The pick: Why Colorado State will beat Washington State

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – A week ago, Washington State seemed to take a breath of fresh air.

WSU might have dropped a runaway loss to rival Washington, but with veteran quarterback Zevi Eckhaus at the controls, the Cougars’ offense seemed to hit a gear it hadn’t in its first three outings. That helped them stay within striking distance for three-plus quarters, keeping pace with a Husky offense that ranks among the nation’s finest.

But WSU lost another three turnovers in that game. That brings the Cougars’ total on the season to nine, one of the highest in the nation. That has paved the way for all kinds of problems, both on WSU’s offense and defense.

The Cougs have made a little headway in that department. None of their running backs lost fumbles last week. Even Eckhaus’ interceptions could be chalked up to pressure in the pocket. Ahead of a road test against Colorado State on Saturday, they’re showing meaningful signs of life.

But this goes for any team: Those trends are not easy to end, especially not on the road, and especially not in elevation like Fort Collins’ 5,000-foot altitude. .

Compounding problems for the Cougs is their rushing game, which has been almost nonexistent in three of four games. Without a strong rushing attack, WSU has been forced to pass more than coaches would like, and that has left young offensive linemen on islands, where they have struggled to hold up at times.

All of that will conspire to help Colorado State earn a home win over the WSU, which hae built up some bad habits this fall. They can turn those around in time, but their issues with turnovers and running the ball will come back to bite them again, this time in Colorado.

The pick: Colorado State 27, WSU 24