Pac-12
70 stories filed under Pac-12 on Wazzu. The newest of them: “Boo birds hit Gesa Field as WSU offense goes quiet again”, “We Got Picks, You Got Questions, and the Ducks Still Have Problems”, and “Second-half snaps tell the story of WSU's defensive breakdowns”. The boo birds don't usually show up early at Gesa Field. The Hotline went 6-5-1 last week and sits at 15-20-1 for the season, which means the picks are for entertainment purposes only. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Pac-12 story on Wazzu, newest first.
Boo birds hit Gesa Field as WSU offense goes quiet again
The boo birds don't usually show up early at Gesa Field. Saturday night, they were out before halftime, and you couldn't blame them. Washington State just laid a 26-6 egg against Fresno State in the opener of the rebuilt Pac-12, and it wasn't the kind of loss you can shrug off. It was the kind where you start checking the record books to see if you've hit a new low. The Cougars managed 182 total yards. Six three-and-outs. Three-for-14 on third down. Two turnovers. Three offensive touchdowns in four games against FBS competition. That's not a slump, that's a pattern, and the crowd let Kirby Moore and everyone else hear it. Caden Pinnick threw for 152 yards and an interception, took seven sacks, and looked like a quarterback who couldn't find an answer no matter where he looked. The running backs combined for 45 yards. The receivers ran routes short of the sticks. It was the kind of offensive showing that makes you miss the Air Raid days, when at least the ball was in the air and something was happening. Credit the defense for keeping this close. They recovered a fumble, blocked a field goal, and held Fresno State to field goals for most of the night. Jack Stevens hit a career-long 50-yarder and looked like he's turning things around. But when your offense can't punch it in, that only gets you so far. Moore's homecoming was nice, but WSU's offense is now the problem.
We Got Picks, You Got Questions, and the Ducks Still Have Problems
The Hotline went 6-5-1 last week and sits at 15-20-1 for the season, which means the picks are for entertainment purposes only. Unless they aren't. This week's slate features two former Pac-12 matchups in the late-afternoon window: Oregon at USC, and Arizona visiting Washington State on the Palouse. That feline affair serves multiple purposes. It gives the Cougars a home game against a power conference opponent their fans know, and it helps Arizona satisfy a Big 12 scheduling requirement. Because the series was agreed to before the Wildcats left the Pac-12, WSU still counts as a Power Four opponent. The line opened at Arizona -10, which initially felt high. But after looking at WSU's offense against Power Four teams like Washington and Kansas State, 17 total points, the spread makes sense. The Hotline picks Arizona. The bigger picture here is unsettling. Outside of UCLA-Cal, a future Arizona State-Stanford series, and the surviving Apple Cup and Civil War, former Pac-12 schools are not scheduling each other. The CFP could fix that by incentivizing quality nonconference games. Or NIL-driven neutral-site double-headers in Las Vegas could emerge. We aren't confident. Check out "Are blowouts getting worse? The Pac-12 mailbag crunches the numbers" for more on the state of the sport. Go Cougs.
Second-half snaps tell the story of WSU's defensive breakdowns
Keith Brown had to ask the score at halftime. That tells you everything about how Saturday went for the Cougs' defense. The sixth-year linebacker wasn't being cute, WSU had just taken a three-point lead into the break, but Brown was so locked into his own series that he'd lost track of the game. You don't hear that kind of tunnel vision from guys on losing teams very often. But here's the thing: the defense is playing too much, and it's starting to show in the fourth quarter. The numbers are brutal. WSU's giving up 4.3 points in the first quarter, that's top-half of the country. By the fourth? They're allowing 11.3, which is 123rd nationally. That's not a coincidence. That's what happens when your offense keeps handing the ball back. Seven turnovers in four games, and your defenders are racking up 60, 70 snaps a night. Khamari Terrell played 72 against Arizona. Brown logged 69. Those dudes are gassed by the time the game matters. Kirby Moore says it's about complementary football, and he's right. The front can't rush if they're spent, and the back end can't cover if the rush never gets home. The solution isn't just playing more guys, they're thin at key spots, with injuries stacking up. It's about the offense holding onto the ball. That's the real fix, and it's a big reason Saturday's game against Fresno State feels like a fork in the road.
