Oct. 12—PULLMAN — Here is a first look at Washington State's road game against Oregon State on Saturday afternoon.
What is it? Still looking for its first FBS win of the season, WSU (1-5, 0-2 Pac-12) heads to Corvallis to take on Oregon State (4-2, 2-0) in a matchup of the two legacy Pac-12 schools. The teams find themselves on opposite ends of the conference standings — the Cougars at the bottom, the Beavers at the top, using one of the country's most potent offenses to enter this matchup on a four-game winning streak.
It's a homecoming of sorts for Cougar defensive coordinator Trent Bray, who spent a large chunk of his coaching career with the Beavers, including as their head coach for the 2024 season and part of the 2025 campaign before being fired.
It will also be the first start for WSU QB Owen Eshelman, who is taking over the starting duties and replacing Caden Pinnick, Cougar coach Kirby Moore announced on Monday.
Where is it? Reser Stadium in Corvallis.
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 171/2-point underdog.
How did the Cougars fare last week? A lot had to happen for WSU to lose its road game against Utah State last weekend, but the Cougars pulled it off, blowing a two-score halftime deficit in a 17-16 defeat. The Cougs lost two fumbles, one from quarterback Caden Pinnick and one from tight end Jack Pedersen, both of which turned into Aggie touchdowns in the second half.
WSU, which scored only its fourth touchdown in five FBS games in this game, could not generate any consistent offense in the second half. After getting two field goals from kicker Jack Stevens and a long touchdown rush from Leo Pulalasi in the first half, that production vanished in the second, and the Cougars totaled just 64 total yards of offense in the final two quarters.
All told, it was more of the same from WSU and Pinnick, who is now one of only three quarterbacks in the country to attempt at least 150 passes and total less than 1,000 yards. That highlights one of the biggest flaws in his game, which has hampered his offense: He can't or won't stretch the field vertically, forcing the Cougars to try and grind out long drives, which has not been a recipe for success in the long run.
Pinnick was sacked three times in that game, which makes 21 times on the season, one of the highest marks in the country. Only two other teams have given up more. Complicating things on that front for WSU was an ankle injury to left tackle Ashton Tripp, who exited the game in the first quarter. He was replaced by Washington transfer Maximus McCree, who was dinged for two false start penalties.
On the other side of the ball, WSU's defense turned in another strong showing, getting one sack apiece from defensive tackle Jirah Leaupepetele and defensive end Linus Zunk, whose team held the Aggies to just two field goals in the first half. WSU held USU quarterback Grady Brosterhous to just 150 yards passing, including just one touchdown pass, but that score helped the hosts draw within one score. Late in the fourth quarter, after Pedersen coughed up a fumble, the Cougars were dealt a short field and couldn't keep the Aggies from taking the lead on a short touchdown rush.
In head coach Kirby Moore's first game calling plays, WSU did generate some offense in the first half, including grinding out a 15-play, 84-yard series. On those drives, Pinnick stayed within himself and trusted his playmakers. But the Cougars couldn't translate that to the second half.
Scouting Oregon State ... In head coach JaMarcus Shephard's first season, the Beavers have been one of the top surprises in all of college football, bursting onto the scene with one of the best offenses nationwide. Quarterback Braden Atkinson leads the country in both passing yards per game (376) and passing touchdowns (21), finding a reliable target in true freshman Jesse Legree, who is emerging as one of the best receivers in the country.
Legree, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week all six weeks of the season, will pose serious problems for the Cougar secondary. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, Legree has hauled in 38 catches for 932 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading the country in the latter two categories.
Fresh off a 66-14 dismantling of San Diego State, OSU can seemingly do no wrong. Running back AJ Newberry, a transfer from Vanderbilt, has tallied 326 rushing yards and three scores, while fellow tailback Cornell Hatcher Jr. has added 149 yards and three of his own touchdowns. Make no mistake: This is one of the country's best offenses.
"He's a really good player," Moore said of Legree. "You see him with the ball in space, obviously taking the top off a number of times as well. I think it's about playing team defense. Obviously, communication is gonna be really important: Where he's at, whether he's in the slot, whether he's outside, left, right. The pass rush has to help out the coverage. The coverage has gotta help out the pass rush. I think Coach Bray is doing a good job right now with our guys, making sure they're all on the same page."
The Beavers have also done well to involve their tight ends: Utah Tech tight end Eric Olsen has racked up 27 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns, while Central Michigan transfer DeCorion Temple has 20 receptions for 169 yards and two scores. Sprinkle in some production from receivers Aeyron Hampton and Aaron Butler, the latter a transfer from Texas, and you get the Beavers' high-powered offense.
What happened last time? In a rare scheduling quirk, WSU and Oregon State played twice last season, once in Corvallis and once in Pullman. The Beavers won their home matchup, 10-7, while the Cougars returned the favor in Pullman, winning that one 32-8.
This will be WSU's third time in the last three years playing in Corvallis.