Washington State doesn’t need style points against Duquesne on Saturday afternoon. It needs a clean, convincing reset.
The Cougars return to Pullman as massive 37.5-point favorites in their home opener, a number that says as much about Duquesne’s struggles as it does about Washington State’s own issues. The Dukes have been near the bottom of the FCS in several major categories this season, including scoring offense and scoring defense, and they’ve already been outgained by an average of 527 yards per game against FBS Air Force and FCS power Youngstown State.
That creates a simple mandate for WSU: get ahead early and make this one look easy. There may not be a margin large enough to completely soothe concerns about offensive coordinator Matt Miller or the Cougars’ offensive line, which sits last in the country in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking grades. Still, this matchup gives Washington State a chance to show something sharper than what it has put on tape so far.
A few things need to happen for that to count as progress. Caden Pinnick has to get more comfortable on third down, where the Cougars have been among the worst teams in the nation.
The protection has to hold up long enough to keep him upright and operating from the pocket. The running game has to show up, too, and the receiving corps needs production from players like Daniel Blood and Tank Hawkins, especially with Tony Freeman out injured.
If Washington State can check those boxes and keep Duquesne from finding the end zone more than once or twice, it can walk away with something more valuable than just a win. It can start rebuilding momentum around the program before Arizona comes back to Pullman next weekend for a primetime CBS game.
In Other News...
WSU Fans Face A Gameday Beer Squeeze At Gesa Field
Washington State has started rolling out its 2026 gameday details at Gesa Field, and for fans planning a fall Saturday, the beer menu is part of the picture. The school and Aramark have released the list of available beers and pricing for the upcoming football season, with domestic options costing a little more than they did in 2025. Alcohol sales will be spread across 14 locations around the stadium, alongside the usual game-day updates on parking, entry policies and transportation for the home opener.
For fans on the North side, though, the drink plan comes with a few extra constraints. Alcohol will not be sold everywhere on the North Concourse, and designated areas have been set aside for those seated there to consume alcohol. Its the kind of small but noticeable gameday wrinkle that matters because it shapes how fans move, where they gather and how smooth the experience feels once the crowd starts filing in. [Read more 🡒]
WSU Volleyball Showed Serious Fight In A Match Cougs Will Discuss
Washington States volleyball team found plenty to build on even in a five-set loss to Long Beach State at Bohler Gym, turning in one of its grittier performances of the season. The Cougars piled up 20 total blocks and got strong production from Mary Healy, who led the team in kills and points, while Naomi White added a career-high 10 blocks to anchor the net defense.
There were also several individual season and career highs scattered through the night, the kind of contributions that can make a close defeat feel more like a marker than a setback. The result still stings, but it left WSU with enough evidence of fight and depth to make the next one against Fresno State worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Washington States Biggest Early Problem Still Isnt Going Away
Washington States home opener offered a few signs of progress on offense, enough to make the first-half lead feel like a step in the right direction. Maxwell Woods broke off a 45-yard Wildcat run, Caden Pinnick added a 19-yard touchdown run, and the Cougars went into halftime ahead 14-7 after showing more burst than they had at times early on.
Still, the bigger concern remained on the other side of the ball, where Duquesne kept finding room on the ground. The Dukes backs piled up 113 yards on 19 carries in the first half, a problem area that had already been hard to ignore and one Washington State was still trying to sort out even with the scoreboard in its favor. [Read more 🡒]