Pac-12 play is finally here for Washington State, and the Cougars get it started at Martin Stadium against a Fresno State team that comes in at 3-1.
This is the first true Pac-12 game at Martin Stadium since WSU beat Colorado and Deion Sanders back in 2023, a matchup best remembered for Brennan Jackson’s two touchdowns. Now the Cougars turn to a Bulldogs team that has padded its record after a rough opening night.
USC shut out Fresno State 39-0 to start the season, but the Bulldogs have won three straight since then against Sacramento State, San Jose State and Rice. All three of those teams are FBS schools, though all three sit in the bottom 18 of ESPN’s FPI.
That matters because Washington State has already spent time this season dealing with three talented, experienced quarterbacks. Fresno State is bringing a much less proven one. Jayden Mandal has put up solid numbers, completing 67 of 104 passes for 789 yards with six touchdowns and one interception, but the level of resistance he has seen since the USC loss has not been especially stiff.
Matt Entz is in his second season leading Fresno State and has had success, but the Bulldogs have also been overwhelmed in the only true test they’ve faced so far.
Mandal has help around him. Rayshon "Speedy" Luke and Bryson Donelson have each topped 100 rushing yards in a game this season, with Luke doing it last week against Rice. Luke also had a strong day against the Cougars in 2023 while he was at Arizona, carrying 10 times for 71 yards and a touchdown.
At receiver, Josiah Freeman is the veteran target to know with 18 catches for 261 hashes, while Ezekiel Avit has been the big-play threat, averaging 21.8 yards per reception.
Defensively, Simeon Harris has been a problem for opposing quarterbacks with three interceptions already. Tytus Khajavi leads the team with two sacks, and K’vion Thunderbird is out front with 32 tackles.
Freeman looks like the matchup that could shape this one. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, he brings a size advantage that can stress a secondary, and WSU does not have that same kind of body type in its defensive backfield. That makes safety help and bracketing the likely answer if the Cougars want to keep him from winning isolated matchups.
There are also a few familiar faces in this game. Fresno State offensive lineman Jonah Leaupepetele is the brother of Cougar defensive tackle Jirah Leaupepetele.
Offensive lineman Brayden Walton was once committed to Washington State in the class of 2025. And co-defensive coordinator Adam Breske spent 2022 at WSU as a defensive quality control coach; he is also the son of former Cougar defensive coordinator Mike Breske.
The numbers on Fresno State’s defense tell an interesting story. The Bulldogs are 114th in yards allowed, giving up 403 per game, but they are giving up just 19 points per game, which ranks 40th nationally. Washington State, by comparison, is allowing 24.8 points per game, good for 84th in the country, while giving up 380.3 yards per game, which ranks 102nd.
One other key question: how does WSU handle Harris? If Fresno State’s lockdown corner is matched up against one of the Cougars’ receivers, getting separation is going to be difficult. Washington State could try to steer Darrius Clemons, Tank Hawkins, Daniel Blood or Branden Ganashamoorthy away from him, or it could simply keep the offense rolling as usual.
In Other News...
Kirby Moores Washington State Debut Comes With Real History Attached
Kirby Moores first season at Washington State arrives with more weight than a standard coaching debut, because the matchup on the other sideline also carries its own layers. Fresno State comes in under second-year coach Matt Entz, a proven winner who built his reputation at North Dakota State, and the Bulldogs have already shown the kind of balance that can make a September or early-season test feel much bigger than the calendar suggests.
There is also some familiar coaching overlap in the backdrop, with Moore now trying to put his own stamp on the Cougars after stops as an offensive coordinator at Fresno State and Missouri. Meanwhile, Fresno State has gotten important recent production from quarterback Jayden Mandal and running back Rayshon Luke, giving the Bulldogs a steadier profile as Moore steps into a game that connects his present job to parts of his past in more than one way. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Bal Is Forcing A Bigger WSU Role Than Anyone Expected
Jackquintin Bal did not arrive at Washington State with the kind of fanfare that usually comes with a season-shaping defensive piece, but he has worked his way into that conversation fast. The Arizona State transfer has started the last three games for the Cougars, and his snap count has climbed each week as he has become more comfortable in the defense. He also leads the team with nine tackles and turned in one of the defenses biggest plays of the year with a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown against Arizona.
What makes Bals rise more interesting is how steady it has been. Pro Football Focus credits him with missing only two tackles all season, which fits with the kind of reliability Washington State has needed while dealing with an injury to another player in the secondary. Kirby Moore has praised Bals mindset and the way he has handled the opportunity, and for the Cougars, his emergence has started to look less like a fill-in and more like a role they will have to keep finding room for. [Read more 🡒]
WSU Could Get A Big Offensive Boost At The Perfect Time
Washington State may be getting a timely lift on offense as it heads into the Fresno State game, with tight end Trey Leckner trending the right way after a foot injury. What looked like a longer wait has moved faster than expected, and coach Kirby Moore said Leckner should take part fully in practice this week, with a chance to work back into the lineup as a starter.
For the Cougars, the timing matters. The offense could use another dependable target and another layer in the passing game, especially with a road test on deck, while the defense is still managing uncertainty of its own with starting cornerback Jalil Tucker not yet settled in after his injury. If Tucker cannot go, WSU may have to lean on the same defensive rotation it has been using, making Leckners possible return even more significant. [Read more 🡒]