For better or for worse.

In a 27-24 loss at Oregon State, Washington’s offense soared, then stagnated — again. This time, the Huskies opened with a convincing touchdown drive (just as they did against Montana). Quarterback Dylan Morris completed all four of his passes, the last of which went for a 44-yard score to senior wide receiver Terrell Bynum.

The Huskies proceeded to produce, in order: a three-and-out, a lost fumble, a three-and-out, an interception, a three-and out, a field goal, a three-and-out and a punt. Their once promising offense fell flat (just as it did against Cal).

The game was decided by a few inches. With the game tied at 24 and just over three minutes left, the Huskies failed to convert a fourth-and-one Morris sneak, which gave the Beavs the ball back at midfield.

The rest felt inevitable. The Beavers marched down field with five-straight rushes to the 11 yard-line as the Huskies helplessly watched the clock dwindle, before Everett Hayes connected on the game-winning 24-yard field goal as time expired.

UW’s nine-game winning streak over Oregon State was snapped as they fell to fourth place in the Pac-12 North, while the Beavers rose to first.

But not all UW deja vu was negative. From the wildcat formation, sixth-year senior running back Sean McGrew scored — again, and again. Early in the fourth quarter, he took a direct snap, busted through a hole and tip-toed along the sideline to tie the game at 17-17 with a 39-yard score.

Then Faatui Tuitele made an impact — again. The redshirt freshman defensive lineman produced a strip-sack for the second time in his last three games, dragging down Oregon State quarterback Chance Nolan and dislodging the ball. Sam “Taki” Taimani recovered and rumbled to the Beav 6-yard line. On the next play, McGrew took yet another wildcat snap and scored from six yards out … thanks, in part, to 330-pound right guard Henry Bainivalu, who carried him across the line.

But, to continue the theme, UW’s run defense wore down — again. Trailing 24-17, Beav running back B.J. Baylor bounded through a hole for a game-tying 27-yard score.

Oregon State barely bothered to attempt a pass (same as Michigan), with quarterback Chance Nolan completing just seven of 15 passes for 48 yards with an Asa Turner interception. The Huskies struggled to contain a running quarterback (just as they did against Cal), and Jack Colletto thundered around the right edge for a game-tying 3-yard score early in the second quarter.

After flashing early, Morris surrendered an untimely interception — again. Trailing 14-7 midway through the second quarter, the redshirt freshman was pressured into delivering a pass right to linebacker Avery Roberts at the Beav 42-yard line, snuffing out an otherwise promising drive. It was Morris’ sixth interception in just five games this season. He completed 17 of 26 passes for 142 yards with a touchdown and an interception on the night.

For long stretches, wildcat aside, UW struggled to establish a running game — again. The early exception was a 12-play, 68-yard drive at the end of the first half that included 55 rushing yards from sixth-year senior Kamari Pleasant. And even then, the Huskies stalled at the 2-yard line, when Morris threw wide of Bynum on third-and-goal and UW settled for a 20-yard Peyton Henry field goal.

UW’s defense failed to provide pressure — again. The Husky outside linebackers managed just two total sacks in their first four games, and they didn’t fare much better against Oregon State. UW outside linebackers were credited with a single sack … which occurred when Nolan accidentally stepped out of bounds.

Oh, and speaking of familiar failures: remember when Husky long snapper Jaden Green sailed a snap over the head of punter Race Porter in last season’s installment against Oregon State? The pair nearly produced a similar feat on Saturday, as Porter dropped a snap in the second quarter … only to gather it, sidestep Beav defenders and produce a miraculous punt that was downed on the Oregon State 12-yard line.