Fear gripped the Crimson faithful Saturday night as they struggled to understand what went wrong.

Boise State football traveled to Pullman as the underdog, but you wouldn’t know it with the Broncos leading 31-10 in the final quarter.

Suddenly, WSU became the underdog.

Many fans showed an expression of shock — some even left the stadium entirely. Those who stayed, witnessed one of the most miraculous comebacks in program history.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyler Hilinski was called on to relieve an injured redshirt senior quarterback Luke Falk. After a couple touchdowns, it became just as difficult to hear the person sitting next to you in the first row as it was 45 rows up.

Cougar defenders felt exalted with every opportunity to keep the Broncos at bay. They pumped their arms up and down as the crowd became boisterous. WSU fans had been waiting all game for this.

Shutdown defense and a little bit of luck forced overtime in Pullman. Fans watched with anxiety as the teams traded scores. WSU finished with the deciding blow with redshirt senior running back Jamal Morrow leaping into a corner of the end zone.

Most fans stayed positive by viewing the win for what it was — a statistically impressive comeback. A few still feel that the win should not be celebrated.

Cougar football was chosen as the pre-game favorite to take down the Broncos. They did, but not until after playing with the spectators’ hearts. Thus, mixed reactions arose.

I’m not saying we cannot be upset with the offense slacking just as much as the defense until the final quarter, but the team adjusted — and that’s what really matters. It is not how you start a game, it’s how you finish.

WSU plays a variety of skilled football teams this year and the Broncos probably will not be the biggest test. Though, even football players will tell you that while the opponent changes, the goal of winning does not.

Taking an unranked team to triple overtime is far from attractive. However, scoring 21 unanswered points with about ten minutes to go is what we should be focusing on. WSU’s chances of winning were at one point slim to none, ESPN reported.

It should not matter if it was Boise State, Idaho or Alabama, that was an excellent way to win a football game, because again, the team adjusted. That’s promising as the season progresses.

If the football team is down by a couple scores late in a game, I have more trust now than I did before Saturday that the Cougs won’t “Coug it.”

Think also about the emphasis on team morale that victory had.

Put yourself in the shoes of the athletes. There’s about ten minutes left, you need three touchdowns just to tie the game and there’s thousands of stunned people looking your way. There was no quit in this team, despite the idea that there could have easily been.

Now, the undefeated program is getting ready for their third game this season against Oregon State (1-2). The Cougars will not be entering the game with their head held low due to an embarrassing loss. Instead, the WSU players know that if they want to make magic happen, they can.

Kickoff for the next game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Martin Stadium against Oregon State. And remember, if the Cougs are down late, don’t leave the game early. You never know what might happen.