Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to re-read my post from 2013 entitled "Couging It." A post, describing with awe and wonder, the miraculous ability of the Washington State Cougars to lose games that they have in the bag.
Times change and teams evolve. So we thought. The Cougars, after their 2013 debacle, became a more predictably good team. They seemed to have an excellent chance of winning the Pac-12 title this year. As of this time, yesterday, they were 3-0, and ranked No. 19 nationally.
They had a late night game scheduled, a home game against hapless 0-3 UCLA. They went into the game 18½-point favorites. Part way through the third quarter, they had pulled to a 49-17 point lead.
And then the hex went into effect. By the end of the third quarter, the Bruins had cut the Cougars' lead to 49-38. It got worse. Down four points with possession of the ball and about a minute left to play, the WSU quarterback -- who otherwise played an excellent game -- fumbled the ball while in the process of being sacked. UCLA won 67-63.
According to Cougar Coach Mike Leach, "Our guys got frantic and panicked. We collapsed in every phase of the game." Yeah, well that's the hex. That's not normal. That's couging it.
The Cougs dropped out of the Top 25. UCLA, at 1-3, didn't receive even a single vote, despite their "amazing" comeback. Well, it would be "amazing" if you weren't playing against the team that has spawned a term that describes the supernatural ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
"Couging it."
Nice game, Cougs. It was fascinating enough to keep me watching until its stunning conclusion at 11:30 p.m. (on the West Coast).
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