To "Coug it" is a tendency of the Washington State University Cougars football team to lose games via late-game collapses,[1] odds-defying losses, "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory",[2][3] and otherwise choking.
[6] The concept was then popularized as "to Coug" by sportswriter John Blanchette in his Spokesman-Review column following the 1985 Cougars' 16–21 home loss to Arizona State in which they outgained the Sun Devils 445 yards to 217.
[4][7][8] Couging it has been a part of WSU athletics culture for decades[1][8] and the concept is frequently referenced in Pacific Northwest news media following a particularly embarrassing or surprising loss by the Cougars.
[1] Washington State University administrators have run internal and external campaigns to downplay the concept,[8] and coaches, fans, and players have sought to reclaim the phrase via on-field success.
[21] In 2005 head coach Bill Doba defined "Coug it" as "scoring at the end and winning the ballgame" in response to a reporter's question following a 38–42 loss to Cal in which the Cougars "came from behind to lose".