Difference makers: Blake Mazza boots Washington State into Pac-12 North lead with win over Stanford
UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 27, 2018
Blake Mazza
Washington State’s redshirt freshman transfer beat out Jack Crane for the placekicking job in mid-August. Nearly two months later, Mazza delivered a game-winning field goal for the Cougars, booting a 42-yarder through the uprights with 19 seconds left to secure a 41-38 win at Stanford Stadium. Mazza was 2-for-2 on field goals, making a 23-yarder in the second quarter, and made all five of his PATs.
Gardner Minshew
The nation’s leading passer had exceeded the 400-yard barrier four times this season coming into Saturday’s game. He did it for the fourth time against Stanford, completing 40-of-50 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns. Minshew was sensational in the second half, when the graduate transfer quarterback hit on 24-of-27 passes – including his first 19 – for 247 yards and two TDs.
K.J. Costello
Stanford’s signal-caller was just as accurate as Minshew. Costello, a junior, finished 34-of-43 passing for 323 yards and four touchdowns, including a 25-yard strike to JJ Arcega-Whiteside late in the fourth quarter that tied the game up at 38-38.
Local journalism is essential.
Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds.
Subscribe to the Cougs newsletter
Get the latest Cougs headlines delivered to your inbox as they happen.