Huskies Go for Win and Lose, 21-20

Washington State, a team of great promise and few results this year, ended a frustrating season with a 21-20 upset of cross-state rival Washington at Seattle Saturday when the Huskies passed up the opportunity to tie the game and went for a two-point conversion.

The favored Huskies scored on a 50-yard touchdown pass play from Chris Chandler to Lonzell Hill with 2:25 left, but a two-point conversion pass from Chandler to Hill sailed out of the end zone.

Said Washington Coach Don James: “If we would have scored earlier in the game, we would have gone for the tie and tried to stop them and get the ball back.”

Chandler said he was 100% behind James’ decision to go for two points.

“We could have tied it, but we’re not the kind of team to be satisfied with a tie, especially against the Cougars,” Chandler said.

The Huskies (6-5 and 5-3) got their seventh straight bowl invitation after the loss and will face Tennessee or Colorado on Dec. 30 in the Freedom Bowl at Anaheim.

Cougar quarterback Mark Rypien passed for three touchdowns, and Rueben Mayes rushed for 167 yards in 29 carries as the Cougars wound up 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the Pac-10.

“People almost saw today what has been happening to us all year,” said Washington State Coach Jim Walden, “and that is getting into position to win, then not coming through. But today we were lucky we had enough cushion to win.”