Your Pac-12 Picks Guy Is Back and He's Got the Cougs
The Hotline's picks guy is back, and he's got the Cougs covering. That's the headline from this week's betting column, and for a WSU team sitting at 1-3, it's the kind of news you text a friend before the line moves. The man went 10-3-1 last week and is now 25-23-2 for the season. He's picking Washington State to cover the 2-point spread against Fresno State on Saturday night, and he's doing it because he thinks the Cougs played well enough against Arizona to trust the home side. That's a specific vote of confidence, not a homer pick. The column digs into the larger story of the rebuilt Pac-12, too. The conference's first month produced a 19-12-1 record against the spread. Five teams, Oregon State, Boise State, Fresno State, Washington State, and Colorado State, are a combined 15-4-1. That's not nothing. The betting public hasn't caught up to Oregon State's improvement, and the Cougs are quietly covering. The picks guy notes that while this success won't sway the CFP selection committee, a Pac-12 champion with no more than two losses should be well-positioned for a bid. If you want the full picture on WSU's running back situation heading into Saturday, our story on Kirby Vorhees being banged up for Fresno is worth your time. The Cougs need ball security, and the picks guy thinks they've got enough to cover. Go Cougs.
Bohler's Back in Business: Pac-12 Volleyball Slate Drops for the Cougs
The Pac-12 volleyball schedule is out, and Bohler Gym is about to get loud again. That's not a prediction, that's a promise. The Cougs have their slate for the new-look conference, and it's got that familiar feel, home matches in front of a crowd that actually shows up, road trips that make Pullman feel like a distant memory, and a chance to prove this program belongs in the conversation. You don't need us to tell you that volleyball in Bohler hits different. The floor squeaks, the students pack in, and the band is loud enough to rattle the rafters. It's the best non-football ticket in town, and it's not particularly close. The schedule drop is the first real sign that the new Pac-12 era has legs. We've already touched on what the conference shuffle means with the Fresno State opener, and this slate just reinforces it. There's a rhythm to it now, a real calendar to point at and plan around. Some of these opponents are familiar, some are new, but the goal doesn't change. You win at home, you steal a couple on the road, and you put yourself in position for something bigger come November. We're not going to pretend we know exactly how the standings will shake out. That's for the players to decide. But we know this much: when the Cougs run out onto that floor, the place will be full, and the noise will be real. That's the standard. Go Cougs.
Wazzu's Saturday math problem: Fresno takes the ball, Cougs give it back
Here's the math problem for Saturday, and it's not the kind you can solve with a calculator. Fresno State comes to Pullman ranked sixth in the country in turnover margin at plus-seven. Washington State is 119th at minus-four. That gap is the whole ballgame before kickoff even happens. The Cougars have given it away seven times this season. Five of those are Caden Pinnick's doing. The quarterback has been fine when he keeps it short, completing 71% of his throws inside 19 yards. But the moment he tries to push the ball downfield, the wheels come off. He's hit just 2 of 13 passes of 20-plus yards and thrown two picks on those attempts. That's not a matchup problem. That's a decision problem, and it's shown up against Washington and even Duquesne. So what's the counter? Run the ball. Keep the pressure off Pinnick and make Fresno's defense respect something underneath. That gets harder if Kirby Vorhees can't go with that upper-body injury. He's the best weapon Matt Miller has in the backfield, and without him, the offense loses its teeth. We're not going to overthink this one. The Cougars have a chance because the game is at home and the matchup is more even than the records suggest. But turnovers travel, and Fresno's defense feeds on them. Give us the Bulldogs, 24-20. If you need a break from the math, check out "Three Cougs who made the Boeing Apple Cup one to remember.
Two quick strikes before the break were all Pullman needed
Two quick strikes before the break, and Pullman had all it needed. That's the kind of efficiency you want heading into a bye. No drama. No needing to claw back after halftime. Just clean, decisive work before the locker room. For the Cougs on Saturday, that stretch was the difference. It's the sort of performance that reminds you what a focused group looks like when the weather turns and the stands are full of people who remember the last time a visitor left the Palouse with a win. We already told you CBS was here for this one, getting a little Palouse throwback as Arizona came to town. If you missed that, go find "CBS Gets a Palouse Throwback as Arizona Visits Pullman." It sets the scene for what Pullman looks like when the lights get bright and the network trucks roll in. This team is playing with something. Not hype. Not noise. Just execution at the right moment. The kind of Coug ball that doesn't need a perfect game, just a decisive half. Saturday proved that again. Go Cougs.
