Washington might want to burn the recording of this play — even if it won the game 35-28.
With 30 seconds left in the third quarter on Saturday afternoon, Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes was picked off by Huskies linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala after the ball was tipped.
Tuputala had a wide-open path to the end zone for an easy score — but started his celebration early and cost his team an easy touchdown.
As the junior was ready to go into the end zone, he dropped the ball at around the one-yard or two-yard line, and he continued on into the painted area without even realizing his grave mistake.
To make matters worse, two of his teammates — Dominique Hampton and Elijah Jackson — sprinted past the ball and started celebrating with Tuputala in the end zone.
On the other side, though, Utes guard Michael Mokofisi realized the blunder and rumbled toward the ball and fell on it before Washington defensive back Jabbar Muhammad could come behind and make a play on the ball.
While the play went to official review, it was clear the ball was indeed fumbled before the end zone when the pylon cam showed a side angle of the play.
It was similar to a play from 2008 when then-Eagles star receiver DeSean Jackson reeled in a deep ball but flung the ball behind him before he broke the plane, negating a touchdown and costing Philadelphia a win in a 41-37 loss on “Monday Night Football.”
But, the good news for the Huskies is that they recorded a safety on the very next play and hung on for the win — to move to 10-0 overall — as they look for a College Football Playoff berth.
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