Enterting the final 15 minutes, the one-win Washington State Cougars were tied with the No. 21 Boise State Broncos. Before a critical 4th and 2 for the Bronco offense, most of the WSU team was dancing along to the music blaring over the speakers and the crimson LED lights flashing above. When WSU implemented these gameday changes, these were the moments they had in mind. A Gesa Field crowd feeding off the energy created by these new features against a newly found Pac-12 rival, looking for a big play. Sure, the record is nowhere near what they, or really anyone else, thought it would be. But, in these few minutes between the third and fourth quarters, that’s not what’s on the mind of these players.
That big play never came for the Cougars. Instead, the Broncos scored just a few plays later, then rattled off two more touchdowns as the Cougars crumbled and watched their once realistic upset bid fade away in a hurry. And with their upset bid, also their slim bowl eligibility hopes.
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After dancing and trying to hold the momentum to begin the quarter, it ended with heads hung low as the new scoreboard read 31-10 Boise State.
WSU falls to 1-7 and 0-4 in Pac-12 play, and it marks the quickest WSU has been eliminated from bowl eligibility since 2010.
On a perfect fall day for football in Pullman, the Broncos started with the ball after WSU won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Broncos were able to quickly convert for a first down on the first two plays, but ultimately their opening drive would be stalled by a personal foul. Owen Eshelman would then take his first snaps as a starter at Gesa Field, looking to build off the success he had a week ago in his debut. His first test came on a 3rd and 2 from his own 28, and he was able to convert with a 14-yard pass to Branden Ganashamoorthy. The drive wouldn’t go much further, though, and WSU would have to punt three plays later.
WSU’s defense looked to have the Broncos stalled again on their second drive when they were facing a 3rd and 7 from their own 44. Linebacker DJ Warner was able to get around free on the left side with a lane to Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen. But just before Warner could lay the hit on him, Madsen fired a strike to Rasean Jones to keep the drive alive. Madsen then kept it moving with another deep ball to Jones for a 33-yard gain to set Boise State up inside the WSU 10. Sire Gaines muscled his way into the end zone on the next play to put the Broncos up 7-0 early.
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The second Cougar drive of the day had Eshelman and the offense overcome some third-down adversity. After a run for no gain and an incompletion, Eshelman found an open Jack Pedersen in the middle of soft coverage for a first down. Two plays later, facing 3rd and 9, Eshelman used his legs this time with a keeper up the middle for a 10-yard keeper to again move the sticks. The Cougars couldn’t make it three in a row on third downs as Eshelman’s pass to Ganashamoorthy fell incomplete. After gashing the Cougar defense on the final three plays of the last drive, it looked like the Broncos had them figured out. It was even more evident as the Broncos’ third drive saw back-to-back first down gains. Gaines first with a 20-yard run up the middle and then Madsen to Akeem Wright for 12 yards to put the Broncos at midfield. But credit to the Cougar defense, who bent but didn’t break, forcing a Bronco punt after a stop on 3rd and 6.
Neither the Cougar nor Bronco offense would do anything on their next possessions, ending in quick punts. So often early in this season, WSU would put themselves in third and long and then stall out. But today, they were able to dig themselves out of it on multiple occasions. On 3rd and 10 from their own 27 with just under six minutes to play, Eshelman found his favorite target, Ganashamoorthy, for a 12-yard gain and another first down.
What also doomed the Cougars last week was their conservative decision-making on fourth downs. Twice the Beavers made WSU pay for their conservative fourth-down calls with backbreaking touchdowns. Kirby Moore was tasked with another big call on 4th and 2 from his own 47. This time, he went aggressive and left his offense on the field. It paid off as Eshelman rolled to his right and hit Trey Leckner for four yards and a first down. Three plays later, Moore doubled down on a 4th and 1 and was rewarded as Eshelman got it done with his legs on a gain of two. The Cougars would convert another 3rd and 8, assisted by a defensive pass interference, and then Eshelman would connect with Daniel Blood on a great pass and an even better catch, down to the one-yard line. With 45 seconds to go in the half, Kirby Vorhees powered his way in for WSU’s first points of the game and tied the game at 7-7.
