Washington State
63 stories filed under Washington State on Wazzu. The newest of them: “The Cougar QB question looms large ahead of Utah State”, “Who starts at QB for WSU could decide the Utah State game”, and “Kirby Moore called his own shot. Now can his offense answer”. Six turnovers in five games. Friday night in Logan, the Cougs will go through all the same motions they always do. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Washington State story on Wazzu, newest first.
The Cougar QB question looms large ahead of Utah State
Six turnovers in five games. That's the Cougar QB situation right now, and it's the whole story heading into Logan. Caden Pinnick has thrown a pick in every start. He's also fumbled. That's not a trend you want to bring on the road. So the question isn't just who starts Friday, it's whether the leash is short enough to yank him if it happens again. Owen Eshelman hasn't played a meaningful snap. Julian Dugger can run but hasn't shown he can throw. None of these are comfortable answers. But here's the thing: Utah State's QB room has been worse. Their guys have taken 17 sacks and thrown 10 interceptions. That's worst in the country. So while our offense is a mess, their offense is a mess too. That puts the game on the defenses. Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk should have a day. Jaylen Thomas already has two picks this year. If the Cougar D can flip the turnover margin, we're at minus-5, they're at minus-7, this thing swings. Coach Moore is calling plays now, which Jack Pedersen backed up this week. We've got deeper coverage on that in "Kirby Moore called his own shot. Now can his offense answer." Worth a read before kickoff. For now, the take is simple: we don't know who's under center, but we know the defense has to carry. If they do, we've got a shot. If they don't, it's a long bus ride home. Go Cougs.
Who starts at QB for WSU could decide the Utah State game
Friday night in Logan, the Cougs will go through all the same motions they always do. Stretches. Warmups. Jumping jacks. Then the tunnel opens, and something will actually be different. Kirby Moore is taking over playcalling. That alone is a big shift for an offense that ranks near the bottom of the country in scoring. But the real question, the one that decides whether this season has a pulse, is who takes the first snap. Caden Pinnick has been turnover-prone, leading the nation in QB-fault sacks. Owen Eshelman has the arm but hasn't played in a meaningful way. Julian Dugger brings athleticism and hasn't seen much time either. Moore says everyone will get reps, and that the decision comes down to what they see in practice. That sounds like a coach keeping his options open, which is about all you can ask for at 1-4. The good news? Utah State's offense might be even worse. Ten interceptions. 13.3 points per game. Our defense should have a day. Linus Zunk and Matyus McLain ought to be licking their chops. But defense alone won't win this one. The offense has to answer. If Moore picks the right QB, and his new play sheet makes a difference, the Cougs might save the season before it slips into November. If not, bowl eligibility becomes a memory. For a deeper look at what Moore's move means, check out our story on why the Cougs are letting a new voice call plays in Logan. Go Cougs.
Kirby Moore called his own shot. Now can his offense answer
Kirby Moore called his own shot. He took the playcalling duties from his longtime friend and offensive coordinator Matt Miller, because the Cougs' offense has been floundering. Something had to change. Moore understood the urgency. Now comes the hard part: Does it work? We're heading to Logan on Friday night, 6 p.m. on the CW, to find out. And honestly? I'm not optimistic. The prediction here is Utah State 13, WSU 7. That's a tough score to swallow. Quarterback Caden Pinnick could look sharper with a new voice in his ear. Fewer turnovers. Cleaner decisions. But if the problems are more about Pinnick than the plays being called, the Cougs are in the same spot. And it's not just him. Receivers have dropped passes. Routes have come up short. The offensive line hasn't been perfect. The tight ends haven't helped in the passing game. Nobody in that unit gets a pass. But the head of the snake is the quarterback. If Pinnick isn't the answer, Owen Eshelman hasn't seen meaningful time, and Julian Dugger would have to prove he can hurt a defense with his arm. That's a thin bench against a Utah State defense ranked fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring. Moore made the right move. It just might not be enough. For more on why the Cougs are changing who calls the plays, check out "Why the Cougs are letting a new voice call plays in Logan." It's a deeper look at what went into this decision.
