For the second straight week, Washington State’s defense has been the side keeping the Cougars in the fight while the offense has spent the first half searching for answers.
Saturday in Manhattan, Kansas, that formula left WSU down 17-7 against Kansas State at halftime before a weather delay of at least 30 minutes was announced because of the threat of a potential thunderstorm.
The Cougars actually got a huge lift from safety Jaylen Thomas, who turned in the best half of his college career. Thomas intercepted Avery Johnson twice, and the second one was a dagger: a 47-yard return for a touchdown on the final play of the first half. It was Thomas’ first career pick-six, and both interceptions were the first of his career.
Kansas State still managed to build the lead despite WSU’s bend-but-don’t-break approach. Johnson threw a pair of touchdown passes in the second quarter, giving the Wildcats enough cushion to head into the break up 10.
Thomas’ touchdown came after Johnson tried to find Brandon White on a short throw along the right sideline with Kansas State near midfield. Thomas jumped the route, took the ball away, slipped past a couple of Wildcats - including Johnson - and finished the return untouched for the score as time expired.
The ending had a familiar feel for Washington State. Last week against 17th-ranked Washington, the Cougars’ defense slammed the door at the goal line on the final play of the first half. This time, Thomas delivered the late swing.
But the offensive issues have carried over from the Apple Cup. WSU put up only 73 first-half yards against the Huskies and had just 84 on Saturday. The Cougars again had an opening to score on their first drive, only to come away empty.
Jack Stevens missed a long field goal last week, and on Saturday his 37-yard attempt was no good as well. This one was low, got deflected by Jordan Allen, and sailed badly to the left.
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 🡒]
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 🡒]
Washington State Has A Bigger Problem Than This Loss
Washington State spent much of the game stuck in neutral while Kansas States defense dictated the terms, and the Cougars never found a rhythm on either side of the ball. The Wildcats got steady pressure up front from Wendell Gregory, who was around the play all night and helped make the pocket uncomfortable whenever Washington State tried to settle in.
The lone bright spot came from the secondary, where Jaylen Thomas turned in a disruptive performance with two interceptions, including a pick-six that accounted for the Cougars only points. Even with that kind of individual effort, the larger issue for Washington State was hard to ignore, because one defensive playmaking burst was never going to cover for everything else that went missing. [Read more 🡒]