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It’s Game Week: Get To Know The Washington State Cougars

The Beavers travel to Pullman to take on their first ranked foe of the season.

By The_Coach
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NCAA Football: Northern Colorado at Washington State James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The Season So Far

Washington State (3-0, 0-0) | Last Game: 64-21 Win vs. Northern Colorado

After a breakthrough 7-6 campaign in 2022, third-year head coach Jake Dickert’s squad at Washington State has come out of the gate firing on all cylinders to kick-off the 2023 season, leaving some to wonder just how damn good this Cougars group can really be.

Quarterback Cameron Ward has been an absolutely electric play-maker. The passing offense has been the once-again proud staple of Washington State football. And a usually suspect defense has been serviceable, finding ways to Colorado State to 24 points and then-#19 Wisconsin to 22 points in early season victories.

Still very much a work in progress, it’s not hard to see why Dickert’s group does have belief with the pieces they have in tow, yet that lingering fear of an offense-heavy program making it through the quirkiness of a Pac-12 season is not irrational. If you’re not around to check out this one Saturday afternoon from Pullman, the question is...what the heck are you doing?

Quick Notes

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 08 Washington State at USC Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
  • A-Ward Winning Football: Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward has been the model of ball-control football for the Cougars, as the former Incarnate Word transfer has yet to throw an interception this season, despite airing it out 108 times for a total of 986 yards. The play-maker has connected on 72.2% of those passes and tallied 9 touchdowns through the air alone. Will the Beavers have enough to slow down the red-hot passer for the Cougars?
  • An Offensive Clinic: The Cougars are averaging 48.3 points per game on the season, which places them sixth nationally - and somehow third in the Pac-12 - in a return to form of the late, great Mike Leach’s prolific aerial-based offenses up in Pullman. Led by the aforementioned Ward, Washington State has the third-best passing offense in the land - again trailing two Pac-12 foes - totaling 397.3 yards per outing. Oregon State will need to key in on the receiving quartet of Lincoln Victor, Josh Kelly, Kyle Williams and Carlos Hernandez.

Game Information

  • Date: Saturday, September 23rd
  • Time: 4:00 PM PT
  • Location: Martin Stadium (Pullman, Washington)
  • Coverage: FOX

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