Cougars stagger to unglamorous victory, ending a long drought in Corvallis

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Let's be clear about this: Ugly doesn't equal inconsequential. Unseemly doesn't equate to insignificant.

Keep that in mind if you're struggling to come to grips with Washington State's unsettling 13-6 victory here Saturday over Oregon State.

As the buses warmed up outside Gill Coliseum and the crimson faithful milled around the Cougars, linebacker Scott Davis might have been the happiest guy in the 541 area code.

"Oh, I think it's a huge win to beat 'em," said Davis. "We're on top of the world right now."

Davis and his defensive teammates can be excused if they'd like to push the offense over the edge of it. The combined 19 points were the fewest scored in the series since 1975, when Dee Andros' last Oregon State team beat WSU 7-0. After that game, a Portland sportswriter ran into Cougars coach Jim Sweeney in nearby Albany and Sweeney — also in his final season at WSU — looked stricken.

"I just lost to the worst football team in the country," Sweeney moaned.

If Oregon State hadn't had so many futile seasons since then, I'd be tempted to say this Beavers team might rival that one. For a team with a lot of veteran offense returning, it was shockingly inept Saturday, all but blowing black smoke as it belched for 287 yards against WSU's improved defense.

The Cougars were only slightly more capable than Oregon State on offense, their firepower drained by injuries to tight end Cody Boyd and receiver Jason Hill.

The line, patched capably through some recent injuries, was generally abysmal, allowing five sacks and getting flagged for holding a couple of times. Even in getting his first win on this turf, Alex Brink often looked shaky at quarterback. With bullets flying incessantly at them, the backs didn't seem to run especially hard.

"Our defense really held it together and won the game for us," said offensive tackle Charles Harris.

Only when the Cougars went downfield in PlayStation fashion in the third quarter did they put up the game's only touchdown. Twenty-five yards to Hill on the sideline. Twenty-eight to Brandon Gibson, same sideline. Twenty-nine more to Hill over the middle for the touch.

For a minute there, it made you forget that this is still a team that can't seem to score down close if it was driving a Hummer with a gun turret on top. Twice the Cougars had first-and-goal at the 3 and they netted three points. Another time, Brink threw his only interception from the Oregon State 15.

It was almost as though the WSU offense was trying to make the Beavers feel better about the cacophony around them lately.

That's the point that shouldn't get lost beneath the serial offensive comedy on both sides. This felt a lot like a make-or-break game for each program.

The Cougars (4-2, 2-1) are going on three years since they've had a winning season. Lose this one, and they're in effect behind in that chase to six wins and bowl eligibility. And remember, they're trying to gather some momentum to mount a stadium renovation like Oregon State's.

Meanwhile, the Beavers (2-3, 0-2) wore ruts in the turf here this week, circling the wagons. Coach Mike Riley is under major fire, mega-donor Al Reser told the Oregonian this week that the direction of the program was "unacceptable," and OSU itself is trying to scrounge funds for the final part of its stadium makeover.

So the Cougars got what looked like the Beavers' last, best shot.

"Sometimes that can be tougher on us coming in," said Robb Akey, the WSU defensive coordinator. "If they feel their backs are against the wall, you can get a hell of an effort from somebody."

And they did. But WSU responded in kind on defense, and on Oregon State's final series, the Cougars were the Cougars of Ron Childs and Mark Fields and Erik Coleman, bringing merciless heat to Matt Moore. Davis sacked him twice in that stretch, and whacked him hard just as he threw incomplete.

"It feels so good when you're coming free and it's just you and the quarterback," said Davis. "That's what you dream about."

There was a moment in the first half that seemed to describe the day. As Oregon State's Alexis Serna booted a field goal, referee Jack Folliard blew the play dead, flagging WSU 5 yards for "disconcerting signals."

This was a day when the Cougars sent out a lot of those. But even if they forgot the way to the end zone, they knew where the win column was.

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com