“We had to go predominately pass,” Leaf said of the effects of losing the services of Black. “It turned us into a one-dimensional football team and definitely changed the football game.”
Black’s loss crippled a rushing attack that averaged 157.7 yards a game during the regular season. In the Rose Bowl, WSU managed 67 yards rushing, a season low.
But the Cougars’ were in front 7-0 and took that lead to the end of the quarter, which ended with Michigan in the midst of its first substantial drive of the day, but that was stymied at the second quarter’s beginning, and the Wolverines were forced to punt.
Inheriting the ball on their own 23, Leaf and the Cougar offense were on the move once again.
On a third-and-four from the Michigan 49, Leaf completed a pass to Jackson, who sprinted up the right sideline for a 35-yard gain.
Only 14 yards separated the Cougars from a 14-0 lead over the nation’s No. 1 ranked team; and the double-digit advantage almost became reality when, on the ensuing play, Leaf floated a pass that just went over the outstretched arms of Shawn McWashington between the “Washington” and “State” in the back of the crimson and gray end zone.
On second down, Black’s replacement, DeJuan Gilmore, ran for two yards setting the Cougars up with a third-and-eight situation at the Michigan 12.
In what would be a pivotal play in the game, Leaf rolled left, and under pressure, floated a wobblier that was intended for McKenzie, the recipient of Leaf’s first quarter touchdown pass.
This pass, however, never reached McKenzie. It was intercepted by Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, and an opportunity for WSU to take a double-digit lead had evaporated.
“We missed Shawn on the back end zone, Ryan had him; it just went off his extended hands,” Levenseller said. “Two plays later, Woodson had the pick and that was probably the swing. It would have been 14-0 and we would have had the momentum.”
“The play took too long to execute,” Mike Price said of the interception. “It was a little thing that we didn’t do. If we scored we would have had control.”
Michigan could not take advantage of the turnover going three-and-out; however, the WSU offense was forced into a three-and-out as well, and the Wolverines took the ball over on their own 34-yard line with 8:04 left.
On first down, Griese took a shot deep to Tai Streets. The pass was overthrown, but cornerback Ray Jackson was called for pass interference. The penalty was 15 yards and the play served as a precursor for what was to come two plays later.
After a Woodson run resulted in a two-yard loss, Griese once again took a chance deep to Streets, this time down the right sidelines. On this instance, the pair connected, and the 53-yard touchdown pass with the resulting extra point tied the game at seven with 7:08 left in the quarter.
That would be the score at the break as the first half ended as it began, with each team trading possessions.
“I thought we for the most part played with them,” Jackson said. “I think they were more concerned than we were with the five receivers; coming from the Pac-10. With the Big Ten, they had never seen four or five receivers. They’re used to dominant running, downhill running between the tackles and that wasn’t what we were.
“We turned them from a big, physical team to more of a finesse team,” Jackson added, “but that benefited them in the long run right after Michael Black went out and we were passing more and not able to run the ball and keep them honest. For the first half we kept them under wraps. We had the one interception that I think really killed us. It took the wind out of our sail.”
At the half way mark of the game, WSU tied with the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, but the loss of their starting running back, and the missed scoring opportunity would weigh on the Cougars in the second half.
