Pac-12 After Dark lives on: WSU survives in double overtime, 54-52

Cougs win one of the most bizarre college football games in recent memory.

For all those Pac-12 after dark junkies, you got what you wanted. Absolute, utter madness. Staying up late on a Friday night to watch some of the most bizarre football you’ve ever seen to further your love for college football. I envy you.

As for Washington State Cougar fans, yet another reason for the heart aches and gray hairs.

After trailing by as much as 14 entering the final quarter, WSU (4-0) put together their largest rally since their last double overtime game in 2017 against the Boise State Broncos with back-to-back touchdowns to take the lead with under five minutes to play. Only one issue. They had missed the extra point to tie the game on their first touchdown and missed the two-point conversion that would have put them up by seven, instead, making the lead five.

Former Coug, QB Emmett Brown, put together a masterclass of a drive in the final minutes, throwing a touchdown on 4th down to put the Spartans ahead with 26 seconds remaining to seemingly give the game to the San Jose State Spartans.

Enter John Mateer.

Despite some struggles and inconsistencies early, Mateer conducted his own clutch drive with a 32-yard pass to Kyle Williams and an eight-yard keeper to set up Dean Janikowski with the ultimate redemption kick.

From 52-yards out, after shanking an extra-point that set WSU up in this position, absolutely drilled it to send the game to overtime.

As the win probability roller-coaster finally seemed to have evened out, Brown finally made his first mistake of the game, throwing an interception to Ethan O’Connor that now spiked WSU’s win probability through the roof.

All the Cougs had to do now was sit on the ball and score in any fashion and they were escaping as miraculous winners. But, Pac-12 after dark never dies. On 2nd down, Mateer tried to hit a pass into a tight window near the goal-line but instead threw an interception to the Spartans to send the game to double to overtime.

Getting the ball first in double overtime, Dylan Paine took three carries for a total of 25 yards with the finale being a seven-yard carry into the endzone. WSU converted the two-point try to put the pressure back on the Spartans.

SJSU answered quick with a touchdown to Nick Nash to setup the pinnacle two-point try. Under pressure, Brown rolled backwards and was stripped of the ball back Quinn Roff. As the ball rolled backwards, Khalil Laufau jumped on it to end the game as the students streamed on to the field, celebrating a 54-52 survival.

This game was never easy for WSU. Though Mateer gave WSU the early lead with a QB keeper to cap off a long drive putting WSU up 7-0, the Spartans answered quickly by gashing WSU for a 66-yard tone setting rushing touchdown from Floyd Chalk.

After a Spartan field goal to give SJSU a 10-7 lead entering the second quarter, the Cougs responded with back-to-back touchdown drives ending in Cooper Mathers touchdowns to take a 21-10 lead and seemingly take full control of a game they were projected to win by two touchdowns.

WSU further submitted their stranglehold on this game by forcing and recovering a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that set them up to take at least a 14 point lead into half. Despite being forced a yard backwards, WSU decided to get dicey and try a fake field goal, having Janikowski take a flip from the holder, Mateer, to the outside. Janikowski would only get five of the 11 yards needed, turning the ball over to SJSU.

The Spartans took advantage with a quick touchdown drive to pull within four. With 1:40 remaining, WSU put together a quick drive that eventually stalled out at the SJSU 19-yard line, leading to a Janikowski 36-yard field goal to put WSU up 24-17 at half.

To open the second half, the Spartans delivered a sucker punch that almost knocked WSU out entirely. Back-to-back-to-back touchdown drives dominated the third quarter and emptied Martin Stadium at GESA Field of all energy, filling it instead with doubts of nightmares past.

The second touchdown the Spartans scored in that stretch just so happened to be a speed option from a yard out. Brown celebrated scoring the touchdown by pulling out the University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward celebration.

Mateer helped put some of those doubts at ease with a 36-yard keeper to create the spark WSU had been searching all 15 minutes of the third quarter for. WSU completed the drive as the game rolled into the fourth quarter with a touchdown pass to Williams to pull within a touchdown.

After trading punts, the Spartans nearly polished off a back-breaking drive, getting the ball all the way to the WSU 35 to set up a 4th and 1. Brown tried to keep the ball and run outside but was met by redshirt junior David Gusta for a one-yard loss and a turnover on downs with 7:34 to play.

Mateer completed three of four passes culminating in a 36-yard catch and run to Josh Meredith for a touchdown to pull WSU within a point.

On the game-tying extra-point, Janikowski pushed the attempt wide left to keep the Spartans in front.

Ahead by a point, Brown tried to lead a game icing drive, but instead threw an interception right into the hands of last weeks hero Kyle Thornton.

After a quick strike to Meredith that nearly put WSU in the end zone, Paine finished off the drive with his first touchdown.

Despite forcing a crucial punt that set the Cougs up in a position to finish off the game in regulation, they couldn’t get the 10 yards needed that would have sealed the deal.

This led to the Brown go-ahead drive and eventual Janikowski redemption field goal to send the game to overtime.

It wasn’t pretty, but when is it ever? For years, WSU had won and lost games in this fashion. 2015 vs Stanford, 2017 vs Boise State, 2019 vs Oregon State, 2022 vs Idaho, etc. You may try and kill the Pac-12, you will never kill the Pac-12 After Dark magic. This would be a much different conversation had WSU lost this game.

Up next is a tough Boise State Bronco team in a game that carries a lot of postseason hopes for both sides.