Washington State had a few bright spots in Manhattan, but Kansas State controlled the afternoon and handed the Cougars a 37-7 loss on Saturday.
The biggest spark for WSU came from Jaylen Thomas, who turned in a rare takeaway-filled performance. He finished with two interceptions for 81 return yards, and one of them went the distance for a touchdown.
Thomas also added four tackles, giving the Cougars a defensive highlight in a game that otherwise belonged to the Wildcats. Isaiah Hung led Washington State with eight tackles, while DJ Warner posted a career-high six and Jackquintin Bal matched that with a career-best four.
Offensively, the Cougars never found much rhythm. Caden Pinnick completed 9 of 20 passes for 65 yards, and Kirby Vorhees led the ground game with 45 yards on 11 carries. Darrius Clemons was the top receiver with 27 yards on three catches.
Washington State’s best early chance came on its opening drive. Pinnick connected with Branden Ganashamoorthy and Maxwell Woods to move the Cougars to the Kansas State 19, but Jack Stevens’ 37-yard field goal try was blocked with 1:35 left in the first quarter. By then, Kansas State had already put together an 18-play, 69-yard drive that ended with a 31-yard field goal, leaving WSU down 3-0 after one.
Thomas helped keep the Cougars in it before halftime. He intercepted a pass at midfield and took it back 50 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the second quarter, trimming the Kansas State lead to 17-7 at the break. Earlier in the half, Thomas had picked off another pass on a fourth-down attempt at the WSU 24 and returned it 31 yards, though that possession ended on downs at the Kansas State 36.
The third quarter swung hard in Kansas State’s favor. Washington State managed only two first downs in the period, both on runs by Pinnick and Vorhees, and went 0-for-4 on third down while punting on all four possessions. Kansas State scored on a 75-yard run and added a 31-yard field goal to stretch the margin to 27-7.
The Wildcats put the game away with a touchdown to open the fourth quarter, and neither side scored again after that.
Saturday also brought a handful of notable firsts and milestones for Washington State. The game marked the first meeting between the Cougars and Kansas State in program history, and WSU played a Big 12 opponent for the first time since a 37-16 home win over Texas Tech on Sept.
7, 2024. It was also the Cougars’ first trip to a Big 12 team since a 17-65 loss at Oklahoma State on Sept.
4, 2010.
Among the other notes, Kaden Beatty, Keith Brown, Tony Freeman, Jack Pedersen, Ashton Tripp and Linus Zunk served as captains. Kai Rapolla and Jackquintin Bal both made their first career starts, and Arion Williams made his college debut with the field goal unit.
Washington State returns home to face Duquesne on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Gesa Field in Pullman, with kickoff set for 12:30 p.m.
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 🡒]