Washington State opens Pac-12 play Saturday with a Fresno State team that has made a habit of doing the little things right.
The Bulldogs have been stingy on defense, clean with the football and dangerous when they get space in the run and pass game. Second-year coach Matt Entz said Monday, “After four games: I feel good about where we’re at,” and that confidence is part of what makes this trip to Pullman a tricky one for the Cougars.
If Fresno State gets rolling early, especially in the first quarter, Washington State could be in for a long afternoon. Three Cougars stand out as potential swing pieces in the matchup.
The first is edge defender David Gusta Warner, who may be asked to help keep Fresno State running back Rayshon Luke from turning the corner. Luke was a problem for Rice last week, especially after halftime, when Fresno State shifted to more perimeter work and he finished with a career-high 167 rushing yards. His 52-yard touchdown run showed exactly why the Bulldogs will want to keep testing the edges.
That’s where Warner comes in. The 6-foot-4, 233-pound junior had been used mostly as a defensive end at SMU and Kansas before arriving at Washington State, and he’s coming off a season-high seven tackles against Arizona. With WSU’s interior tackles and middle linebacker Keith Brown doing solid work inside, Fresno State has every reason to look outside again.
Then there’s quarterback Zevi Eckhaus Pinnick, who has become a weekly fixture on this list for a simple reason: the ball has to come out cleaner. Over four games, he has committed five turnovers, including four interceptions. In last week’s 34-24 loss to Arizona, he was picked off on a flea-flicker in the first quarter and later lost a fumble after a sack by linebacker Everett Roussaw Jr.
That’s a dangerous trend against a Fresno State defense that thrives on takeaways. The Bulldogs have nine, which ranks seventh in FBS, and their six interceptions are fifth nationally.
Pinnick will also need to keep close track of nickelback Simeon Harris, who has an interception in each of Fresno State’s past three games. Harris now has nine career picks, tied with Iowa State’s Braden Awls for the most among active FBS players.
The final name to watch is Leaupepetele, who could be in position to force some disruption up front. He was excellent in the first half against Arizona, when he notched his first sack in a Washington State uniform and got after Noah Fifita early.
That matters this week because Fresno State quarterback Jayden Mandal has been steady since the season-opening loss at USC. He has completed 60 of 89 passes for 715 yards and six touchdowns without a turnover.
Leaupepetele also has a personal wrinkle here: he’ll line up against his younger brother, Jonah, in front of the family. And with Fresno State’s first-year starting guards Jonah Leaupepetele at right guard and UCLA transfer and Washington native Marquise Thorpe-Taylor at left guard both dealing with early injuries, Washington State’s big man may have a real chance to make life uncomfortable for the Bulldogs.
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From Washington States view, the opening stretch matters just as much because the league picture is still unsettled enough for multiple teams to believe they can make a run. Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State and Texas State all have championship aspirations of their own, and the first wave of conference matchups should start separating the real contenders from the teams simply trying to keep pace. [Read more 🡒]