Washington State Completes Epic Fourth-Quarter Comeback To Win Triple-OT Thriller
In the latest chapter of Pac 12 After Dark, Washington State and Boise State played a triple-overtime classic. The Cougars completed a 21-point comeback that began in the fourth quarter and outlasted the Broncos, 47-44.
While the final result appears notable enough, it's even more nutty when looking back at the sequence of plays that led up to three overtimes.
Rewind to the start of the fourth quarter, when Boise State entered with a 17-10 lead. Things started rolling the Broncos' way in an four-minute span, jumpstarted by quarterback Cedrick Wilson, who connected on a 47-yard touchdown pass to Montell Cozart to extend the lead to 24-10. Minutes later, WSU quarterback Luke Falk fumbled the ball while going down on a sack, allowing Curtis Weaver to scoop and score on a 55-yard return. Things only got weirder from here.
Cougars backup quarterback Tyler Hilinski entered the game in place of Falk, who banged his head sharply against the ground on the fumble touchdown. Hilinski had already entered the game for Falk once before in the third quarter, but was removed after his only drive ended in an interception. He turned his fortunes when it mattered most though, marching the Cougars down the field in an eight-play drive that culminated in a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jamire Calvin. That drew Washington State within 14 points of Boise State. The Broncos' ensuing drive went awry when quarter MontellCozart uncorked a pass that Washington State's Peyton Pelluer got his hands on. Pelluer streaked 36 yards toward the end zone to complete the pick six, inching the Cougars within one touchdown of Boise State.
With less than three minutes remaining, the Broncos completely muffed a punt. The ball clipped the back a Boise State player and allowed Washington State to start their eventual game-tying drive from the 26-yard line. Sure enough, Hilinski led his second scoring drive of the fourth quarter to tie the game, somehow, at 31.
The two teams swapped field goals in the first overtime and touchdowns in the second before the Cougars created permanent distance on the scoreboard. Boise State settled for a field goal on their third-overtime drive. Washington State managed, once again led by Hilinski, ended the game in two plays during their turn in the third OT.
Jamal Morrow leapt into the front corner of the end zone to complete a 22-yard touchdown play and cap off one of the craziest games of this young season.
