But momentum was on WSU’s side and when the defense forced Arizona into a fourth- and-14 situation, the historic seventh win seemed to be assured. But the Cougars were called for pass interference giving Arizona new life.
Once again, the WSU defense forced Arizona into another decisive fourth down situation, but, once again, the defense could not put the Wildcats away. However, in this case, instead of allowing a first down, the Cougars gave up a touchdown when Jenkins connected with Rodney Williams on a six-yard pass play that pulled Arizona within one at 35-34.
Most of those in the crowd sitting in the fading daylight of Martin Stadium undoubtedly figured Arizona would kick the extra point sending the game into a second overtime.
But there was not going to be a second overtime. Arizona decided to go for two, and the win.
“From an offensive standpoint you have no control over whether or not they are going to make this two-point conversion,” said Jackson, who had six catches for 76 yards.
Jenkins took the snap and rolled right; immediately tight end Brandon Manumaleuna ran to the back of the end zone, uncovered.
“At the time I thought we had it covered,” Price said. “Then I saw the film and they probably could have thrown it and won.”
“There wasn’t anybody within 15 yards of that guy,” Bill Doba said. “He (Jenkins) could have thrown it over his head backwards and completed the pass but he chose to run.”
Right into Duane Stewart and LeJuan Gibbons.
“Open field tackling is not an easy thing,” Stewart explained. “I just wanted to grab him. As soon as I get my hands on him he’s wasn’t going anywhere.
“When I made the tackle I thought, ‘You’re down,’” Stewart added. “All of sudden he just threw the ball and I thought, ‘What did he just do?’”
What Jenkins did was purposely fumble the ball into the end zone. Though there was a frantic scramble going on for it, unless Jenkins was at the bottom of the pile with the ball, Arizona would lose. The rule was that Jenkins, as the player who fumbled, was the only Arizona player who could legally recover it.
And, besides, Jenkins wasn’t in the end zone, he was sitting at the 3-yard line next to Stewart. While the free-for-all was taking place in the end zone, Stewart and Jenkins were exchanging pleasantries.
“I said to him, “That was smart, but it didn’t work,” Stewart recalled.
“Jenkins tried to roll out and do it himself,” Jackson said, “but the defense stepped up and that kept our season going.”
The Cougars left Martin Stadium, or maybe escaped, with a 35-34 win, thus securing a spot in the exclusive club of 7-0 and the realization to not take an opponent for granted, and what they were accomplishing was something special.
“As a team, especially when you are not used to winning, it is nice to at least get a good punch in the face a couple of times to wake you up and bring you back to reality,” Stewart said. “That’s basically what happened.”
“We had taken the philosophy of a game-by-game, week-by-week thing,” Leaf said. “It was a matter how can we dominate or how can we do what we have to do to win this next ballgame. Coach kept instilling that.
“We didn’t really realize where we were at until all of a sudden we win in overtime against Arizona and we are 7-0,” Leaf added.
There was one other item that the coaches and players took away from the game.
With the outcome of the game just minutes old, Levenseller made his way to the Fieldhouse to enjoy the traditional post game festivities.
“I was coming out to the Fieldhouse,” Levenseller remembered, “and the first six or seven people who saw me, stopped and said, ‘Nice win, but what is with your receivers today?’ It was one of those deals. I’m thinking we are 7-0 for the first time in 67 years; we just won an overtime game and these people aren’t happy with me right now.
“That’s when I knew we arrived.”
