Fresno State walked into Pullman and left with a 26-6 win, and Washington State’s offense never came close to finding the end zone.
That was the headline in Martin Stadium on Family Weekend, where a solid crowd turned out for a mid-70s afternoon and had plenty to get into early. Instead, the Cougars spent most of the day chasing the game, and by the end of it they had dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
The first half was a slog from the start. Washington State didn’t register a first down in the opening quarter, and Fresno State still couldn’t fully cash in on its chances. The Bulldogs got inside the Cougars’ five-yard line twice and came away without touchdowns both times.
One of those trips ended with a false start on 4th and 1, which pushed Fresno State back and led to a chip-shot field goal. The atmosphere inside the stadium mattered early, too, with the crowd giving Washington State a lift. The pregame presentation drew plenty of energy as well, from the red, white, and blue during the national anthem to the lights-off, phones-on moment for “Back Home.”
Washington State finally pulled even before halftime when Jack Stevens DRILLED a 50-yarder to cap a decent two-minute drive from Pinnick and the offense. That made it 6-6 at the break, which was about as good as things got for the Cougars.
The second half turned quickly. Washington State received the opening kickoff and immediately went backward with a sack and an inside handoff on third down.
From there, the offense never really recovered. A fumble on the first play of a later drive helped set up Fresno State’s touchdown that made it 13-6, and the rest of the night belonged to the Bulldogs.
Washington State’s defense kept fighting, and in some ways it kept the final score from getting uglier. Fresno State spent a lot of the second half with the ball, controlling possession 35:59 to 24:01, and the Cougars were left with one stalled drive after another. WSU finished 3-for-14 on third down, 0-for-2 on fourth down, and with just 30 rushing yards.
By the time it was over, Washington State had fewer than 150 yards of offense. Caden Pinnick went 21-of-34 for 152 yards and an interception, and the offense looked stuck in neutral from start to finish.
That’s the part that will sting most for Coug fans. This wasn’t a road loss against a powerhouse.
It came at home, on Family Weekend, in front of a crowd that showed up ready to make noise. And after five weeks of football, the concerns around the offense are getting louder.
Kirby Moore and Co. have already dealt with a brutal schedule, Tony Freeman going down ten plays in, injuries at tight end, and now Vorhees. None of that changes what happened Saturday night, though. Washington State cannot look this flat at home and expect to keep pace.
Next weekend brings another big test in Logan, where both teams will be desperate for a win. Utah State is coming off a 37-18 loss in Boise and also sits at 1-4.
In Other News...
Washington State Suddenly Has An Offense Crisis Kirby Moore Can't Ignore
Washington States Pac-12 opener turned into a long night in Fresno, where the Cougars managed just six points in a 26-6 loss and came away with more questions than answers on offense. The defense did enough to keep the game from getting completely out of hand, and Jack Stevens gave the team a small bright spot by knocking through both of his field-goal attempts, but the bigger issue was clear from the start: Washington State could not find any rhythm putting points on the board.
Kirby Moore said the offense will be reevaluated before the next game against Utah State, and that can mean more than just a few tweaks around the edges. When a coach opens the door to possible changes at quarterback or even at play-caller, it signals a deeper level of concern, and the Cougars now have a short week to sort out what needs fixing before the next kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Cougars Already Have A Crowd Problem After An Ugly Conference Debut
Washington States first Pac-12 game of the season did not go the way anyone around the program wanted, with Fresno State handing the Cougars a 26-6 loss in a flat conference debut. It was the kind of opener that leaves more questions than answers, especially for a team trying to establish itself early and give its fan base something to latch onto.
The aftermath only added to the uneasy feeling. The Cougars offensive players did not speak to the media after the game, leaving head coach Kirby Moore as the lone available voice, while the performance and the reaction from fans quickly turned the spotlight toward bigger concerns about where this team is headed. After a night like that, the conversation in Pullman is no longer just about one loss, but about whether the start of conference play has already exposed a troubling ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Faces An Early Offensive Problem It Cannot Ignore
Washington States first-half offense in its Pac-12 opener at Martin Stadium was stuck in a place the Cougars cannot afford to linger, with little rhythm and even less production. The unit managed just 116 yards before halftime and had to settle for two Jack Stevens field goals, including a 50-yarder that tied the game at 6-6, a sign that the defense and special teams were doing their part while the offense searched for answers.
Caden Pinnick finished the half 11 of 16 for 82 yards, but the numbers did not tell the whole story, as several throws missed their mark and the drive-killing sack added to the frustration. For a team trying to set the tone in league play, the bigger concern is not just the score but whether Washington State can clean up the execution quickly enough to keep this from becoming a familiar problem. [Read more 🡒]