Washington Huskies: ''Miracle By The Lake"

(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

The Washington Huskies scored 15 points in the last 3 minutes of Saturday Night's game with the Arizona Wildcats in which was a "Miracle by the Lake."

The Huskies took the lead on Mason Foster's big interception which bounced off an Arizona player's foot and was returned it for a 37 yard touchdown with 2:37 remaining in the fourth quarter to lift the Washington Huskies to a 36-33 victory in a thrilling Pac-10 Conference affair. 

"Before the play, I told Donald Butler let's do something crazy," Mason Foster said. "I felt like throughout the game I had missed opportunities," stated Foster. Foster led the Huskies on defense with a game high 11 tackles.

"It was just a weird bounce that went their way," said QB Nick Foles of the Arizona Wildcats. "It's a crazy thing. I don't know how to explain it. They got a lucky bounce."

The craziest thing about the Washington-Arizona game was the decision by Head Coach Steve Sarkisian not to go for the onside kick after Washington had closed the lead to 5 points, but the decision to kick the ball deep with only 2:38 remaining on the clock.

Washington had forced the Arizona Wildcats into 1 punting situation all game. Coach Sarkisian stated after the game, That the defense played a "bend but did not break" mode throughout the game and the coaches decision was to kick it deep.

The logic seems kind of risky since Arizona had outgained the Huskies 461-256, getting 26 first downs to Washington's 14, and holding the ball for 39:19—including 21:44 in the second half.  But the decision was the start of the "Miracle by the Lake."

Washinton forced Arizona to kick field goals on four drives that reached the 12-yard line or deeper, and another time stopped the Wildcats on fourth down at the 1. Arizona's inability to run the ball was their downfall as Arizona rushed for only for 77 yards.

"When you play hard and do things right, you catch breaks," Head Coach Steve Sarkisian said. "That's how breaks occur—when the other team makes mistakes, you are there to capitalize on them; you are not out of position. That's what showed up in this game."

Afterward, when asked the importance of the win, Steve Sarkisian mentioned staying in the hunt for the Pac-10 title and the Rose Bowl, completely embracing the "Expect to Win" mantra he has sold to his players.

The Washington football players were happy with the win-miracle or not.

What a difference a week makes on close calls.

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