Cougs add Providence guard Harrell, book nonconference date with High Point
Jaylen Harrell is coming to Pullman, and the Cougs just booked a November trip to High Point. That's two things worth knowing. Harrell is a Providence transfer, a 6-foot-5 guard who only played six games last year before a season-ending injury. Small sample. But before that, he was the top-ranked recruit in Massachusetts, a four-star kid with offers from Alabama, Washington, and a half-dozen other Power 4 schools. He was Gatorade Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025. The talent is real. David Riley is betting on the tape from high school more than the Providence box score, and that feels right. Harrell is the sixth offseason addition, and all of them can score. That's the pattern. Riley is rebuilding the roster from scratch after losing 12 players, including Ace Glass to Vanderbilt and ND Okafor to Ole Miss. Okafor was a starter, an All-WCC honorable mention, and probably the most improved player on last year's team. Losing him hurts. But the new group, including Harrell, Sebastian Akins, RJ Jones, and a bunch of others, tilts toward offense. That's Riley's style. The High Point game is Nov. 7, on the road. That Panthers team just made the NCAA Tournament as a 12-seed and knocked off Wisconsin. Not a gimme. For more on how this roster is coming together, check our story on WSU hoops landing a big body from Northwestern. The Cougs are still building, but the shape is getting clearer. Go Cougs.
Cougs jump Arizona early, then watch a 14-point lead dissolve
That first drive was a thing of beauty. Ten plays, 71 yards, Caden Pinnick walking in from 11 yards out. Then Jackquintin Bal picks one off and takes it to the house. 14-0 against a former Pac-12 bully, and Gesa Field was rocking. Felt like the old days. Then the engine stalled. The Cougs' offense went quiet for three quarters. Twenty-two net yards on 20 plays in the second half before a prayer answered on fourth-and-10. Branden Ganashamoorthy hauled in a 46-yard touchdown to make it 31-24, and for a second, you thought maybe. Credit the defense. They held Noah Fifita to a season-low completion rate. They stuffed runs, blocked a field goal, kept the game close while the offense was in a coma. But you can only ask a defense to hold for so long. Arizona scored on its last four drives. The Cougs ran out of gas. It's frustrating because the potential is there. You saw it on that first drive. The question is whether this offense can sustain it. Kirby Moore has some work to do. For deeper thoughts on where the offense is at, check out *"Moore's offense showed some pulse, but the Cougs still left plays on the field."* But here's the thing: we need more of these games. Arizona coming to Pullman, a real fight, a crowd that cared. It felt like a game that mattered. The Cougs are still competing with the big boys. They just need to learn how to finish.
DJ Warner's Arizona roots could fuel a Coug upset under the lights
DJ Warner grew up two hours from Arizona's campus, recruited by those coaches, and now he's suiting up for the other side. Saturday night under the lights in Pullman, he'll shake hands with old friends after the game. He'd prefer to do it with a win. That's the setup for a 4:30 p.m. CBS kickoff where Washington State is a 10½-point underdog against a Wildcats team that hung 42 on Northern Illinois. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita is completing 81 percent of his passes and set a program record for career touchdown throws last week. He's the real problem. But there's history here. WSU has won five of the last seven meetings, and Arizona hasn't left Pullman with a win since 2014. Trent Bray, WSU's defensive coordinator, goes way back with Arizona coach Brent Brennan from their Oregon State days. Brennan called Bray "Uncle Trent" to his kids. That friendship pauses for three hours Saturday. The Cougars need this one. A 1-3 start would put a decade-long bowl streak in real danger. The offense finally showed life against Duquesne, but as we wrote in "Cougs need to prove the offense can show up against FBS defenses," this is the real test. Jack Stevens is 1-for-5 on field goals. Kirby Moore is 1-2 as a head coach. Warner is home for a night. If the Cougs can slow Fifita and get a bounce from their kicker, they might just make those postgame handshakes a little sweeter. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore Breaks Down the Boeing Apple Cup Loss Straight From the Locker Room
Kirby Moore didn't hide after the Boeing Apple Cup loss. He stood in the locker room and broke it down like a coach who knows his guys deserve the truth, not a spin. That's what you want to hear. Moore talked about what the Coug offense is building. Not excuses. Not moral victories. Just the work. You can feel the frustration in his voice, but also the belief. That matters more than any one scoreboard. This is the same offense we've been watching take shape all season. If you haven't read "Kirby Moore on the mic: what the Coug offense is building," go back and grab that one. It puts this locker room moment in context. Moore isn't starting from scratch. He's stacking blocks. Some days the wall holds. Some days it doesn't. The Apple Cup stings. It always does. But listening to Moore, you get the sense this group isn't going to fold. They'll watch the film, take the hits, and line up again. That's the Pullman way. Go Cougs.
