Washington State will open at home Saturday as a heavy favorite, but the Cougars are still trying to find their footing after a rough two weeks to start the season.
WSU is listed as a 38 1/2-point favorite over Duquesne at Gesa Field in Martin Stadium in Pullman, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.
Pacific time, and the game will air on USA Network. The over/under is 53 1/2 points.
The Cougars are 0-2 in actual games, and they’ve only put up 17 points combined in those first two outings. Last weekend at Kansas State, Washington State entered as a 17 1/2-point underdog and came away with a 34-7 loss in Manhattan, Kansas. That game ended with just 166 total yards and no touchdowns for WSU.
A week earlier, in the season-opening Apple Cup against then-No. 17 Washington in Seattle, the Cougars were 23 1/2-point underdogs and lost 24-10.
First-year WSU coach Kirby Moore kept the focus on the simplest part of the equation.
“At the end of the day, we have to score more points,” first-year WSU coach Kirby Moore said. “That is how you win games.”
Duquesne comes in as an FCS opponent the Cougars have never faced before, just like Kansas State last week. The Dukes are also dealing with an unusual travel stretch. This will be the first time they’ve made two trips out of the Eastern time zone in the same season, and it’s their second such trip in three weeks after opening at Air Force.
Moore also pointed to Duquesne’s 0-2 record and urged caution about reading too much into it. The Dukes dropped three of their first four games last season before finishing 6-2 over their final eight and closing out 2025.
Elsewhere across the Pac-12 slate Saturday, all eight teams are in action. The early betting lines include North Texas at Texas State (-3), Utah State (+28.5) at No.
17 Utah, South Dakota at Boise State (-24.5), James Madison at San Diego State (-2.5), Montana at Oregon State (-17.5) and Fresno State (-6.5) at San Jose State. All times are Pacific time.
In Other News...
WSU Finally Found Its Offense But One Concern Still Lingers
Washington State finally got the kind of home opener it was looking for at Martin Stadium, rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a burst of offense that took over in the third quarter. The Cougars scored three touchdowns in that period alone, with quarterback Caden Pinnick and running back Kirby Vorhees both turning in strong performances as Kirby Moore picked up his first win as a head coach.
The win gave Washington State a much-needed jolt and offered a clearer look at an offense that can lean on the ground game when things are clicking. Still, not everything came together cleanly, and the kicking game remains a source of concern after Jack Stevens had accuracy issues that stood out even in a lopsided result. [Read more 🡒]
Washington States Biggest Early Problem Still Isnt Going Away
Washington States home opener offered a few signs of life on offense, with the Cougars taking a 14-7 halftime lead over Duquesne after leaning on the ground game. Maxwell Woods supplied a 45-yard Wildcat burst, and Caden Pinnick finished off a 19-yard touchdown run, a couple of plays that at least gave the offense a little more rhythm than it had shown at times before.
Still, the early concern around the Cougars has not gone away, because Duquesne kept finding room on the ground. The Dukes answered with a 1-yard quarterback keeper from Carson Camp, and their backs piled up 113 yards on 19 carries in the first half, a reminder that Washington States defense still has work to do even when the scoreboard is in its favor. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Built Exactly The Momentum Fans Wanted Before Arizona
Washington State got exactly the kind of response it needed before Arizona, shaking off an early tie and rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a barrage of points that turned a tense start into a runaway finish. After the Dukes pulled even at 7-7, the Cougars ripped off 41 unanswered points, with Caden Pinnick steering the offense and piling up 196 passing yards, two touchdown throws, 76 rushing yards and another score on the ground.
The win had a little of everything for a team looking to build confidence at the right time. Kirby Vorhees added a rushing touchdown, while Jaylen Thomas and Tank Hawkins each delivered punt return touchdowns, giving Washington State impact plays in every phase and a reminder that the margin for error can get awfully thin for opponents when the Cougars start stacking momentum. [Read more 🡒]