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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
SEATTLE (AP) -- Some of the Miami players mocked Washington
before Saturday's game by barking like dogs. The Huskies had the last bark.
"They were yelping a bit in the tunnel," Washington tight end
Jerramy Stevens said. "They found out who the real dogs were."
|  | | The Washington Huskies were seeking respect Saturday against Miami, and Anthony Kelley and his teammates believe they found it with a 34-29 victory. |
Marques Tuiasosopo passed for a touchdown and ran for another,
and freshman Rich Alexis scored on a 50-yard run as No. 15
Washington beat No. 4 Miami 34-29.
The Huskies spoiled Miami's first trip to Husky Stadium. In the
schools' first meeting in 1994 at the Orange Bowl, Washington ended
the Hurricanes' NCAA record 58-game home winning streak.
"That was a big-time win against one of the best teams in the
nation," Tuiasosopo said.
"We want to get Washington back to the glory days," Huskies
linebacker Jafar Williams said. "Today proves to us that we're on
our way back."
Washington (2-0) led 21-3 at halftime and took a 34-22 lead on
the second play of the fourth quarter on Pat Conniff's 1-yard
touchdown plunge.
But the Hurricanes (1-1), taking advantage of Tuiasosopo's
second interception of the fourth quarter and third turnover of the
second half, scored on James Jackson's 1-yard run with 2:52 to go
to get to within five at 34-29.
On third-and-12 at the Washington 10, Tuiasosopo was intercepted
by Al Blades, giving the Hurricanes the ball at the Huskies' 8.
"There's still a lot of things I can do better," Tuiasosopo
said. "I need to throw the ball away more often. It was a fun
game, but there was a little heartache at the end."
After Jackson's second TD of the game, Todd Sievers' onside kick
was recovered by Stevens at the Miami 45 with 2:49 left. The
Huskies couldn't get a first down, but they were able to run the
clock down to just 20 seconds.
After Ryan Fleming's punt landed in the end zone, the Hurricanes
took the ball over at the 20. Ken Dorsey misfired on his first two
pass attempts before passing 42 yards to Reggie Wayne on the last
play the game.
Some of the Hurricanes players talked about being good enough to
win the school's fifth national title and first since 1991 before
the game. After the game, coach Butch Davis denied that his players ever
talked about that.
"We never talked about the national championship," Davis said.
"That's always media conversation."
The Huskies had themselves to blame that the game was so close
at the end. After holding Miami without a touchdown in the first
half, they gave up three in the third quarter.
After Fleming got off a punt that went off the side of his foot
for 9 yards, Miami took over on the Washington 30. The Hurricanes
scored their first TD seven plays later on a 21-yard pass from
Dorsey to Wayne.
But Alexis, who is from Florida, took a pitchout from Tuiasosopo
and scored on his 50-yard run down the left sideline to give the
Huskies a 27-9 lead with 6:10 left in the third quarter.
A 61-yard run by Clinton Portis set up an 8-yard touchdown run
by Najeh Davenport on the Hurricanes' next possession to cut
Washington's lead to 27-15.
A fumble by Tuiasosopo that was recovered by Dan Morgan at the
Washington 8 led to Miami's third touchdown of the quarter. Jackson
scored on the next play as the Hurricanes got within five at 27-22
with 3:50 left in the third period.
Washington then put together a 13-play, 65-yard drive, with
Conniff scoring in a 1-yard run with 30 seconds gone in the fourth
quarter.
Despite his turnovers in the second half, Tuiasosopo was the
star of the game. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 223 yards with a
touchdown and two interceptions. In addition, he gained 45 yards
and scored a TD on 15 carries.
Dorsey was 15-for-34 for 215 yards and one TD with no
interceptions.
Washington built its 21-3 lead at halftime after scoring two
touchdowns in the final 5½ minutes of the opening half.
In the key drive of the game, Tuiasosopo took the Huskies 80
yards in nine plays in 4:40 as they took a 14-3 lead with 5:19 left
in the second quarter. Tuiasosopo ran 12 yards on an option keeper
for Washington's second TD.
Cornerback Anthony Vontoure blitzed Dorsey, caused him to fumble
and recovered the ball to give Washington the ball at the Miami 49.
Tuiasosopo passed 23 yards to uncovered Stevens, his tight end, in
the end zone as Washington took a 21-3 lead with 2:02 to go in the
second quarter.
In the first quarter, Washington's special teams set up its
first touchdown, a 3-yard run by Braxton Cleman. Tyler Krambrink
hit Santana Moss on a punt return, caused him to fumble and
recovered the ball on the Hurricanes' 35.
"The reason we lost the game was us," Dorsey said. "They
didn't beat us."
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ALSO SEE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL Scoreboard
Miami (Fla.) Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO

Washington's Marques Tuiasosopo dives for the touchdown. (Courtesy:ABC)
avi: 525 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Miami's Reggie Wayne stays focused on a tipped ball to haul in a touchdown pass. (Courtesy:ABC)
avi: 986 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The Huskies' Rich Alexis goes 50 yards down the sideline and scores. (Courtesy:ABC)
avi: 650 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The Hurricanes' James Jackson zigs his way into the end zone for six. (Courtesy:ABC)
avi: 435 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Tuiasosopo connects with Jerramy Stevens for the touchdown. (Courtesy:ABC)
avi: 719 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

Rick Neuheisel is impressed with the composure of his team.
wav: 256 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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