Why every WA high school helmet will carry No. 3 this week
Twenty thousand helmet stickers are hitting Washington high school football fields this week. Every one of them carries No. 3. That number belonged to Tyler Hilinski. He was a Washington State quarterback who died by suicide in 2018, with no visible signs of struggle. His parents, Mark and Kym, started Hilinski's Hope to make sure other families don't get that phone call without warning. The Washington State Football Coaches Association partnered with them, and with the Seattle Seahawks, to put those stickers on every helmet in the state. Tumwater coach Willie Garrow, who helped organize it, put it plain: "We're still dealing with 50 to 100 14-to-18-year-old boys. It's a good reminder that we have a greater responsibility than blocking and tackling." Abe Lucas, the Coug who now plays offensive line for the Seahawks, recorded a video that coaches will show their teams. There will also be a 10-second moment of silence at the start of the third quarter of every varsity game across Washington. That's a lot of silence, and a lot of conversations starting at once. This is what it looks like when a program keeps showing up after the tragedy. If you want to see how the current Cougs are handling their own business this week, check out "Cougs Take the Fight to Logan for a Friday Night Tilt." But this week, the biggest win might not have a scoreboard attached. Go Cougs.
Cougs Take the Fight to Logan for a Friday Night Tilt
Friday night in Logan. That's the kind of trip that separates the curious from the committed, and the Cougs are packing their bags for it. A short hop over the border, a hostile crowd, and a chance to do something loud on the road. This is exactly the kind of tilt that used to define these programs, and it's good to see it back on the schedule. You don't take a Friday night game lightly, especially not in that building. The Cougs know what they're walking into. We've spent plenty of time this season trying to make sense of the postseason picture, and if you haven't checked out our breakdown of the Pac-12 bowl math, you should. It's still a mess, but at least it's our mess. This game, though, is about the here and now. It's about showing up, playing physical, and leaving Logan with a win instead of excuses. The details matter, but the vibe is simple: Cougs on the road, under the lights, with something to prove. Nobody is pretending this is a marquee matchup for the neutral fan. But for us? This is the whole point of being a Coug. You show up for the ones that don't look glamorous on paper. You take the fight to their place and you see what you're made of. Pullman travels well, and Friday night should be no different. Go Cougs.
Pac-12 bowl math still makes no sense, but here's how Cougs fit
The Pac-12 bowl math is still a mess, but for once it might actually work in the Cougs' favor. The 2026 setup treats the legacy 12 schools like the conference never fell apart, grouping them together for most bowls while the new Pac-12 teams have their own deals. Washington State and Oregon State sit in both worlds. Legacy bowls pick first. So if the Cougs get to 8-4 or 9-3, they're looking at the Holiday or Sun Bowl. If they stumble to 6-6, they slide into the Poinsettia as a new Pac-12 team. That's not the worst fallback. Let's be honest: the Cougs are 1-4 right now. Kirby Moore just took over play-calling, which means he's owning the mistake at quarterback and coordinator. At least Trent Bray has the defense right. The path to six wins is narrow but not dead. If they find a rhythm, the Holiday Bowl in San Diego against an ACC team sounds a lot better than explaining to your boss why you need December 26 off for the Poinsettia. For more on the quarterback shuffle, check out "Three Quarterbacks Walk Into a Palouse Fall." It pairs well with this math problem. Go Cougs.
Wazzu taps FanWord AI to tell more Coug stories
Wazzu just made a smart bet on storytelling. We've tapped FanWord AI to help us tell more Coug stories, more of the research coming out of Pullman, more of the faces behind the work, and more of the weird, wonderful moments that don't fit a game recap. This isn't about replacing the humans who write this desk. It's about giving them a tool to dig deeper without burning out. We know what you're thinking: another tech thing. Fair. But FanWord is built for exactly what we do here, pulling signal out of noise, keeping the voice sharp, and letting us cover WSU without stretching the truth or the staff. We've seen too many small-town outlets fade because they couldn't keep up with the volume. We're not doing that. If you've been following along with our Pac-12 power rankings, you know we don't sugarcoat the gap. We also don't quit. This move is part of that same instinct, find a way to keep the stories coming, even when the roster is thin. The boo birds at Gesa Field last week reminded us that Cougs hold this program to a high standard. We hold ourselves to one, too. More stories. More Pullman. More WSU. That's the point. Go Cougs.
