First-year coach Dave Kragthorpe brought his undermanned, 2-4 Oregon State Beavers to meet the 4-2 Washington Huskies & coach Don James. The Beavers had been shutout in their last 2 games against Southern Cal & Washington State by a combined score of 97-0 as well as losing to Division II Grambling 27-6. The 38-point underdog Beavers started a freshman at quarterback, Rich Gonzales, after QB Eric Wilhelm had been injured while All-Pac 10 WR Reggie Bynum also missed the game due to injury. The Oregon State defense intercepted Huskies’ QB Hugh Millen 3 times before the Beavers blocked a Washington punt & recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown with less than two minutes to play to claim The Belt with a stunning 21-20 upset over Washington. The Huskies took the lead in the 1st quarter when PK Jeff Jaeger hit a 28-yard field goal but the Beavers responded with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Gonzales to RB Darvin Malone giving Oregon State a 7-3 lead through the 1st quarter. Washington took the lead again when RB Vince Weathersby scored on a 2-yard touchdown run but the Beavers again responded with a 20-yard touchdown run by Gonzales giving Oregon State a 14-10 halftime lead. The Huskies got the lead back in the 3rd quarter when RB Tony Covington scored on a 14-yard touchdown run & early in the 4th quarter, Jaeger hit a 43-yard field goal giving Washington a 20-14 lead. It looked like Oregon State had missed their chance to win the game after they drove from their 19-yard line to the Washington 11-yard line but Gonzales’ 4th down pass was knocked down by Washington’s CB Demouy Williams with 3:22 left in the game. The Huskies moved to their own 30-yard line but had to punt when fate stepped in for the Beavers. Oregon State’s DE Andre Todd broke through the Washington line untouched to block the punt from Huskies’ P Thane Cleland. The ball bounced all the way to the end zone & the Beavers’ CB Lavance Northington recovered the ball for the touchdown with 1:46 to play. The extra-point kick by PK Jim Nielsen gave the Beavers the lead at 21-20. Washington’s final effort ended when Millen was held for no gain on a 4th & 1 play at midfield with 1:15 to play. ESPN ranked this game as the 19th biggest upset in college football history. Gonzales finished with 298 yards passing with a touchdown as well as a rushing score. Millen threw for 191 yards but was intercepted 3 times in the loss. The Huskies finished the season 7-5 while the Beavers finished 3-8. Washington would play for The Belt again in 1990.
Pickin' Splinters
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