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SEATTLE - It wasn't the dominating win that the final statististics say it could have been, and it was settled ultimately by a questionable call that led to another game-winning block of a kick.
But this isn't one the BYU Cougars are going to take out of their creel and toss back into nearby Lake Washington, either.
In front of a rollicking crowd of 64,611 - including nearly 10,000 or so who were decked out in BYU blue - and a national cable television audience, the Cougars held off Washington 28-27. The win came in the closing seconds, when defensive end Jan Jorgenen blocked a potential tying PAT try with 2 seconds remaining at Husky Stadium.
"Maybe now it means we don't have to hear that crap about not being able to win on the road early in the season," said Jorgensen, flecks of Fieldturf still sprinkled about his face and brow. "We came in with a hostile crowd and with hostile referees, and we were able to pull it out and show we are a team that is going to fight all day long."
The Cougars (2-0) were penalized almost twice as much as the Huskies (0-2), and for more than twice as many yards. But in the pivotal moment of the contest, a flag on Washington quarterback Jake Locker for celebration after a 3-yard touchdown run, a call went BYU's way.
Backed 15 yards to what amounted to a 35-yarder, Washington kicker Ryan Perkins heard that double-thud sound that can only mean one thing, setting off a wild BYU celebration that was also flagged, but didn't matter.
Whether the kick would have been blocked from normal range will be debated forever, and even Jorgensen wasn't willing to say: "No idea."
In a statement after the game, Pac-10 referee Larry Farina said there was no choice.
"The player threw the ball into the air, and we are required, by rule, to assess a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty," he said. "It is a celebration rule that we are required to call. It was not a judgement call."
And so ended another excruciating contest against a Pac-10 foe for the 15th-ranked Cougars, now 4-3 against the league in the Mendenhall era. In last year's Las Vegas Bowl, the Cougars blocked a chip-shot field goal to beat UCLA 17-16 in the last seconds.
"It was the exact same block we used against UCLA," Mendenhall said. "I don't know where everybody went. I just said, 'rush.' "
While the rest of the staff wore khakis, the head coach wore the same dark blue rain pants he wore in the last two Vegas bowls.
"I hesitate to tell you [why he wore them on a clear, sunny day]," he said before divulging the reason. "I am sure I am going to regret saying that."
While Locker's ball toss and the blocked kick made all the highlight shows Saturday night, lost in the outcome was the fact that the Cougars almost gave away a game they took control of in the second half.
Leading 21-21, they drove from their own 3 to the Washington 6 to start the fourth quarter. But on second-and-goal, Harvey Unga lost the ball while trying to steamroll Nate Williams near the goal line, and the Huskies recovered the ball for a touchback.
With the crowd at a fever pitch, the Cougars stopped Locker three times near midfield (a run and two incomplete passes) and took over at their 16 after a punt. From there, Max Hall directed an eight-play drive that culminated with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta. Mitch Payne added the extra point, which turned out to be the game-winner.
Washington wasn't finished, however. After three straight incomplete passes - one was dropped, two were badly overthrown - Locker ran 13 yards on fourth-and-10 with 1:47 remaining. His 3-yard touchdown run came 11 plays later, and after he had sprinted 15 yards to the Cougar 3.
"Locker is a stud, and he's hard to bring down," Jorgensen said. "I can't say enough about that kid. We would take him on our team any day - not to replace Max, but at any other position."
For now, though, the Cougars will take their 2-0 start into this week's game against UCLA. And they're not giving this one back.
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