WSU’s second half comeback falls short, drop to 1-6 on the season

Washington State and Oregon State came into a classic Pac-12 matchup in opposite spots in the standings. Oregon State came in undefeated in Pac-12 play, while WSU was looking to pick up their first win in conference play. 

Both teams would keep their current form, as Oregon State was able to cruise to a relatively comfortable 48-30 win.  

WSU (1-6, 0-3 in Pac-12) lost the coin toss, OSU (5-2, 3-0) elected to defer, and Owen Eshelman and the WSU offense would be immediately thrust into the spotlight at the 35-yard line after the opening kickoff went out of bounds.

Eshelman’s first pass attempt of his college career fell incomplete; it was followed by a 1-yard run from Maxwell Woods. On 3rd and 9, Eshelman’s pass hit the hand of a wide-open Branden Ganashamoorthy, but he was not able to hold on, resulting in a WSU three and out on the first drive of the game. 

Braden Atkinson and the high-powered Beaver offense would start their day on their own 37-yard line. Atkinson would take the first snap for a 10-yard QB keeper. Two incomplete passes to Heisman candidate Jesse Legree lead to a 3rd and 10. After a third straight incompletion, the WSU defense was able to get off the field and return the ball back to the offense. 

The second WSU drive started just like the first. An incomplete pass and a short run by Woods. On 3rd and 8, Eshleman tried scrambling but was brought down a yard short of the line to gain. Yet another failed third-down conversion. A long punt from Max Dean was returned to the OSU 38-yard line, setting up the OSU offense with good field position again on their second drive of the game. 

The explosive OSU offense couldn’t be held in check forever; a first-play 19-yard run from AJ Newberry started the drive, and after marching to the WSU one-yard line, Jake Reichle punched it into the end zone for the Beavers for the early 7-0 lead.

Eshelman’s first collegiate completion went to Daniel Blood for an 8-yard gain to kickoff the third WSU drive. Eshelman would follow it up by displaying his running ability with a 10-yard keeper. It felt like the WSU offense was starting to get into a groove. Three plays later, WSU was faced with a 4th and 1 from the OSU 48-yard line, but Kirby Moore opted to punt the ball back to OSU instead of going for it. 

On the very next play of the game, the Beaver offense made that decision to punt pay. Atkinson connected with a wide-open Legree downfield that he would house for a 90-yard touchdown, putting the Cougs down 14-0. The decision not to go for it on fourth down, a costly one and in the end, resulted in a 14-point swing against the Cougs.

A familiar three-and-out for a struggling WSU offense again gave the ball back to the most dangerous offense in the Pac-12. The defense was able to stop the driving Beaver offense to force a 48-yard field goal attempt. Caleb Ojeda drilled the kick to make it a three-score game. 

WSU got the ball back in desperate need to stop the bleeding and get some points on the board. After a few positive plays, a nice pass from Eshelman that he was able to squeeze between two Beaver defenders, followed by a roughing the passer call, set WSU up at the OSU 12-yard line. After a wildcat snap to Julian Dugger went a three-yard rush, WSU was in prime scoring position with a first down at the OSU two-yard line. Kirby Vorhees took a direct snap for a yard on first down, and Eshelman couldn’t connect with Ganashamoorthy on second down. Dugger reentered the game for an option to play that Tank Hawkins was not able to get into the end zone on the pitch back from Dugger. Facing another critical fourth down decision, Moore elected to play it safe and send out his special teams unit. Jack Stevens knocked home the easy 19-yard field goal to make it a 17-3 game.

The Beaver offense would get right back to work. After driving 47 yards, Oregon State was faced with a 3rd and 12 from the WSU 32-yard line. An incomplete pass to Legree forced a 46-yard field goal attempt. Ojeda was true from 46, pushing the lead to 20-3. 

With some positives from their first scoring drive behind their back, the WSU offense was hoping to keep the momentum rolling. A first down holding call ended up being too much for WSU to overcome, and they had to send Max Dean out for his fifth punt of the first half. Moore had again opted to punt the ball near the 50-yard line on a 4th and 3.

Moore was again punished for putting the ball from around midfield. In what felt like deja vu, Oregon State scored an 88-yard touchdown on a short pass to AJ Newberry on the first play of the drive. WSU was down 27-3, and things were already getting away from the Cougs. 

For the third time in the half, WSU was faced with a fourth and short from near the 50-yard line. This time, Moore decided to keep the offense on the field and was rewarded as Eshelman and Ganashamoorthy were able to connect to keep the drive moving. 

The decision to go for it paid off in even bigger ways as Eshelman and Ganashamoorthy connected for a beautiful 40-yard touchdown in the air. 

Oregon State received the ball coming out of halftime, but the Cougar defense was able to get off the field after giving up just one first down. 

The Cougar offense would get the ball back with a chance to make it a two-score game. The offense would not be able to cut the lead, again going three-and-out. 

WSU appeared to force a three-and-out of their own on the following drive, but a late flag was thrown on Ben Beatty for roughing the passer, gifting Oregon State a first down. The Beaver offense would accept the gift, and an eventual Jesse Legree touchdown catch would put them up 34-10. 

The following drive would see Moore get more aggressive and opt to go for it on 4th and 1 from his own 34-yard line, and the offense would again convert with another Eshelman to Ganashmoorthy connection. That would set up a 22-yard run from Eshelman, who was showing a real ability to use his legs to escape pressure. 

A 23-yard pass to Blood set up WSU with a first and goal. On second down, it appeared WSU had scored its second touchdown of the game, but there was a flag on the play for a hold. Eshelman would take a shot at the end zone on the following play and draw a pass interference call. WSU again had the ball in a goal-to-go situation. 

Dugger would come in again from the three-yard line out of a wildcat formation and score. WSU opted to go for a two-point conversion to try to cut the lead to two possessions but was unsuccessful on the attempt. 

The number one scoring offense in the Pac-12 would get its second straight touchdown drive, going 62 yards, capping it off with a 4th and 1 touchdown run from Reichle for his second touchdown of the game. 

On the ensuing WSU drive, Eshelman wowed with one of the longest plays of the WSU season with a 41-yard keeper as he eluded Beaver defenders left and right.

A defensive pass interference call would get the WSU offense into the red zone. Eshelman was then able to find Blood in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. Overall a really solid drive from Eshelman, who appears to have the quarterback job locked up going forward. 

OSU punted the ball back to WSU, and Eshelman was able to add on to his impressive day, capping off a 15-play, 3:59-minute drive with a 19-yard touchdown run. 

After a failed onside kick attempt from the Cougs, OSU would twist the knife with one last touchdown on a 16-yard run from Cornell Hatcher Jr.

In the end, WSU’s second half comeback attempt would come up short. WSU falls to Oregon State 48-30 and now drops to 1-6 on the season. 

Looking at next week, WSU faces another top Pac-12 team as they host Boise State in Pullman. The Broncos are coming off of a bye week and look the part of a true College Football Playoff contender. Eshelman and the Cougar offense will need to continue the positive momentum, while the defense looks to clean up some things if they want to pull off a massive upset over Boise State.