Washington State defense leads way for eighth straight game
Washington State avenged a loss to Oregon State earlier this month and secured bowl eligibility in the process, capping its regular season with a 32-8 win over the Beavers on Saturday at Gesa Field in Pullman. The Cougs’ defense continued its long streak of impressive performances, consistently pestering the Beavs and their true freshman quarterback. WSU’s offense may have left some points on the field, but it was way more efficient than it was during a 10-7 loss to OSU on Nov. 1 in Corvallis. The Cougs (6-6) also got a special-teams spark from Tony Freeman in what was a one-sided game against their “Pac-2” foes. The reward: a bowl game in Year 1 under coach Jimmy Rogers.
Yet again, WSU defense shines
For the eighth straight week, the Cougars were led by their defense.
The unit recorded three takeaways and six sacks – both single-game highs this season.
Senior linebacker Caleb Francl had a first-quarter interception and forced a fumble, which was recovered by the Cougs. Senior cornerback Colby Humphrey logged his second pick of the season in the third quarter. Registering takeaways had been an issue for WSU for much of the season, but the Cougs have improved in that regard, forcing a turnover in each of the past three games.
WSU’s defensive front constantly pressured OSU quarterback Tristan Ti’a, who was making his first career start. Even when they weren’t getting home for sacks, the Cougs were generating pressure (nine QB hits). Defensive end Isaac Terrell had 1½ sacks, pushing his team-high season total to seven.
The Beavers (2-10) finished with 288 total yards – 116 in the first half as WSU took a comfortable 19-0 lead.
WSU just missed out on its first shutout of the year as OSU scored with under six minutes left in the game, but the Cougars improved on their defensive scoring numbers. They allowed 12.6 points per game over their final eight games of the regular season.
Eckhaus bounces back
WSU quarterback Zevi Eckhaus had his worst game in the last matchup with Oregon State, and the Cougs’ offense sputtered. On Saturday, the senior quarterback made it clear he wouldn’t stumble again against the Beavs with bowl eligibility on the line.
Eckhaus didn’t put up huge numbers, but he played a safe and efficient game, avoiding turnovers and leading six scoring drives as the Cougars had their second-highest scoring game of the year.
He completed 17 of 28 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for a 63 yards and another score.
The Cougars missed a couple of opportunities in the first half, settling for a field goal and committing a turnover on downs, but they were sparked by Tony Freeman’s elusive punt returning during the second quarter and scored two touchdowns to separate themselves.
WSU finished with 383 yards – its second-highest output this season. The Cougs also rolled up a season-high 186 rushing yards. Eckhaus scored his team-high eighth rushing TD of the year. Kirby Vorhees punched in his fifth rushing TD this season, and lightly used senior tailback Angel Johnson got his first TD as a Coug late in the game, also breaking off a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Cougs end stay in limbo with bowl
Where will the Cougars end up? ESPN and CBS predict WSU will land in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 27. A couple of other outlets say it’ll be the L.A. Bowl on Dec. 13.
Whatever the case, that game will not only be the season finale, but also the final game for WSU as a program without a conference home as the revamped Pac-12 launches next year.
WSU and Oregon State aren’t exactly traditional rivals with a heated history, but as the de facto founders of the new Pac-12, perhaps this series will grow into a rivalry with its own nickname.
Saturday’s game seemed like a rivalry in some ways. It’s unheard of in modern college football for teams to meet twice in the same regular season. There were stakes – WSU was out for vengeance. There was chippiness and a handful of personal fouls.
It’ll be interesting to see what this series has in store in the future, as Rogers builds his program and JaMarcus Shephard takes the helm at Oregon State.