Washington State heads to Corvallis on Saturday with the kind of urgency that tends to make every snap feel heavier. The Cougars are 1-5, searching for any kind of offensive jolt, and a quarterback change is supposed to be part of the answer. The problem is the setting: Reser Stadium has been a rough place for Washington State lately, and now the Cougars need a near-perfect afternoon to walk out with a win.
Oregon State comes in looking a lot more comfortable with where its season is headed. The Beavers are 4-2 through six games, with wins over Montana, UTEP, San Diego State and Colorado State, and losses to Texas Tech and Houston. While Washington State is trying to stop the slide, Oregon State has its eyes on conference-title thoughts, and a packed Reser crowd is expected on a sunny afternoon in Corvallis.
The game is set for 3 p.m. on USA Network and can also be streamed here. USA Network is available on virtually every carrier, though viewers should still check their TV package.
There are a few names to monitor on the injury report. Washington State has OT Ashton Tripp, DE Malachi Wrice, DE Michael Hughes, and safety Kyle Peterson listed as questionable.
Oregon State has DB Isaiah Houi questionable. Neither team has anyone listed as probable or doubtful.
The Cougars have LB Nylan Brown out, while Oregon State has DB Kai Wheaton, Kord Shaw, Ryan Whitten, and TJ Crandall out. Brown is listed as being out for the season, and WR Tony Freeman and TE Hudson Cedarland are not listed but are expected to be out for the season as well. Crandall’s absence matters for the Beavers, since he is one of their starting cornerbacks.
After Saturday, there are only two networks left to keep track of for the rest of Washington State’s schedule: USA and CBS Sports Network. That comes after Week 6 has already accounted for NBC for the Apple Cup, TNT for WSU-K-State, CBS for Arizona and The CW for Utah State.
Here’s how the Cougars’ TV slate breaks down for the season: USA Network: 5
CBS Sports Network: 2
CBS: 1
The CW: 1
NBC: 1
TNT: 1
That covers 11 of Washington State’s 12 games. The Nov. 28 regular-season finale remains a flex game, with the opponent, network and kickoff time still to be determined. The Pac-12 keeps the right to shuffle that matchup based on the best interests of the league, including College Football Playoff considerations.
In Other News...
Washington State Turns To Owen Eshelman As Offensive Pressure Mounts
The quarterback shuffle in Pullman has finally arrived after Washington State spent the early part of the season searching for more consistency on offense. Owen Eshelman is now the starter, giving the Cougars a new direction after a stretch of uneven production with Caden Pinnick under center, and head coach Kirby Moore pointed to Eshelmans preparation, leadership and readiness as reasons for the move.
For a team that has been waiting for the offense to find its footing, the timing matters as much as the decision itself. Washington State does not have much margin for error now, and the change adds a fresh layer of urgency heading into the next game as the Cougars try to solve a problem that has lingered for weeks. [Read more 🡒]
WSU Heads Into Oregon State With Key Week 1 Decisions Looming
Washington States first injury report of the week offered an early look at how much shuffling might be needed before the Cougars head to Oregon State. Linebacker Jack Ellison is no longer on the report, a positive sign as the team starts sorting through availability for a game that could hinge on depth and flexibility across both lines and the secondary.
The bigger concern is the cluster of players still listed as questionable, a group that includes key pieces on the edge, in the defensive backfield, and up front at left tackle. Linebacker Nylan Brown is already ruled out for the season, leaving Washington State with at least one long-term hole to manage while it waits to see how the rest of the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Heads To Corvallis With One Big Roster Concern
Washington States trip to Corvallis comes with the kind of early-season questions every coach would rather avoid, even after a strong start has kept the Cougars in the conversation. Jamarcus Shephard used a recent press conference to touch on the staffs work and the defenses strength heading into the matchup, while also pointing to some of the younger names starting to surface, including linebacker Jabari Odoemenem.
The bigger concern is still up front and on the second level, where the Cougars are trying to manage health without forcing the issue. Shephard said one linebacker remains out for the foreseeable future, while an offensive lineman is edging closer to a return but will not be rushed, leaving Washington State to sort through its depth chart as it heads into a road test that could say plenty about how resilient this group really is. [Read more 🡒]