The Cougs rallied from 14 points down in the 4th quarter to stun the visiting San Jose Spartans in double overtime 54-52.
WAZZU was coming off a huge win in the Apple Cup last Saturday and were hoping to go 4-0 against the Spartans on Family Weekend in the Palouse. The Cougs were facing last year’s third string quarterback Emmett Brown who transferred to San Jose State in the off-season.
The Cougs came out firing early, scoring on long touchdown drives on their first 3 possessions using quarterback John Mateer’s legs and arm. The Cougar defense gave up 17 points including a 66-yard touchdown run in the first half, but the Cougs held a 24-17 at half.
In the second half, the Spartans put together 2 scoring drives. Brown connected with receiver Nick Nash for a 43-yard completion that led to a touchdown, then Mateer threw an interception on the next possession to San Jose’s Jordan Cobbs that gave the Spartans a 31-24 lead. To start the 4th quarter, Brown connected with Nick Nash for a 19-yard touchdown play to put San Jose State up 38-24. Half the Cougar faithful exited the stadium at that point, and the Cougs needed to mount a rally.
Mateer quickly answered with a 2-play, 65-yard drive ending in a Kyle Williams touchdown catch from 14 yards out to pull the Cougs within 7. Crowd was back in the game, and Mateer connected with Josh Meredith from 36 yards out to pull the Cougars within one after a shanked extra point by Dean Janokowski. Kyle Thornton intercepted Brown’s pass on the ensuing possession and Mateer linked up with Merideth again from 31-yards out to set up the 1-yard TD run by Dylan Paine to give the Cougs a 43-38 lead after the failed conversion attempt.
The Spartans had one last chance on 4th down from the 20, and with 26 seconds remaining, Brown found TreyShun Hurry to essentially put the game away barring a miracle. The remaining Coug fans stayed in the stands for the Cougs last chance attempt. Mateer made a completion to Kyle Williams for 32-yards and an 8-yard run to give Dean Janokowski a chance at a 52-yard game tying field goal. Janokowski’s attempt split the uprights and the game went to overtime. In the extra session Emmett Brown’s pass was intercepted by WSU’s Ethan O’Connor. That was followed up two plays later by a Mateer interception. The Cougs converted the touchdown and 2-point conversion in the second overtime. Spartans followed that up with a touchdown of their own, and it was down to a 2-point conversion to tie the game. Brown fumbled the ball thanks to a surge of crimson and gray, and the Cougs escaped a near huge upset at the hands of the Spartans.
John Mateer was responsible for five touchdowns, four passing, one on the ground, with two interceptions and led the Cougar offense to 627 yards of total offense. This marks the first time in over 100 years that WSU has been 4-0 in consecutive seasons. The Cougs travel to Boise State on Saturday to face the 25th ranked Broncos.
