1962 Oregon State Beavers Football Team - Game Notes - Washington

Washington

In between 1925–1965, Washington did not play a game in Oregon south of Portland, just across the river from Washington, muting much of the home field advantage Oregon State would otherwise enjoy. The Huskies started the season playing Purdue, Illinois, and Kansas State and was undefeated against that slate. Washington was ranked #7 in the AP poll and #6 in the UPI poll. The recent Beaver-Husky battles had been close. In the past four meetings, each team had two wins, and the four games were decided by a combined margin of 13 points. In Washington's last four visits to Portland, the Huskies had also gone 2-2. In those games, the combined margin of victory was a mere five points. Despite the recent close contests, the Huskies entered as 6 1/2 point favorites.

Until 1971, Columbus Day was celebrated on October 12. In 1962, Columbus Day fell on a Friday, the day before the Washington-Oregon State game. At approximately five o'clock, the Columbus Day Storm, the strongest 20th century extratropical cyclone in the United States, struck. At Cape Blanco, on the Oregon Coast, winds reached 179 miles per hour, before the weather station was destroyed. Winds were milder in Portland, only reaching 116 miles per hour. The winds wrought havoc at Multnomah Stadium. A portion of the roof had flown off and destroyed several seats. Once the storm died down, clean-up crews began removing debris from the field. The field was in such bad shape that clean-up crews were still removing debris early in the game. Multnomah Stadium would not regain power until after the game had ended. The teams dressed and undressed by candlelight, and the scoreboard would remain out the entire game. The press described the field conditions as "turf resting on water."

In the second quarter, Oregon State drove 80 yards for a touchdown. Three Baker to Burke passes accounted for 55 of those yards, including the six-yard touchdown pass. Washington knotted the score at seven after Junior Coffey's 43-yard touchdown run. The Huskies would not break the Beaver 30 until the fourth quarter. Oregon State responded with a 95-yard drive. Baker accounted for 104 yards on the drive, 66 rushing on two carries and 38 passing on three completions. Baker's final 10-yard pass to Burke with 20 seconds left gave each their second touchdown of the game. However, Steve Clark's kick was wide, so the Beavers led 13-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Oregon State's Jim Funston recovered a fumble at the Washington 14. However, Rick Redman recovered a Baker fumble to end the Beavers' last real threat of the game. In the fourth quarter, the Huskies drove to the Oregon State 13, before turning the ball over on downs at the Beaver 22. With time running out, Washington recovered a Beaver fumble at the Husky 40. On third-and-six at the Beaver 45, Washington's Gary Clark and Oregon State's Leroy Whittle came down with a ball. Prothro thought it was an interception, but the referees ruled it a completion at the Oregon State 25. After the Huskies got to the 13, Charley Mitchell carried the ball three consecutive times to score a touchdown. Washington converted on its second extra point to win 14-13.