Arizona lands a punch Wazzu never quite answers
The Cougars did the rope-a-dope thing Saturday, and it turns out Homer Simpson was right: at some point you have to punch back. Wazzu brought Arizona back to Pullman for a messy, physical grudge match, and for one glorious stretch it looked like the old magic might hold. Safety Jackquintin Bal, an Arizona kid, no less, broke on a Noah Fifita pass, put the receiver on his back, and danced into the end zone for a 14-0 lead. The defense was suffocating. Sacks on each of the first two drives. Arms in passing lanes. Chaos for the Wildcats' quarterback. Then Arizona scored 31 of the next 34 points. The pattern is getting hard to ignore. The Cougars have great defensive players, but not enough depth to sustain that level through four quarters, especially when the offense can't give them a breather. Caden Pinnick was miles from good, though he bounced back from mistakes the way you'd expect from a former Big Sky Freshman of the Year. The offense is still finding its way, and it's costing this defense. The solace? No more Power Four teams on the schedule. WSU should have one of the better defenses in the Pac-12. But as we saw Saturday, that doesn't matter much if the offense can't land a single counterpunch. For more on the special teams situation that didn't help matters, check out our piece on Max Dean's migraines making punting a game-time call. Go Cougs.
Kirby Vorhees banged up for Fresno; Trey Leckner likely good to go
Kirby Vorhees is banged up, and that changes the math for Washington State on Saturday. The Cougars' first Pac-12 availability report has the tailback listed as questionable with an upper-body injury from practice this week. Kirby Moore says he's "a little dinged up," which is coach-speak for "we'll see." Vorhees has been the most consistent piece of a run game that's still finding itself, and if he can't go, Maxwell Woods becomes the feature back. Woods has looked shifty all season, and Leo Pulalasi is there too, but it's not the same comfort level. The bigger headline might be Trey Leckner. He's probable, which means his season debut is finally in sight after missing spring ball, fall camp, and most of the year with that foot injury. He caught 24 balls last year and tied for third-most touchdowns by a tight end in WSU history. This offense has been missing a reliable middle-of-the-field target, and Leckner is exactly that. If he's close to ready, it's a real boost. The defensive end depth is thinner than a Pullman frost. Malachi Wrice and Mike Hughes are out, and that means Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk keep stacking snaps. They've played 184 each through four games. That's a lot of miles. Ben Beatty and Fernando Lecuona Jr. need to step up. Nylan Brown's foot injury sounds serious, maybe season-ending. That hurts the linebacker room, even if he's mostly been a special teams guy.
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.
Boise owns September, but the Cougs are still a question mark
Boise State owns September. That much is clear. The Broncos are sitting at 3-1, holding the inside track for that Group of Six playoff berth, and they've got the resume equity to survive a slip in conference play. They averaged 237 rushing yards per game this month. That's almost identical to their 2024 playoff run. You don't need a spreadsheet to see that. The Cougs? We're a question mark. 1-3, and we haven't faced a single Group of Six team yet. That changes Saturday against Fresno State, and frankly, we need the answer. The Hotline's hunch is that what we saw against Arizona will be substandard. I hope they're wrong, but I'm not betting against the data. The rest of the league is sorting itself out. Oregon State looks like a real contender. Fresno State finishes fast, which is a problem for us. San Diego State is a mess. Colorado State can't stop anybody. If you want to know where the Cougs are headed, keep an eye on Trey Leckner's return. That story is worth a read. But the bigger question is whether this team can hang with the rest of the conference. We'll find out Saturday. Go Cougs.
