Greg Woods

PULLMAN – In the days leading up to Washington State’s final game of the season, a road test against a surging James Madison team, it felt fair to wonder about what the next step for Jimmy Rogers’ team was.

HARRISONBURG, Va. – In recent practices, Washington State defenders have been working on getting out of their breaks faster. They’ve been working on trusting their eyes, giving themselves permission to go make a play when they see an opportunity.

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.

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 — When Washington State is playing its best basketball, when the Cougars are whipping the ball around the perimeter and forcing misses and flying around in transition like heat-seeking missiles shot out of a howitzer, David Riley’s vision begins to zoom into focus.

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.

PULLMAN – Coach Jimmy Rogers kept his cards close to the vest on the topic of wide receiver Devin Ellison departing the program.

PULLMAN – Here is a first look at Washington State’s road game against No. 21 James Madison on Saturday.

PULLMAN – Turns out, Washington State won’t be playing in the kind of spotlight that was rumored to be coming to its next game.

PULLMAN – Somewhere along the line, sometime around when Washington State’s defense began to make these scintillating showings look normal, a certain feeling hung over the entire operation.

PULLMAN — Ten games into this season, a wacky and compelling and rollercoaster affair that has covered four different time zones in six different states, Washington State’s defense has become a tricky thing.

Devin Ellison's time at Washington State has come to an end.A junior college transfer wide receiver, Ellison is no longer with the Cougars, a team spokesman confirmed Saturday evening. He is not listed on WSU's online roster anymore. He finishes his Cougar career with just two games played.

Washington State can take another step toward bowl eligibility with a win against Louisiana Tech.

PULLMAN – David Riley could have put a hole in the whiteboard. Squatted in the middle of the Washington State huddle, he used a blue dry-erase marker to diagram something – anything to help his Cougars claw out of a hole against rival Washington. A miscellaneous hip-hop mix bounced around Beasley Coliseum, which enjoyed a bigger crowd in anticipation of the next day’s football game.

PULLMAN – If ever there was a trap game facing Washington State, this is it.

PULLMAN – Here is what to watch for when Washington State hosts Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m. Saturday on the CW.

PULLMAN – In recent weeks, Isaac Terrell has been quieter with his play. He hasn’t looked the same as he did about a month ago, when he tied a Washington State record with four tackles for loss in one game, breaking out as perhaps the Cougars’ best player on either side of the ball.

PULLMAN – Playing in the secondary can be a tricky situation. If you do it poorly, and the opposing quarterback lights you up, you become an instant liability. Everyone notices. It is a story right away.

PULLMAN – Times are changing at Washington State.