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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
/ new
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

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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