No. 21 Boise State heads to Pullman this week with the numbers pointing one way and the recent quarterback switch pointing another.
Washington State’s offense hasn’t stacked up well in the Pac-12 standings, where the Cougars sit seventh in most major categories. But head coach Kirby Moore changed the look of the unit before last week’s game against Oregon State, benching Caden Pinnick and turning to redshirt freshman Owen Eshelman. The move paid off in Eshelman’s first start, even though Washington State still dropped a 48-30 decision on the road.
That sets up a Saturday matchup at 4 p.m. Mountain time between Boise State’s 5-1, 2-0 start and Washington State’s 1-6, 0-3 mark.
Boise State continues to lean on Maddux Madsen, who has completed 110 of 166 passes for 1,296 yards with 13 touchdowns and no interceptions. Washington State’s quarterback situation has been much more unsettled. Pinnick is 110 of 178 for 952 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions, while Eshelman has gone 32 of 49 for 289 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
The Broncos also bring a ground game that has been hard to ignore. Dylan Riley has carried 127 times for 835 yards and six touchdowns, and Sire Gaines has added 65 rushes for 354 yards and three scores. Washington State’s top rushing threat is Kirby Vorhees, who has 54 carries for 267 yards and two touchdowns.
In the passing game, Boise State has spread the ball around. Rasean Jones leads the way with 23 catches for 359 yards and one touchdown, while Matt Wagner has 22 receptions for 242 yards and four scores. Akeem Wright has chipped in 11 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown.
Washington State’s top receiving names include Branden Ganashamoorthy, who has 26 receptions for 343 yards and three touchdowns, and Daniel Blood, who has 26 catches for 266 yards and one touchdown.
On defense, Boise State’s Travis Anderson has 26 total tackles, three interceptions and one pass breakup. Boen Phelps has 35 tackles, one sack and one pass breakup, and Jayden Virgin-Morgan has 13 tackles, two sacks and one pass breakup.
Washington State is led by Keith Brown, who has 51 total tackles, one sack and one pass breakup. Jaylen Thomas has 30 tackles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.
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Boise State Has A Rare Chance If It Can Solve Washington State
Boise State heads into this matchup with a rare opportunity in front of it, the kind that can add a little extra weight to a midseason road trip. The Broncos are preparing for Washington State with the chance to do something they have not managed before in Pullman, and that alone gives the game a different feel than a typical nonconference date.
The Cougars have spent the week sorting through some changes on offense, with a new look under center and a different voice handling the play-calling. Even with those adjustments, Boise State is still dealing with a Washington State defense that has been sturdy enough to make life difficult, which means this trip likely comes down to whether the Broncos can stay composed and find answers in a place where they have yet to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Jeanty Gave Boise State Fans A Reason To Worry
Ashton Jeantys latest NFL outing offered Boise State fans a little bit of everything, including a reminder that even a rookie feature back can be fighting through more than the box score shows. In the Raiders 33-30 loss to the Bills, Jeanty handled 10 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown while also catching four passes for 36 yards, production that looked solid enough on paper even as the game context kept the ground attack from ever fully settling in.
The part that should have Broncos fans paying attention was the workload behind him. Mike Washington Jr. got more involved for Las Vegas and turned in the teams most effective burst on the ground with an 18-yard run, a sign that the Raiders are willing to keep other backs in the mix if Jeanty is not at full strength. With the former Boise State star trying to push through a plantar fasciitis flare-up, the next step in his early NFL season may be less about gaudy numbers and more about how much the Raiders ask him to carry. [Read more 🡒]