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DENTON, Texas – Whenever he gets home after this mess of a game, Jaxon Potter will turn on the tape and rue the mistakes he made. He’ll regret his first interception, his second, his third, all of which played the biggest role in Washington State’s 59-10 loss to North Texas.

North Texas’ redshirt freshman quarterback, formerly a walk-on, looked like a seasoned vet against the Cougars. He completed 24 of 29 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers. It helped that the UNT defense time and again set Mestemaker up with short fields, but he was also poised in a clean pocket and constantly had open receivers to throw to.

A disastrous Week 3 for Washington State ended in a 59-10 loss to North Texas on Saturday afternoon at DATCU Stadium in Denton, Texas. There’s not really anything nice to be said about the Cougars’ performance – one of the most embarrassing results for the program in recent memory and a humbling moment for first-year WSU coach Jimmy Rogers, to say the least. Here are three observations from the Cougs’ first loss of the year.

The Cougars will contend with high temperatures and a fast-paced offense in their first road game of the season.

DALLAS – Here is what to watch for when Washington State visits North Texas at 12:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPNU.

DALLAS – Off the top of his head, Max Baloun couldn’t think of a hotter environment in which he’s played. It was earlier this week, after Washington State wrapped up a practice to prepare for a road test at North Texas, and the Cougars’ sixth-year defensive tackle was racking his brain.

DALLAS – When the Washington State bus rolls up to DATCU Stadium on Saturday, the site of WSU’s road test against North Texas, the visitors would be wise to stay hydrated.

PULLMAN – Across the last five years, Jimmy Rogers has watched Cale Reeder grow up before his very eyes.

We won’t insist on it, but the Hotline would appreciate greatly if Washington State could reveal its true identity this weekend.

PULLMAN – A week after watching Washington State’s offense slog through three hours of football, you might not have recognized the unit that took the field for a win over San Diego State.

Six wins has been the threshold for bowl eligibility for eons, but super conferences have existed for just two seasons. Where those forces intersect, a critical dynamic lies: conference schedule rotations.