Citowicki and Carolan break down the Fresno State match for Wazzu soccer
Coug soccer is back in the Palouse and Fresno State is in town. Gabe Citowicki and Kim Carolan have the call for this one, and if you've listened to them before, you know they'll give it to you straight. No fluff, just the game. This is a Wazzu side that's been finding its rhythm, and a non-conference test like this tells you something about where the program's head is at. We've been tracking this team all season, including a look at how they've been moving on the grass in our piece *Cougs on the grass: WSU soccer finds its rhythm against Fresno State*. That one's worth a read if you want the full picture before kickoff. Citowicki and Carolan know the game and they know this program. They're not going to pretend a midweek non-conference match is the World Cup final. But they also won't let you miss the details that matter, the press, the spacing, the kid who just made a run you didn't see coming. That's the kind of coverage Pullman deserves. So grab a coffee, pull up the stream, and listen to two people who actually know what they're watching. Go Cougs.
Fresno State gets the edge but the Cougs fought until the final whistle
Fresno State got the final edge, but the Cougs made them earn every bit of it. That's the kind of fight you want to see from a team that refuses to fold, even when the scoreboard isn't kind. This wasn't a game where Washington State got pushed around and waved the white flag. They scraped, they clawed, and they left everything on the field. If you were watching, you saw a group that believed they could win until the very last whistle blew. That matters. A loss is a loss on the schedule, sure. But the way a team loses tells you more than the way it wins sometimes. This one tells you the Cougs have grit. They are not the kind of team that gets rattled when things get tight. They are the kind that makes you work for it. For a deeper look at how the team processed that final whistle, go check out "Kirby Moore and the Cougs Talk Fresno State After the Final Whistle." It gets into the mindset you saw on the field. For now, take this: the Cougs didn't get the result they wanted, but they reminded everyone what they are made of. That is not nothing. That is the foundation of something better. Go Cougs.
Cougs on the grass: WSU soccer finds its rhythm against Fresno State
The grass at the Lower Soccer Field is starting to feel like home again. WSU soccer has found its rhythm against Fresno State, and for a program that has spent the last few seasons searching for its footing, that matters. This isn't about style points or tournament résumés yet. It is about a team that looked comfortable, connected, and like they finally trust what they are building. Cougs on the grass is a good look. We have been writing a lot about how Washington State is finding ways to tell its own story better, check out our piece on Wazzu tapping FanWord AI to tell more Coug stories if you want to see how that plays out across the department. This soccer team is writing its own chapter right now, one shift at a time. You do not need to overthink this one. The Cougs showed up, played clean, and handled business against a Fresno State side that did not make it easy. That is the kind of win that does not make national noise but keeps a locker room believing. No grand pronouncements here. Just a solid afternoon of Cougar soccer and a team that looks like it knows what it wants to be. Go Cougs.
Three Quarterbacks Walk Into a Palouse Fall: Who Gets the Nod
Three quarterbacks, one Palouse fall, and an offense that ranks 130th in scoring. That's where the Cougs are right now. Caden Pinnick has the experience and the knowledge of the playbook. He also has six turnovers in five games and 18 sacks taken. You can't win that way. Owen Eshelman has the arm to stretch the field, but he's a redshirt freshman who has never taken a college snap. Throwing him into a road game at Utah State feels like asking for trouble. Julian Dugger can run like hell and showed it in the bowl game last year, but his pocket presence is shaky, and his passing resume is nine completions in two seasons. Kirby Moore is taking over playcalling. He's been here before, at Fresno State in 2022, his team started 1-4 and then won eight straight when Jake Haener came back. That's the hope. The question is whether anyone in this room can be that guy. The smart money might be on Dugger for a spark, but the Cougs need more than a spark. They need someone who can make the right read on third down and not make a bad play worse. That's what Moore keeps saying. We'll see Friday night. For more on how the Cougs got here, check out our breakdown from the Fresno State loss: "Fresno State gets the edge but the Cougs fought until the final whistle." Go Cougs.
