Cougars' losing streak reaches 6

PULLMAN — The Cougars found a new way to lose Saturday as they took tying points off the scoreboard then failed to score again.

The result was a 27-24 Arizona State victory that will be the grist for second-guessing as long as Washington State fields a football team.

Here's what happened:

The Cougars took a tie off the board with 6 minutes, 11 seconds to play after ASU was flagged for offside on Loren Langley's successful 25-yard field goal that tied the game 27-27. After a timeout, the Cougars accepted what was a 4-yard penalty to set up fourth-and-1 on the ASU 4.

They then ran a pitch right with Jerome Harrison carrying the ball, and it was stuffed for a 1-yard loss by ASU's Dale Robinson and Jamar Williams.

"I took points off the board," said WSU coach Bill Doba. "I had confidence in our offense. ... I thought sure we could make it."

Doba said one factor in his decision was that the wind favored ASU in the final quarter and a Sun Devils field goal could have won the game.

Senior tight end Troy Bienemann said Doba "apologized after the game for taking points off the board."

Center Nick Mihlhauser said, "The defense caught us. They had an overload to that side. Maybe we could have checked out [changed the call at the line of scrimmage] or called timeout."

However, quarterback Alex Brink said the defense wasn't that stacked because one defender moved as if Brink were going to try a quarterback sneak. Brink said that even if the defense is overloaded, "we should be able to make it."

Harrison blamed himself, saying, "I should have been able to get half a yard [the official distance was 1 yard]."

But Harrison had a stellar day with 240 yards on 38 carries and two touchdowns. He tied the Pac-10 record for consecutive 100-yard rushing games with 12.

ASU coach Dirk Koetter said he had no doubt that the Cougars would take points off the board and go for the first down.

"The way they were running the ball, I think we would have probably done the same thing if the shoe had been on the other foot. That was a huge, huge defensive play."

The Cougars still had a chance.

Arizona State punted and the Cougars advanced the ball to the 23-yard line. But on third down Brink was sacked for a 12-yard loss by DeWayne Hollyfield. Loren Langley then attempted a 52-yard field goal and it was wide left with 3:18 to play. Earlier in the final quarter, his 50-yard attempt hit the left upright.

The Cougars looked like they would get one more chance to score when a screen pass to Derek Hagan on third down was stopped for a 1-yard loss, setting up what would have been fourth-and-6. However, defensive tackle Aaron Johnson was flagged for a facemask penalty that gave ASU a first down with 2:15 to play, and the Sun Devils ran out the clock.

The loss was WSU's sixth straight and eliminated the Cougars (3-6, 0-6) from any chance of going to a bowl game. ASU improved to 5-4, 3-3.

The loss also raises the spectre of the 1998 season, which saw the Cougars win their first three games then lose the last eight.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 31,054 that watched the teams combine for 1,054 yards of total offense, was a comeback effort for the Cougars. They trailed 24-7 in the second quarter and 27-10 early in the third quarter.

The Cougars outscored the Sun Devils 14-3 in the third quarter on a 7-yard run by Harrison and a 49-yard pass from Brink to Jason Hill to close to 27-24 going into the fourth quarter.

The comeback almost started late in the second quarter. The Cougars were threatening to score and advanced to the ASU 17, but Brink's pass to Trandon Harvey was thrown into double coverage and was intercepted by R.J. Oliver.

The Cougars had played sloppily in the first half and on ASU's touchdown drive in the second quarter, freshman linebacker Greg Trent was penalized for a late hit and Matt Mullenix and Scott Davis were called for roughing the passer. Also on the drive, safety Eric Frampton dropped an interception.

When the game was over and the Cougars' dream of a bowl game was crushed, defensive end Adam Braidwood said dejectedly, "We've found a way to lose a game every week."

Craig Smith: 206-464-8279 or csmith@seattletimes.com