Washington defender bungles pick-six by dropping the ball early

Washington linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala nearly had a pick-six before he made a shocking mistake at the 2-yard line.

The Washington Huskies clung to a 33-28 lead against Utah on Saturday when linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala seemed to make the play of the season.

He grabbed a pass from Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes and raced all the way up the sideline and into the end zone for a Huskies touchdown, potentially giving Washington an imminent 40-28 lead.

Take a closer look at what Tuputala does as he approaches the end zone, however.

Not only did the Washington linebacker drop the ball early, he wasn’t even close to the end zone.

A Utah offensive lineman jumped on the ball, saving the day for the Utes and giving them the ball back at the 1-yard line.

The Huskies’ defense wouldn’t leave Tuputala out to dry, however. The defensive line blew up Utah’s first play on the ensuing possession for a safety, giving Washington a 35-28 lead and the ball back on offense.