Kansas State’s defense spent the afternoon making Washington State look stuck in place, and Wendell Gregory was right in the middle of it.
The junior Oklahoma State transfer was a wrecking ball off the edge, finishing with two sacks, a tackle for loss and five total tackles as the Wildcats shut down the Cougar offense in a 42-7 win. Gregory accounted for three of Kansas State’s eight tackles for loss, and his pressure repeatedly blew up Washington State’s rhythm on third down.
One of Gregory’s biggest plays came in the second quarter, when he raced past WSU right tackle Jonny Lester and dropped quarterback Caden Pinnick for a sack on third down. The stop forced a punt and set up a Kansas State scoring drive that pushed the Wildcats ahead 17-0.
Gregory struck again early in the third quarter, slipping past Ashton Tripp on the right side for another third-down sack. That one led to a punt and then a K-State field goal that stretched the lead to 27-7.
Washington State did find one bright spot on defense in safety Jaylen Thomas, who made both Cougar interceptions and scored the team’s only points. The first-year Cougar, a San Jose State transfer, picked off Avery Johnson twice.
His first takeaway came earlier in the second quarter on an ill-advised fourth-and-8 throw near the left sideline, which Thomas read and returned 31 yards to the K-State 45. Washington State couldn’t capitalize, though, and quickly turned it over on downs.
Thomas’ second interception was the flash play. With time expiring in the first half, he blanketed a K-State receiver on an out route, jumped Johnson’s pass and took it 50 yards to the end zone. That return trimmed the Kansas State lead to 17-7.
Even with those turnovers, Washington State’s offense never got going. Kansas State held the Cougars scoreless on offense, limited them to 166 total yards and allowed just two third-down conversions. Thomas finished with four tackles.
In Other News...
Washington State's Budget Surge Comes With A New Cost Fans Can't Ignore
Washington States athletics budget is heading into 2026 with a rare bit of breathing room, projecting $86 million in revenue against $85.9 million in expenses for a slim $100,000 surplus. The numbers reflect a department that is growing on both sides of the ledger, with revenue and expenses each rising about 15 percent from the previous year as game day income, donor support and institutional backing all moved upward.
The biggest new line item is the one fans have heard plenty about across college sports: $5.4 million set aside for student-athlete revenue sharing after NCAA approval. Compensation remains the departments largest expense at $27 million, a reminder that Washington States financial picture is getting bigger and more complicated at the same time, with the pressure now shifting from simply balancing the books to making sure the new model holds together. [Read more 🡒]
WSUs Defense Delivered A Huge Spark But The Offense Didnt Follow
Washington State got the kind of first-half jolt every team hopes for when its defense starts dictating the game. Safety Jaylen Thomas picked off two passes against Kansas State, one of them turning into a 47-yard touchdown return, and the Cougars used that swing to stay in the fight while weather delays kept the rhythm choppy.
The problem was that the offense never matched the energy. Washington State managed only 84 yards before halftime and came away empty on a 37-yard field-goal try, leaving all that defensive work without much support. In a game shaped by the conditions, the Cougars showed they could create momentum on one side of the ball, but they still had to find a way to turn it into points. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Thomas Gave Washington State Life In A Brutal First Half
Washington State spent much of a brutal first half chasing the game against Kansas State, with the offense stuck on third down and the defense repeatedly giving up conversions of its own. The Cougars did not generate much rhythm through the air or on the ground, and special teams added to the frustration with a missed field goal and a long punt return that put them back on their heels.
Amid all of that, Jaylen Thomas was the one player providing real life. He intercepted two passes, one of them going the distance for a pick-six, giving Washington State something to hang onto while Caden Pinnick and the offense searched for answers. It was a rare stretch of momentum in a half that otherwise leaned heavily toward Kansas State, and it kept the Cougars from sinking even deeper before the break. [Read more 🡒]