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Washington LB Pulls a Desean Jackson, Drops Ball Short of Goal Line Costing Team a Sure TD

This was one for the blooper reel.
Patrick Andres|
Washington LB Pulls a Desean Jackson, Drops Ball Short of Goal Line Costing Team a Sure TD
Washington LB Pulls a Desean Jackson, Drops Ball Short of Goal Line Costing Team a Sure TD

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Washington HuskiesUtah Utes

Washington had a chance to put Utah firmly in its rearview mirror.

The No. 5 Huskies led the No. 18 Utes 33–28 Saturday with 30 seconds left in the third quarter. Washington linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala snagged an interception and seemed headed for paydirt. This was it—the moment the Huskies would pull away from one of the Pac-12's peskiest outfits...

...until Tuputala dropped the ball at the goal line. Not only did he drop the ball early, Tuputala dropped it well short of the goal line, and Utah offensive lineman Michael Mokofisi jumped on it to hand possession back to the Utes.

It proved a costly mistake even after Utah running back Ja'Quinden Jackson was down in his own end zone for a safety.

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The play called to mind similar plays in the past, including one involving the Utes: wide receiver Kaelin Clay's mind-bending drop during Utah's 51-27 loss to Oregon in 2014. Many have also likened it to Desean Jackson’s 2008 gaffe as a member of the Eagles in a 2008 loss to the Cowboys.

Regardless of how Washington's season turns out, poor Tuputala appears destined for YouTube infamy.

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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

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