You know what you get when you schedule a game like this. A paycheck, a win, and a chance to clean up the little things before conference play. The Cougs took the check and handled the rest. This 48-7 win over Duquesne was exactly what it needed to be, dominant from the second quarter on, no drama, no letdown. Kirby Moore breaks down the Cougar win and what it took to get there and the takeaway is simple: the offense found its rhythm after a sleepy first quarter and never looked back. That matters because next week, sleepy starts get you buried.
The second-half avalanche was real. Twenty-eight unanswered points, a defense that forced punts like they were scheduled, and a running game that finally looked like it had somewhere to be. Chris King called it and the Cougs made it happen twice, which is the kind of detail that makes a Saturday in Pullman fun. When a coach sees something on film and the players execute it twice in a game, that is not luck. That is preparation. And for a team still trying to figure out its identity, that is a real sign of life. We have seen too many seasons where these games stay close into the fourth quarter because the offense cannot get out of its own way. This one did not.
Here is what we are watching now. The Cougs did what they were supposed to do. Duquesne came to Pullman. The Cougs handled business. Go Cougs. That is the headline, and it is the truth. But the real test is whether the offensive line can keep opening those same lanes against a defense that will not be giving up 300 pounds and a bus fare. Kirby Moore's offense looked sharper in the second half because the line started winning at the point of attack. If that carries over, the Cougs have a chance to be competitive in the games that actually count. If it was just Duquesne being Duquesne, we will find out soon enough.
The specific detail to hold onto is the run game after halftime. That is the thing that travels. That is the thing that keeps the defense off the field in November. The Cougs got it rolling Saturday. Now we need to see if they can keep it rolling when the other team is getting off the bus in Pullman, not flying in from Pittsburgh.