Pac-12 power rankings leave little doubt about the gap ahead of WSU
The gap between the top three and the rest of the Pac-12 is a chasm, and the power rankings make it official. Boise State, Oregon State, and Fresno State are the class of the conference. Washington State? We're sitting at No. 7, and the takeaway from the rankings is brutal but fair: we don't have enough offense to secure a bowl berth, let alone sniff the championship game. It's one week into round-robin play, and the picture is already clear. The beauty of this eight-team league is everyone plays everyone, so there are no excuses. The defining dates are set: Boise State at Fresno State, Oregon State at Fresno State, and Oregon State at Boise State. The analytics favor the Broncos to sweep. Our hunch is they do. For the Cougs, the immediate concern is finding an offensive pulse. First-year coach Kirby Moore has no answers right now, and if that doesn't change in the next 19 games, Pullman will be in the market for a new coach. That's the hard truth. We've got deeper coverage on the situation, including a look at Moore taking over playcalls and what the Cougs need against Utah State this Friday. It's a short week, and the offense is MIA. Pullman is letting them hear it. Go Cougs.
Moore to Cougs after Fresno dud: The noise is fair, the fix is on us
Six points. One offensive touchdown all season. A stat line that puts WSU near the bottom of 138 FBS teams in just about everything that matters. Kirby Moore stood in the Gesa Field locker room and told his guys the noise is fair. He's right. It is. This offense isn't just struggling. It's historically bad. The Cougars haven't gone without an offensive touchdown twice in a season since 2008, and that's not company anyone wants to keep. Caden Pinnick has six turnovers, he's taking sacks he doesn't need to take, and he's bailing from pockets that are actually clean. The running backs got five carries in the second half. Five. For a group whose retention was supposed to be Moore's biggest offseason win, that's a head-scratcher. There were bright spots. Matyus McLain looked like a menace off the edge, and Jack Stevens drilling a career-long 50-yarder after a 1-for-5 start is a genuine feel-good story. But those are crumbs. Moore says the leadership group has to step up, and he's taking over playcalls. Good. Something has to change. The Cougs are 1-4 with a short week before Utah State, and our Pac-12 power rankings already have the gap drawn. The fix is on them. We'll see if they're actually willing to try something different, or if we're in for more of the same. Go Cougs.
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.
Palouse Hoops Is Back: Cougs, Vandals Set Two-Year Series
The Battle of the Palouse is back on the hardwood, and this time it's got a two-year guarantee. Washington State and Idaho have agreed to a home-and-home series, with the Cougs hosting at Beasley on Nov. 27 and the Vandals returning the favor early in the 2027-28 season in Moscow. That last part matters. The game hasn't been played in Moscow since 2021, when WSU won by a series-record 109-61. Idaho fans probably remember that one. They also remember last year, when the Vandals walked into Pullman and won 83-81. This rivalry is the oldest continuous college basketball rivalry in the country, running every year from 1906 to 2021. Then a Pac-12 rule killed the streak. The league wouldn't let its teams play opponents ranked too low in the NET over a five-year period. Idaho wasn't ranked high enough. So the series sat for a year. It came back in 2023, and now it's locked in for two more. WSU leads the all-time series 168-115. The Cougs are coming off a 12-20 season in their first year of the new Pac-12, with an overhauled roster. Idaho just won the Big Sky Tournament and made its first NCAA Tournament in 36 years, then lost most of its roster too. Both teams are rebuilding. That makes this year's game harder to call, which is exactly why you want to be there. If you're already thinking about hoops, check out the news that the Cougs get Duke in Palm Springs this November.
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.
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.
Cedric Coward's Summer League debut was worth the year-long wait
CEDRIC COWARD FINALLY PLAYED Summer League basketball, and he looked like a guy who's been doing this at a higher level for a year. The former Washington State wing dropped 17 and 10 in Memphis' one-point win over Chicago, and that stat line undersells it. He was the only double-double on the floor in a game featuring the No. 3 and No. 4 picks. That's the kind of night you wait a year for. Coward missed last summer recovering from the shoulder injury that limited his senior season in Pullman. He spent the actual NBA season finishing fifth in Rookie of the Year voting, starting 47 games for the Grizzlies. Now he's back in Vegas telling reporters the math is simple: six wins for a Summer League title. He wants the whole thing. Jaylen Wells was watching courtside, which is a nice visual for Coug fans who remember when those two were in the same uniform. For a deeper look at how another former Coug is finding his way in the league, check out our piece on Isaac Jones landing in Detroit after a mid-flight cut. Coward's got the confidence of a guy who's already proven it. He called his rookie teammate Cam Boozer 18 and said he's glad Boozer's on his side. That's the kind of veteran energy Memphis wants from him. The Grizzlies are running their Summer League defense through him, and he's responding. One game down. Five to go. 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.
