In the end, there were tears, a magnificent sea of purple and a kind of joy that rarely finds itself on a football field.
As "Purple Rain" echoed through the speakers at Husky Stadium, the Washington fans swarmed a playing surface that had given so much over the previous four hours. In the aftermath of such a win, why would they be anywhere else?
The football ramifications of such a moment are real and robust. The Huskies beat Oregon in thrilling fashion, dodging a last-second field goal that could have tied the game. As it leaked right, solidifying a final score of 36-33, the reality set in.