We hit the road to start Pac-12 volleyball season
Pac-12 volleyball is back, and the schedule is out. That means the nets are going up in Bohler, the bleachers are about to creak under a full house, and the Cougs are finally going to hit the floor for real. We hit the road to start the season, which is exactly how it should feel. Pullman isn't a place you just roll out of. It's a place you leave from, with a purpose. This team has that purpose written all over it. If you read our breakdown of the 2026-27 women's hoops schedule, you already know the conference is getting serious about planning. Volleyball is no different. The slate is set, the travel is real, and the competition is going to be fierce. Two quick strikes before the break were all Pullman needed last season to remind everyone what this program can do. That energy doesn't disappear. It carries. The Palouse is quiet until the first serve. After that, it's all business. We're not going to pretend every match is a walk. It isn't. But this is a team that knows how to grind. Go Cougs.
Pac-12 lays out 2026-27 women's hoops schedule for our Cougs
The Pac-12 finally dropped the full 2026-27 women's hoops schedule for our Cougs, and it's worth a look before you start planning your watch parties. Conference play kicks off in December, with the regular season wrapping up in early March before the tournament heads to Las Vegas. That's right, Vegas in March, same as the men, and it's about time the women get that treatment too. The schedule mixes in the usual home-and-home grind against familiar rivals like Oregon State and Washington, but the real test comes from the newer blood in the league. You'll want to circle the home opener at Beasley. That place gets loud for good reason, and these Cougs are hungry to prove last season wasn't a fluke. If you missed the volleyball slate dropping earlier this week, go back and read "Bohler's Back in Business" for a sense of how the whole athletic department is building momentum. Pullman is buzzing, and not just because the wheat is turning. This team has the pieces to make some noise. Charisma Osborne's leadership alone is worth the price of admission, but the young guards are going to surprise some folks. Get your calendar out. Mark the dates that matter. Go Cougs.
WSU and Gonzaga close league play with a Wednesday night showdown
The Cougs and the Zags will close out the new Pac-12 women's basketball regular season against each other on March 6, and it will be in Spokane at McCarthey Athletic Center. That's a Wednesday night showdown with some history behind it. The full conference schedule dropped Friday, and it's a clean 16-game slate for the eight-team league. Every team plays everyone home and away. Washington State opens league play at home against Texas State on Jan. 9. Gonzaga starts earlier, hosting Oregon State on Jan. 6. Times and TV are still TBD, which is the standard dance this time of year. The head-to-head numbers are what they are. Gonzaga leads the all-time series 14-7, and they swept all four meetings when these two shared the West Coast Conference the last two seasons. That stings. But this is a new league and a new chapter. The Cougs get one more shot at the Zags to close things out, and there's something fitting about that. For more on what's happening around the program, check out the update on Trey Leckner healing up fast and maybe finally seeing the field. Tight end room could use the help. Go Cougs.
Mouhamed Gueye traded buckets for defense, and it's working
Mouhamed Gueye walked into the NBA as a scorer. He's making his money as a stopper. That's the kind of pivot that keeps a second-round pick in the league, and after watching him play 77 games this season for Atlanta, it's working. Gueye averaged 14.3 and 8.4 at WSU. He was the guy. Then he got to the Hawks and realized everybody in the building can put the ball in the basket. So he figured out the other end. At 6-11 with a 7-3 wingspan, he can guard one through five. That's not a throwaway line. That's how you go from six games as a rookie to a rotation guy on a playoff team. The numbers won't jump off your phone screen, 4.4 points, 3.6 boards, but the Hawks don't need him to score. They need him to make life miserable for whoever he's guarding. He did that all season, and now Atlanta is the fifth seed in the East, headed to New York to open the playoffs Saturday. Gueye also keeps an eye on the Coug pipeline. Klay Thompson is still the standard, and Gueye says every time they see each other it's "Go Cougs." Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward are in Memphis. Isaac Jones is in Detroit. The fraternity is small, but it's growing. If you're tracking how WSU hoops is rebuilding, our story on the Cougs adding a big body from Northwestern is worth a read.
