1996 Football Team

The Cowboys, led by Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Joe Tiller and Offensive Player of the Year Marcus Harris, finished 10-2 overall after clinching the conference’s Pacific Division with a dramatic win at Colorado State and losing in overtime to No. 5 BYU in the inaugural WAC championship game in Las Vegas. UW was ranked as high as No. 16 and finished No. 22 in the final Associated Press poll. Harris, who led the WAC with 1,650 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns, won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s most outstanding receiver and capped his legendary career as a unanimous All-American. Harris finished ninth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy and graduated as the NCAA’s all-time leader in receiving yards (4,518). Quarterback Josh Wallwork led the conference with 4,090 passing yards and tied BYU’s Steve Sarkisian for the most touchdown passes (33). Middle linebacker Jim Talich led the team with 138 tackles, which ranks seventh in school history for a single season. The Pokes finished ninth nationally in scoring (38.7 points per game) while allowing only 23.7 points per game. UW started the season 9-0, including a thrilling 41-38 overtime win at Iowa State and a 22-19 victory over Air Force in front of a crowd of 31,009 at War Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys bounced back from a narrow 28-24 loss at San Diego State with “The Drive” – a 96-yard march capped with a Marques Brigham touchdown scamper to stun the Rams 25-24 at snowy Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins. Brian Lee, who set the program single-season record with eight interceptions, sealed the Bronze Boot win with a pick in the closing seconds. Harris (2004), Lee (2008), offensive lineman Steve Scifres (2008) and placekicker Cory Wedel (2018) are UW Athletics Hall of Fame members. Harris, Scifres and defensive back Lee Vaughn were selected in the 1997 NFL Draft.