First look: Massive underdog WSU heads south to take on No. 4 Ole Miss in programs’ first-ever clash

PULLMAN – Here is a first look at Washington State’s road game against No. 4 Ole Miss on Saturday.

What is it?

Coming off its first of two bye weeks this season, Washington State (3-2) heads south to take on No. 4 Ole Miss in the programs’ first-ever clash. The Rebels, 5-0 on the season, upset then-No. 4 LSU in their last outing.

This game, which was lined up last fall, helped the Cougars finalize their 2025 schedule, their last before the new-look Pac-12 launches next year. For WSU, it’s the first of a stretch of three of four games on the road, including a trip to No. 19 Virginia the weekend after.

Where is it?

Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

When is it?

Kickoff is set for 9:45 a.m. PT (11:45 a.m. local time).

Where can I watch it?

SEC Network will broadcast the game.

Who is favored?

As of Monday afternoon, WSU was around a 32.5-point underdog in most sportsbooks.

How did the Cougars fare last week?

WSU was off last week, enjoying a bye week. The Cougars practiced Monday through Thursday, coach Jimmy Rogers said, and had the rest of the weekend off. They did hot yoga on Sunday, Rogers added, a practice Rogers said he did at South Dakota State.

“It’s a way to try to get their lactic acid out of their body and then get ready to go,” Rogers said.

Prior, the Cougars took down Colorado State in a 20-3 victory on Sept. 27, the program’s first time holding an opponent without a touchdown since 2018 and its first time doing so on the road since 2006. WSU got two touchdown passes from quarterback Zevi Eckhaus, one to receiver Jeremiah Noga and one to tight end Ademola Faleye, plus two field goals from kicker Jack Stevens, who has connected on the first eight field -goal attempts of his Cougar career.

In that one, WSU’s offense churned out 158 rushing yards, the unit’s most of the season. But the Cougs managed only 35 in the second half, going scoreless in the final two quarters. Their defense also held the Rams scoreless in the second half, but a week later, Rogers thinks his group’s rushing attack still has room to grow.

The numbers back that assertion. Even crossing the century mark for the second time in this win over CSU, WSU is averaging just 77.8 rushing yards per game, only four spots up from dead last nationally. The Cougars are also averaging only 2.7 yards per carry, which ranks the same nationwide.

“I felt like, in certain portions of that game, there was all five O-linemen working together,” Rogers said, “and then looking back on it, there’s a couple plays where we’re still one guy off, and we need to clean those things up to assure that we have success in the run game by five guys doing the technique the right way and operating together. But overall, it was by far our best running game as a collective group at the O-line. And then showing those guys, I think there’s ability to, if they want to take ownership of getting better, they saw the same film as us. We gotta be step-for-step.”

Rogers also said redshirt junior tight end Hudson Cedarland is expected to miss “a couple weeks” with an injury he sustained against Colorado State. Cedarland exited early with the injury and re-emerged on crutches. The exact nature of the injury is unclear, but because he was on crutches, it’s likely a lower-body or leg injury.

Cedarland had played in all five games, splitting time between offense and special teams. In his first year at the position, he has one catch for 4 yards, which came against North Texas on Sept. 13.

Scouting Ole Miss …

The Rebels’ quarterback is senior Trinidad Chambliss, who was thrust into the role because of an injury to the team’s incumbent starter. Chambliss, last week’s Associated Press National Player of the Week, has responded in a huge way, earning the seventh-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy as of Monday afternoon.

A former Division II player at Ferris State, Chambliss has completed 65 of 101 passes (64%) for five touchdowns and one interception, using his athleticism to add another 266 yards and two scores on the ground. He’s a true dual-threat quarterback, and he’s used that way at Ole Miss, which has wins over FCS Georgia State, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tulane and then-No. 4 LSU on Sept. 27.

But the Rebels’ offense has thrived on the ground, averaging 208 rushing yards per game, No. 25 nationwide. The tip of that spear is sophomore running back Kewan Lacy, who has piled up 445 yards and eight touchdowns on 102 carries, good for an average carry of 4.4 yards. Ole Miss has cleared the century mark in rushing in three of five games, including hitting 200 on two occasions.

“I think the running back is phenomenal. He does a really good job with his opportunities,” Rogers said of Ole Miss’ offense, which also features receivers Harrison Wallace III and Deuce Alexander. “They do a good job. And they’ve got great length on the perimeter, and they’re really fluid, so they can come in and out of breaks and high point a football.”

On defense, Ole Miss has picked off three passes, including one apiece from starting safety Wydett Williams Jr. and one from defensive lineman Zxavian Harris. The Rebels’ coverage unit ranks among the nation’s best, according to Pro Football Focus, and their pass rush has resulted in five sacks on 80 total pressures.

Former WSU defensive back Kapena Gushiken, who transferred to Ole Miss over the offseason, has started each of the past two games.

What happened last time?

The Cougars and Rebels have never met before.