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In a 24-20 loss to No. 21 James Madison on Saturday, you could point to a pair of back-breaking touchdowns the Cougs’ defense surrendered.

For the third time this season, Washington State traveled across the country and gave itself a chance to knock off a ranked team. And once again, the Cougars couldn’t find enough plays in the later stages of the game and suffered a heartbreaking defeat, losing narrowly to a heavily favored opponent. WSU gave up the lead in the fourth quarter and got stopped on its final drive, falling 24-20 against No. 21 James Madison on Saturday afternoon at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Cougs (5-6) need a win next weekend against Oregon State to earn bowl eligibility. The Dukes (10-1) stayed alive in the College Football Playoff conversation.

Caleb Francl

The purple and yellow streamers descended onto the field and scattered near Jimmy Rogers, whose Washington State team prides itself on limiting big plays on defense. The Cougars had done it so well all season, blossoming into one of the nation’s best units, a brick wall at all the right times.

Only a few minutes after his Washington State team fell apart in the fourth quarter of a loss to Virginia, coach Jimmy Rogers sat at a table and discussed the result with reporters. The crowd noise had clearly bothered the Cougars, who committed five penalties in the fourth quarter alone, leading to a late collapse.

Here is what to watch for when Washington State takes on No. 21 James Madison at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

When his Washington State club is looking at another long flight to play a team from another walk of life, Tucker Large doesn’t get too creative. While some teammates might watch movies or listen to music, the veteran safety likes to keep things businesslike.

PULLMAN – Jesse Bobbit squints and looks out of his office window, a fifth-floor perch with a picturesque view of Gesa Field, where his Washington State defense has made mincemeat of nearly every opponent that has dared set foot in the place this fall. On this November morning, sunlight bathes the entire scene in brilliant colors, the green turf and the crimson Cougar logos and even the occasional white speck on Bobbit’s beard, belying the defensive coordinator’s young age of 31.

PULLMAN – As college football’s early signing period nears, Washington State’s next class is rounding to form.

PULLMAN – Across the last few years, as NIL and the transfer portal have tightened their grip on the college football ecosystem, Washington State has operated in a liminal space in between.

PULLMAN – Over the offseason, when Washington State coaches hit the transfer portal to look for a tight end, they didn’t need long to identify Ademola Faleye, who was looking to move on from Michigan State. Listed at 6-foot-7, he had the size they were looking for, and they figured they could develop him into a reliable pass-catcher.