Oct. 19—PULLMAN — Here is a first look at Washington State's home game against No. 21 Boise State on Saturday afternoon.
What is it?
Still looking for its first FBS win of the season, WSU (1-6, 0-3) returns home for the first time in three weeks to host No. 21 Boise State (5-1, 2-0), which was idle last week. It's the Cougars' and Broncos' first time meeting in Pullman since 2017, when the late Tyler Hilinski came off the bench to lead WSU to a triple-overtime win.
It's a full-circle moment for WSU coach Kirby Moore, who played for the Broncos from 2009-13, which is also when he met quarterbacks coach Matt Miller and formed many of the connections that he uses today.
Where is it? Gesa Field in Pullman.
When is it? Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
Where can I watch it? USA Network will broadcast the game.
Who is favored? WSU opened as a 14-point underdog.
How did the Cougars fare last week?
In a 48-30 loss to Oregon State, WSU redshirt freshman quarterback Owen Eshelman got his first start, completing 32 of 49 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns and one late interception in garbage time. He also racked up 136 rushing yards on 15 carries, sparking the Cougs' offense to its most points against an FBS opponent all season.
The Cougars' offense looked much improved, at least in the passing game, but it wasn't enough to upset the Beavers and their prolific offense. OSU QB Braden Atkinson piled up 347 passing yards and three touchdowns, including a 90-yard strike to freshman Jesse Legree and an 88-yard completion to receiver AJ Newberry, both of which came after the Cougars elected to punt on fourth-and-short near midfield — making Moore pay for his conservative approach.
After those plays, WSU couldn't climb out of an early hole, trailing 17-0 before the visitors got on the scoreboard with a short field goal from kicker Jack Stevens. The Cougars pulled to within three scores on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Eshelman to receiver Branden Ganashamoorthy, who finished with career highs in both receptions and receiving yards, but it was too little too late for Washington State.
"I would just say we lost there," WSU cornerback Khamari Terrell said. "It wasn't really we got beaten there. Just a little technical, little details. The look that we got and that they scored on, we've got multiple times in practice, just doing the little details. And the technique part, just staying on top and just executing there."
Eshelman may have looked sharp on the ground, but it was another slow day for the WSU running back trio of Maxwell Woods, Kirby Vorhees and Leo Pulalasi, who combined for just 26 rushing yards on 13 carries. Against FBS opponents this year, they are averaging only 52 yards per game, a far cry from the elite trio they were projected to be headed into the season.
"The tailbacks need to be able to run the ball better, but that starts up front," Moore said on Monday. "We gotta block better, and we gotta have our hands inside. We gotta win our one-on-one matchups. We gotta put the ball in the corner in the safeties, and then from a running back standpoint, we gotta make people miss as well. So it's a combination of things there, but we gotta do a much better job."
Scouting Boise State...
Under head coach Spencer Danielson and veteran quarterback Maddux Madsen, the Broncos have followed a season-opening loss to Oregon with five straight wins, most recently a 38-31 win over Fresno State on Oct. 10. That has landed Boise State squarely in the discussion for the College Football Playoff.
The strength of the Broncos' team is their rushing attack, which is averaging 235 yards per game, ninth nationally and second in the Pac-12. Running back Dylan Riley ranks second in the country with 139 yards per game, totaling six touchdowns on the ground, and fellow tailback Sire Gaines has provided an additional three scores and 354 yards. Those two have spearheaded the Broncos' offense all season.
In his third season as BSU's full-time starting QB, Madsen has taken phenomenal care of the ball, throwing zero interceptions and 13 touchdowns. He's completed 110 of 166 passes (66%) for 1,296 yards. He's also only taken five sacks, an impressive feat from the Broncos' offensive line, which has only been responsible for three sacks according to Pro Football Focus.
The Broncos' ground game has become so dangerous in part because their running backs are hard to bring down. Riley has forced 28 missed tackles, according to PFF, which is second in the Pac-12. Gaines isn't far behind, with 18. Combined with Madsen's ability to avoid turnovers — BSU has lost only three turnovers, tied for second-fewest nationally — and you get a machine of an offense.
"They've got a really good front," Moore said. "They have a good scheme. They've got good backs. They put the ball in the corner, and a lot of times the back makes the corner miss, whether it's a move or he breaks a tackle, and both those guys, Sire Gaines as well. They both do a really good job with the ball in their hand."
What happened last time?
In a 2024 matchup in Boise, former Bronco running back Ashton Jeanty ran ragged over the Cougars, piling up 259 yards and four touchdowns, boosting his Heisman Trophy case. The Cougars were within one score early in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos ran away with three straight touchdowns.