FBS
3 stories filed under FBS on Wazzu. The newest of them: “Oregon State looms as Cougs head south still searching for first win”, “One good half doesn't change what Duquesne was”, and “Moore's offense showed some pulse, but the Cougs still left plays on the field”. Owen Eshelman gets the keys. One good half doesn't change what Duquesne was. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every FBS story on Wazzu, newest first.
Oregon State looms as Cougs head south still searching for first win
Owen Eshelman gets the keys. First start of his college career, and he's walking into Corvallis against an Oregon State team that looks like it's been shot out of a cannon. The Beavers are on a four-game win streak, leading the country in passing yards per game, and just hung 66 points on San Diego State. Meanwhile, the Cougs are still hunting for their first FBS win, sitting at 1-5, and just watched a halftime lead evaporate into a 17-16 loss to Utah State. That Utah State game stung. Two fumbles turned into touchdowns. The offense put up 64 yards in the second half. Caden Pinnick took the brunt of it, and Moore made the call this week. For more on how Moore handled the aftermath, check out our piece, "Moore won't throw his QB under the bus after Utah State loss." Eshelman has a tough task. He's facing a Beaver defense that's rolling, and he's doing it with an offensive line that just lost left tackle Ashton Tripp to an ankle injury. The good news? WSU's defense is still showing up. They held Utah State's quarterback to 150 yards and one touchdown pass. They'll need that same effort, and then some, against Jesse Legree and that OSU passing attack. This is a gut-check game. The Cougs are 17.5-point underdogs for a reason. But it's also a chance to see what the offense looks like with a new hand on the wheel. Go Cougs.
One good half doesn't change what Duquesne was
One good half doesn't change what Duquesne was. The Cougars beat a bad FCS team that gives up yards like candy at a parade. Kirby Moore made adjustments, and credit where it's due, Caden Pinnick looked sharp after halftime, and Maxwell Woods and Kirby Vorhees ran like they meant it. That second half felt good. It should encourage you. But here's the honest part. Against FBS teams this season, WSU has one touchdown and four turnovers. That offense has looked thin. Arizona comes to Gesa Field as a 10½-point favorite, and that line exists for a reason. Tony Freeman is done for the year with an injury, and without him, the deep threat shrinks. This isn't a doom post. The offensive line shuffle and Moore's growing role in playcalling are real reasons to believe. Those changes should help win some Pac-12 games. But beating a Big 12 team in primetime? That's a taller ask. Prediction: Arizona 23, WSU 16. If you want more context on what's at stake with the kicking game, go read about Max Dean's migraines making punting a game-time call. Special teams might matter more than usual Saturday night. Go Cougs.
Moore's offense showed some pulse, but the Cougs still left plays on the field
Three offensive touchdowns in three games against FBS teams. Six turnovers. Seven total giveaways. That's not a Power 4 problem. That's a self-inflicted wound problem, and it's the story of this Cougar season so far. Kirby Moore's offense showed a pulse Saturday against Arizona, especially on that opening 11-play, 71-yard touchdown drive where Caden Pinnick looked like he knew what he was doing. The quarterback keeper, the blocks, the finish. That's the offense we were hoping to see. Then it vanished. The third quarter was brutal. Three points, two three-and-outs, four punts, three sacks. Arizona turned a three-point deficit into a four-point lead and never looked back. The defense held up its end. The offense didn't. Pinnick is making bad decisions, not just Power 4 athletes making great plays. The interception into triple coverage against Duquesne. The fumble while trying to throw while being dragged down. The slide a yard short of a first down. Those aren't talent gaps. Those are judgment gaps. Moore said it starts with him. That's the right answer. But the fix has to show up against Fresno State next week. If these problems are about competition, they'll ease up. If they're about Pinnick's decision-making, they won't. We've got more on Moore's postgame comments in "Moore puts it plain after Cougs let early lead slip in Pullman." Worth a read. For now, the Cougs are what we thought: 1-3, right on schedule. The question is whether they're better than the schedule. Go Cougs.