Washington State Football: 3 things we learned from Boise State win

After what seemed like an eternity, the Washington State football team came back from a 21-point deficit to remain undefeated. Here’s what we learned.

Wow, what a game. After trailing by 21 points deep into the second half, and having lost their starting quarterback Luke Falk to a brutal strip sack midway through the second half, Mike Leach’s Washington State squad rallied behind the arm of sophomore quarterback Tyler Hilinski.

While the Cougars are typically known for their high-powered offense, it was the team’s big-play defense, led by junior lineman Hercules Mala’afa, that really catapulted the Cougars into overtime with their two defensive touchdowns.

And that spark was all it took to set off a comeback for the ages.

Leach’s air raid offense came alive in the closing minutes of the game, and scored three additional touchdowns by the end of overtime, sparked by the team’s basically nonexistent running game.

After only earning 14 rushing yards in regulation, the Cougars’ three-headed monster came alive in overtime, and ultimately lead Leach’s offense to a 47-44 victory.

Now the owners of a 2-0 record, Washington State remains firmly in the running for the Pac-12 North, and could see its Sept. 29 game against USC become a benchmark game for the fate of the entire division.

After taking over a program that was more or less in disarray, this season could be Mike Leach’s best chance yet to finally deliver the Cougars to the College Football Playoff, and the team’s Week 2 victory over Boise State should help keep this dream alive.

Here are three things we learned in Washington State’s late-night Boise State victory.