Miami vs. Washington State: Score and Reaction for 2015 Sun Bowl

Four thoughts from Miami’s 20-14 loss to Washington State in the snowy Sun Bowl.

The Cougars (9-4) finish the season with their best record since 2003 and won their first bowl game since defeating Texas in the Holiday Bowl, also in 2003.

Washington State led 20-7 at the half and looked in control, limiting Miami to three irst downs over the second and third quarters. After a Cougars punt, the Hurricanes were at the Washington State 28, but an end-over-end halfback pass from Joe Yearby was easily intercepted by Shalom Lunai with 2:58 to play.

Braxton Berriors’ 65-yard run to the Washington State five-yard line, set up Walton’s score that cut the deficit to 20-14 with 13 minutes to play.

Each team scored on its opening drive, with Jamal Morrow taking a screen pass from Luke Falk – who had not played since the team’s penultimate game against Colorado – 31 yards. He completed 29 of 53 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns.

What appeared to be a 5-yard touchdown pass from Hurricanes quarterback Brad Kaaya to Stacy Coley with 5:14 left – a touchdown that would have tied the game at 20 and likely put UM ahead with the extra point – was called back when receiver Herb Waters was flagged for a block in the back.

For more on this game, see Sunday’s Tribune. Miami’s new coach is former Georgia coach Mark Richt.

Play of the game: This would be the second turnover of the fourth quarter for Miami.

The Cougars, the top passing team in the nation during the regular season, were shut out in the second half, leaving it to their defense to wrap up the victory.

“I just figured we’d win this one and go from there”, Washington State coach Mike Leach said when asked about ending the bowl drought.

Miami got back into the game early in the fourth quarter on Mark Walton’s short touchdown run.

On Miami’s first play of the ensuing possession, running back Joseph Yearby attempted a pass on a trick play, only to have the ball come out of his hand awkwardly.

Kaaya finished the game with 219 yards, 17 for 31 (completions), a touchdown and an interception (that wasn’t his fault).

That play wasn’t enough to ice the game for the Cougars, despite powdered snow accumulating in the end zone.

The Hurricanes had many chances to score taken away by the WSU defense.

The fluke play was, at that point, just Kaaya’s seventh interception in his last 578 attempts. “They decided that the weather wasn’t going to be a distraction”. Despite their storied history on the gridiron the program hasn’t won a bowl game since 2006 and is 0-5 straight up and against the spread in the five tries since, a win-less streak that includes a loss to Notre Dame in the 2010 Sun Bowl tilt. Scott overcame adversity and led all Miami receivers in yards with 75-yards. Oakes protested that it was good, but the kick could not be reviewed, and Duke’s players poured onto the field to celebrate.