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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- Rick Neuheisel returned to Boulder at the
center of a firestorm and emerged without a singe.
|  | | Washington quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo was elusive when he had to be Saturday, guiding the Huskies to victory at Colorado. |
Marques Tuiasosopo rallied Neuheisel's Washington team to two
fourth-quarter touchdowns, and the Huskies (No. 10 ESPN/USA Today, No. 9 AP) held off Colorado
17-14 on Saturday.
The target of wrath from Colorado players, university officials
and fans when he left the school to take a $1 million-a-year job at
Washington 20 months ago, Neuheisel made a triumphant return on
Saturday. And he refused to gloat about it afterward.
"Congratulations to Colorado for an unbelievably hard-fought
game," Neuheisel said. "They were inspired; we knew they would
be. I've said all along they have good character in the program,
and I thought they were extremely well coached. I wish them nothing
but the best.
"This is a happy day, more than just the fact that we found a
way to win. It's happy in that it's behind me and we can move on
with our lives. Colorado can go with (coach) Gary Barnett to
hopefully win Big 12 titles, and I can be a Colorado fan without
having to worry about playing them and what people say and all of
those things. It's water under the bridge."
Washington (3-0) trailed 7-3 until Willie Hurst ran 2 yards for
a touchdown on the second play of the fourth quarter, capping a
63-yard drive.
When Colorado (0-3) followed with one of its many ineffective
offensive possessions and punted, Washington went 69 yards in eight
plays for the clinching touchdown.
Tuiasosopo, who made key third-down plays all afternoon,
scrambled for a 13-yard gain on third-and-9. He passed 15 yards to
tight end Jerramy Stevens, then hit Wilbur Hooks on a 24-yard
scoring pass with 8:33 left for a 17-7 lead.
Colorado, without an offensive score to that point, marched 97
yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. Bobby Pesavento, making his
first start after two solid performances in relief of Zac Colvin,
passed 19 yards to Javon Green for the score with 3:46 remaining.
Green kept the drive alive with a one-handed, 53-yard reception to
the Huskies' 12-yard line.
Washington was unable to run out the clock and kicked the ball
back to Colorado with 57 seconds left. A pass-interference penalty
moved the ball to near midfield, but receiver Eric McCready, on a
short reception, was stripped of the ball by cornerback Anthony
Vontoure and defensive tackle Larry Tripplett recovered. Tripplett
also had three sacks.
Neuheisel, who coached the Buffaloes for four seasons (1995-98),
departed for Washington at the height of recruiting season in
January 1999, creating considerable ill will. Colorado officials
accused him of contacting Buff players, attempting to entice them
to Washington -- a charge that Neuheisel denied.
Colorado's hopes for revenge against Neuheisel were thwarted
last season when the Huskies beat Colorado 31-24 in Seattle. This
year, CU players almost universally said they had forgiven
Neuheisel, even if many fans hadn't.
"It wasn't an emotionally difficult game," said Green, a
senior. "Neuheisel wasn't playing on the field. We were just
trying to beat his team. It would have been special just to beat a
ranked team. It would have been a sweet taste to win, but we don't
have that taste yet."
Barnett said Tuiasosopo "hurt us on scrambles, and their tight
end made some great catches. They made plays when they had to make
them, and we didn't."
Freshman cornerback Phil Jackson returned an interception 28
yards for a touchdown as Colorado, despite being outgained 194-107
in the first half, led 7-3 at halftime.
Washington drove inside the Colorado 10 on its first two series
but managed only a field goal.
On the Huskies' first series, Tuiasosopo completed back-to-back
22-yard passes to Justin Robbins and Todd Elstrom -- the first on
third-and-15 -- and tailback Paul Arnold ran 17 yards up the middle
to the Colorado 7. But Arnold fumbled on the next play when hit by
cornerback Donald Strickland, and Jackson recovered at the 1.
After a punt, Washington took possession near midfield.
Tuiasosopo scrambled for 10 yards on third-and-10, and Arnold ran
16 yards with a delayed pitchout. The drive stalled at the 4,
however, and John Anderson kicked a 22-yard field goal with 56
seconds left in the half.
Tuiasosopo was intercepted twice in the second quarter. The
first theft, by safety Michael Lewis, thwarted a Washington drive
that had reached Colorado's 35.
Three minutes later, Tuiasosopo rolled right but Jackson stepped
in front of a receiver and returned the interception for a TD with
1:37 left in the half.
Colorado's offense didn't get past the Washington 38 in the
half. The only serious scoring threat came when Green got behind
the secondary but dropped Pesavento's 43-yard pass at the goal
line.
Tuiasosopo hit a wide-open Stevens for 32 yards late in the
third quarter to set up Hurst's score.
The Buffaloes, who had won their previous 12 home openers, were
victimized by penalties and dropped passes and had only 243 total
yards compared to Washington's 405. Pesavento was sacked six times.
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ALSO SEE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Phil Jackson recovers a Paul Arnold fumble to stop Washington's drive inside the five. (Courtesy ABC)
avi: 1229 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jerramy Stevens hauls in a 32-yard pass from Marques Tuiasosopo. (Courtesy ABC)
avi: 1229 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Phil Jackson picks off Marques Tuiasosopo, and returns it 28 yards for a TD. (Courtesy ABC)
avi: 1480 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Marques Tuiasosopo passes 24 yards to Wilbur Hooks for a TD.(Courtesy ABC)
avi: 470 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The Buffs' Javon Green hauls in Bobby Pesavento's pass with just one hand. (Courtesy ABC)
avi: 1465 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Willie Hurst scores on a two-yard run. (Courtesy ABC)
avi: 736 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Rick Neuheisel says Satuday was an emotional game.
wav: 229 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Marques Tuiasosopo says Washington was able to win despite its mistakes.
wav: 150 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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