Trey Leckner is healing up fast and might finally see the field
Trey Leckner is getting closer. That's the best news the Cougar offense has heard in weeks. The tight end from Snohomish has been out since summer with a foot injury. The early word was midseason. Now Kirby Moore says he's game-to-game after this weekend. That's a faster timeline than anyone expected. Moore said Leckner has been moving around in practice. That's not nothing. This matters because the passing game needs a jolt. The Cougs are 1-2 against FBS teams, and the offense has been stuck in neutral. Leckner caught 24 passes for three touchdowns last year. He's the best pass-catching tight end on the roster. Caden Pinnick and Matt Miller could use a reliable target over the middle. Jack Pedersen has been filling in, and he's fine. He's not Leckner. The Cougs host Arizona this Saturday, a night game under the lights. Leckner won't play. But if he's back soon, that changes the math. Read our piece on DJ Warner's Arizona roots for more on that matchup. Also worth watching: cornerback Jalil Tucker is a game-time decision. The secondary looked better against Duquesne when they moved Jamarey Smith to corner. And kicker Jack Stevens is 1-for-5 on field goals. Moore is sticking with him. That's loyalty. We'll see if it pays off. For now, the take is simple: Leckner healing fast is the best thing that's happened to this offense all month. Go Cougs.
Cougs need to prove the offense can show up against FBS defenses
If the Cougs can't score against FBS defenses, Saturday in Tucson is going to feel a lot like the last two weeks. One offensive touchdown and four turnovers across two games against that level of competition. That's not going to cut it against Arizona, even if the Wildcats have been generous enough to force only one turnover all season. The good news: the offensive line that just ran for 300 yards against Duquesne is back intact. They don't need to duplicate that number, but they need to make Arizona respect the run. If they can't, it's going to be a long day for whoever is taking snaps. On the other side, the defense needs to get to Noah Fifita. He's completing 80 percent of his throws. That's not a typo. But he's also taken eight sacks, and when he's pressured, his numbers drop. Jaylen Thomas already has a pick-six this season. Another one would help. The problem is Arizona ranks 18th nationally in pass blocking, so Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk have their work cut out for them. The Cougs have talked about being more detail-oriented since Week 1. They'll need every bit of that attention to detail to pull the upset. If you want a look at how things went sideways last time these teams met, check out our story from that game: "Arizona lands a punch Wazzu never quite answers." Go Cougs.
David Riley says next year's roster has more talent walking in than last year's
David Riley isn't sugarcoating last season. 12-20 stinks. He knows it. We know it. But he's got a new roster, and he's not shy about the upgrade. "We have a lot more talent walking in the door than we did last year," Riley said Friday. That's not coachspeak. That's a guy who watched his entire starting five walk out for a combined $10 million in NIL deals elsewhere. Ace Glass to Vanderbilt. ND Okafor to Mississippi State. All of them. Riley's take? He 10x'd their value. Good for them. But now he's got to win with the next wave. And the next wave is eleven newcomers. Nine from the portal, one freshman, one prep alum. Plus two returners. That's almost a full teardown and rebuild in one spring. Riley says the timing helped this time, players bailed early, so the staff had more runway to find replacements. Last year's chaos didn't repeat. The names are interesting. Sebastian Akins from Wake Forest is a physical guard who can score at all three levels. Lazerek Houston is a DII MVP with pro potential. Ladji Dembele brings a 7-2 wingspan from Iowa and UNLV. Riley thinks this group has higher confidence and higher talent than last year's haul. We'll see. But it's worth noting the Cougs also just scheduled Duke in Palm Springs for November. That's a measuring stick. And the Battle of the Palouse is back for two years, which means more games that actually mean something to people who live here.
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 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.