A wild sequence occurred near the end of the third quarter of the marquee matchup between the fifth-ranked Washington Huskies and 18th-ranked Utah Utes on Saturday.
With 30 seconds remaining in the quarter and the Utes 24 yards away from a touchdown to retake the lead, quarterback Bryson Barnes threw a pass that was intercepted by Washington’s Alphonzo Tuputala.
Tuputala had all grass in front of him and ran toward the end zone to give his team a 39-28 lead.
Except about a yard or two short of the end zone, Tuputala dropped the ball in celebration of his impending score.
Not only that, but Tuputala had two teammates who were trailing him toward the end zone, and they also began celebrating without realizing that the ball didn’t cross the goal line.
The one player who did realize it was Utah offensive lineman Michael Mokofisi, who jumped on the ball at the 1 yard-line to give the Utes the ball back.
Washington wound up registering a safety on the next play to go up 35-28 and get the ball back.
As you might imagine, social media had quite the reaction to the situation. Here’s some of it.
Unreal! pic.twitter.com/buPaz5ifQ4
— Max Olson (@max_olson) November 11, 2023
The Washington player just dropped the ball at the 1 yardline thinking he had a pick 6. All he wanted to do was celebrate.🙄 #Washington #Huskies #Utah #UTAHvsUW pic.twitter.com/kPqMBmvp6J
— derrick johnson (@chs93dlj) November 11, 2023
Me to the Washington defender who dropped the ball before crossing the goal line pic.twitter.com/M7T8sa5Jod
— Garrett Hirschberg (@GarrettStats) November 11, 2023
vibin', that's what https://t.co/bR4ojKLIpq
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) November 11, 2023
This Huskies defense pic.twitter.com/23VPOber5f
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 11, 2023
Washington may have gotten the safety but there’s no way they’re getting away with not being made fun of by the player that dropped the ball at the 1 😭😭😭
— Lets talk sports with Phillip Newsome (@LTSWPN) November 11, 2023
Just witnessed the DUMBEST play ever in a football game, interception run back for a touchd….wait he dropped it early on the one yard line (celebrating in the end zone) Fumbling team recovers the ball. Hahahahahahaha Washington/Utah
— JP Smithyman (@jpsmithyman) November 11, 2023
I don't know what is worse here;
— Tweets by Matt™ (@TheFakeMattO) November 11, 2023
The fact that he dropped it before the goal line?
Or
The 2 Washington players running by the ball to celebrate https://t.co/2TkYHpy86F
That Washington dude dropped that ball at like the 3 yard line 😂 I will never understand why players drop the ball in the first place.
— SportShorts (@den_shorts) November 11, 2023
CHESS NOT CHECKERS!
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) November 11, 2023
He dropped the ball before the end zone so they could get a safety and the ball back pic.twitter.com/5HEilLnLfv
HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS MISTAKE WASHINGTON?????
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) November 11, 2023
HOW???
He dropped the ball at the one!!!! pic.twitter.com/kGvnqOCWgI
Multiple Washington players ran past the ball dropped before the goal line until a Utah big man comes and picks it up 😳😳 pic.twitter.com/P6p99QQkNN
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 11, 2023
The Washington radio call guys sound like they saw the Hindenburg blow up. pic.twitter.com/qu82M8vKpx
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) November 11, 2023
No he didn’t drop the ball before scoring 😭😭
— Royce O'Neale (@BucketsONeale00) November 11, 2023
I can't believe the Washington player did that. I also can't believe Fox didn't keep the camera on the ball. Wow
— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) November 11, 2023
your new Heisman frontrunner https://t.co/PpRgkP7PuU
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 11, 2023
Would’ve been super nice to pick up and run with it and scored lol
— Kenneth Goobie Scott (@Kscott_2) November 11, 2023