Washington State is staring at a Boise State team that has already built a clear identity, and the Cougars are still trying to find theirs. That’s the challenge ahead Saturday in Pullman, where WSU will need to create problems in a few very specific spots if it wants to upset the 21st-ranked Broncos.
The biggest one starts with Dylan Riley. On the list of running backs Washington State will run into in 2026, Riley is the one that jumps out first.
He’s piled up 835 rushing yards and six touchdowns in six games, and he’s not just a downhill runner. He’s the kind of back Boise State can move all over the formation and turn loose in space, especially on stretch runs to the outside and in the screen game.
That’s where he hurts defenses most. The Broncos will work to get him to the second level, because once he gets there, he usually finishes the job.
In Boise State’s last game against Fresno State, Riley ripped off a 72-yard run on an outside-zone play in the first quarter, then later caught a 44-yard touchdown after roaming free behind the line of scrimmage. He finished that game as both the Broncos’ leading rusher with 150 yards and their top receiver with 64.
If Washington State thought Oregon State’s AJ Newberry was tough to handle last week, Riley presents another level of threat. Newberry put up a 100-yard rushing and receiving game in the Cougars’ 48-30 loss at Oregon State, but Riley brings even more to the table.
The other area WSU has to attack is in the passing game, where Boise State’s coverage has shown some vulnerability. Fresno State receiver Ezekiel Avit took advantage of that nearly two weeks ago, posting six catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-31 loss to the Broncos. He repeatedly worked Boise State’s soft-coverage cornerback and made the Broncos pay.
That opens the door for Branden Ganashamoorthy, who surged into a bigger role for the Cougars last week. He saw 18 targets against Oregon State and turned them into a career-high 11 catches for 147 yards and a touchdown.
The Cougars will need to move him around and put him in position to attack those softer looks for chunk plays. He’s the receiver on this roster with the speed and body control to truly punish that kind of coverage.
Washington State could also take a long look at Sherrod Smith. Boise State’s cornerback had a rough outing two weeks ago, allowing two touchdowns, drawing a pass interference call and finishing with a career-worst 33.6 coverage grade. The question for WSU is whether that was a one-off or a sign of something more.
And then there’s the area that has been giving the Cougars trouble anyway: third down. Even after the switch to quarterback Owen Eshelman last week, WSU still couldn’t consistently stay on the field against Oregon State. That has to change in a major way against a Boise State defense that thrives in those “money” situations.
The Broncos rank No. 6 in the nation in third-down defense, holding opponents to a 27.4-percent conversion rate.
A run-game breakthrough feels like a big ask against another strong defensive front, so Washington State may be better off leaning into Eshelman and letting him try to keep the offense moving with both his arm and his legs.
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Washington State Revives A Homecoming Tradition Fans Know Well
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The crimson look has shown up in a handful of memorable spots during its run, and the schools recent approach to uniform selection has only made those choices feel more event-driven. Homecoming gives the Cougars a chance to lean into that tradition again, with a game-day presentation that carries a little extra weight even before the ball is kicked. [Read more 🡒]