Cougars better, but not good enough

PULLMAN – For once, some things went right for the Washington State Cougars.

They jumped in front, the first time they’ve led in a Pac-10 game all season. They made a few big plays. They put together a couple of long drives.

And yet it wasn’t nearly enough.

“We want to win a Pac-10 game, that’s our biggest goal,” said senior Brandon Gibson, on the cusp of becoming the most productive wide receiver in school history.

“It’s frustrating to lose, you know?”

The frustration the Cougars felt after their seventh consecutive conference football loss – 59-28 to a now-bowl-bound Arizona (6-3, 4-2 Pac-10) team before 24,118 in a soggy Martin Stadium – was born in how well they played.

And, seemingly for the first time in weeks, in how they played.

“We played a lot harder today,” co-defensive coordinator Chris Ball said. “We hurt ourselves with stupid penalties and we didn’t tackle very well. We’re still not quite executing. We’re getting close. But the fact we played hard was a key thing.”

“I think passion was a big thing,” Cougars head coach Paul Wulff said, trying to explain the difference between Saturday’s 32-point loss and the others in their 1-9 season.

A passion ignited, in large part, by Romeo Pellum’s first career interception.

On the third play of the game, WSU quarterback Kevin Lopina tried to force a ball to Gibson and UA linebacker Ronnie Palmer made a sliding interception at the Cougars’ 29-yard line.

It was the type of play that, for the past few weeks, seemed to have decimated the Cougars.

But Pellum wouldn’t let it.

On second down he jumped in front of Delashaun Dean at the 12 and snagged Willia Tuitama’s pass, then weaved his way 32 yards to near midfield.

“It was a sudden change,” Pellum said, referring back to Lopina’s pick. “When there’s a sudden change, you’re always looking for the big play, knowing they’re going to take a shot downfield. … I was right in position and finally, I made a play.”

That play gave the Cougars hope.

“That sparked us,” Gibson said. “We were able to get the fans in it after that. … It was amazing the play he made, jumping up and grabbing that ball. We’re looking for our defense to make more plays.”

The Cougars scored on the ensuing possession, with Lopina using his feet to get a big first down in the red zone and then tossing an option pitch to Dwight Tardy two plays later for an 18-yard score.

It was the first time WSU had led in a conference game all year.

The Cougars stayed tied into the second quarter – another Pac-10 first – as Lopina finished a three-play drive with a 4-yard sprint around right end to tie the game at 14.

But the big play on the drive was a 42-yard sweep around right end by redshirt freshman Logwon Mitz, the Cougars’ longest run of the season.

But over the next 20 minutes, the only holes that appeared came courtesy of the Arizona offensive line.

The group, which averages 313 pounds a man, plowed through a Cougars front depleted by injuries. The final tally: 317 yards rushing, including 189 by Nic Grigsby, the sophomore who had 186 yards against WSU last season.

Tuitama, the senior who is second in the conference in passing efficiency, was nearly perfect after the early interception, finishing 11 of 15 for 214 yards.

His favorite target was tight end Rob Gronkowski, who caught four balls, including a 43-yard tight-rope act down the right sideline for Arizona’s second score.

Woodard nearly matched that, getting open down the middle for a 42-yard, third-quarter reception, putting WSU at the Arizona 4. Two plays later Mitz scored, snapping the Wildcats’ string of 28 unanswered points.

The Wildcats answered with a field goal, but WSU scored again, thanks in large part to Mike Thomas’ muffed punt, which Greg Trent recovered.

Lopina did the honors, finishing the 28-yard drive with four runs, the first of which converted a fourth-and-1 at the 19-yard line.