Naomi White's Week Was a Problem for Pac-12 Offenses, and the Conference Noticed
Naomi White spent a week making Pac-12 pitchers look like they were throwing beach balls in a windstorm, and the rest of the conference had to notice. When a hitter gets that locked in, it stops being about one game or one series. It becomes a message, and the message was loud and clear: figure this out or go home. White's production wasn't just a stat line; it was a statement, and it's the kind of week that turns a good season into a special one. You don't pitch around a player like that without paying for it, and you don't pitch to her without watching the ball leave the yard. Either way, the Cougs were the ones smiling. What makes this run even better is that it didn't happen in a vacuum. The team is clicking, and you can feel the momentum building across the athletic department. If you want to see that same energy carry over to the course, check out our piece on Cougar Women's Golf packing the clubs and heading to Wisconsin. It's a different kind of competition, but the focus and grit are the same. For White, the pressure is on now. Pac-12 pitchers are going to adjust, and they're going to come at her with their best stuff. But that's the fun part. She just proved she can handle it, and honestly, we're here for the encore. Go Cougs.
Wazzu's newest Coug comes from D-II, and he can fill it up
Pullman just watched its backcourt get a whole lot more interesting. Washington State landed Central Missouri transfer Lazerek Houston on Tuesday, and if you haven't seen the numbers yet, strap in. The 6-foot, 155-pound guard averaged 20.8 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists as a true freshman, shooting 46.2% from the floor and 37% from deep. That's not just filling it up; that's a full-blown breakout. Houston's debut was a 35-point eruption against Colorado School of Mines, and he added 11 assists and 4 steals for good measure. He cleared 30 points six more times, including a 34-point night against Northwest Missouri State. He's also a willing passer, dishing 12 dimes against Emporia State and 10 against Drury. The MIAA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors are nice, but the fact that DraftExpress's D2 model ranked him as the top Division II player in the portal? That's the kind of résumé that travels. Can he make the leap? Wazzu has seen this movie before. Jaylen Wells came from Division II and turned into the No. 39 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Houston doesn't need to be that, but if he's half as productive, Riley's got something. He's the second addition of the offseason, joining Manhattan transfer Fraser Roxburgh, and with 12 players gone from last year's roster, the Cougars need every bucket they can get.
Another Late Night Letdown as Cougs Can't Finish the Job at Gesa
That 14-0 lead felt like something, didn't it? Caden Pinnick punched one in on the ground, then Jackquintin Ball jumped a route and took it to the house. Gesa was loud. The old ghosts were stirring. Then Arizona remembered it had Noah Fifita and Tre Spivey, and the whole thing flipped. The Cougs hung around. Pinnick found Branden Ganashamoorthy for a 46-yard score late, cutting it to seven with seven minutes left. That's the part that stings. The defense got a stop, then couldn't push Arizona out of field goal range. Michael Salgado-Medina drilled a 51-yarder with two minutes left, and that was that. 34-24. This was the best effort of the year, which tells you where the bar is. Pinnick is now up to five turnovers in four games. The offensive line gave up three more sacks. The run game still isn't there. The secondary got torched for seven passes of 15-plus yards. All of that adds up to 1-3 and a lot of the same questions. The good news? Pac-12 play starts next week against Fresno State. First meeting in Pullman since 1994. The bad news is the same problems keep showing up. If you want to dig into how the offense left plays on the field, our story on Moore's unit has the details. 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.
Moore faces his old team as a new Pac-12 era begins in Pullman
Wazzu's own Kirby Moore gets a chance to turn around a 1-3 start Saturday night, and the storylines are too good to ignore. He's facing Fresno State, the program that gave him his first FBS job as receivers coach and offensive coordinator from 2017-22. That's the kind of drama that makes a Palouse fall evening worth the walk to Gesa Field. The Cougs are coming off a loss to Arizona that had a few bright spots, safety Jackquintin Bal's pick-six, punter Max Dean averaging 40 yards despite migraines, but also a whole lot of slog. WSU put up zero points in the third quarter. Caden Pinnick took his 10th sack of the season. The offense has turned the ball over seven times now, which is 119th in the country. That's not a stat you text home about. Fresno State, meanwhile, is rolling. They're 3-1 with the Pac-12's best defense so far, allowing just 19 points a game. Cornerback Simeon Harris has three interceptions already. Moore knows the challenge: "That's gonna be really important, to make sure we take care of the football." He's not wrong. If you want to dig into how WSU's defensive snaps piled up in that Arizona loss, our piece on "Second-half snaps tell the story of WSU's defensive breakdowns" lays it out. Go Cougs.