Washington State’s offense shines and defense dominates in a 36-13 win vs. San Diego State University.
The Aztecs and Cougars started off the game exchanging touchdowns, giving the assumption of a shootout potentially happening. However, the Cougars’ defense quickly slowed the Aztecs, allowing WSU to dominate the game.
SDSU quarterback Jayden Denegal started the game off with a touchdown to Jacob Bostick on a 35-yard pass. In the ensuing drive, Jaxon Potter connected with tight end Trey Leckner for a three-yard touchdown with five minutes left in the first quarter. After those two scores, there was a brief couple of minutes where the Cougars and SDSU traded punts. WSU was able to get some progress on a drive at the top of the second quarter when kicker Jack Stevens hit a 49-yard field goal to give the Cougars a 10-7 lead.
For the next 13 minutes after the Stevens field goal, SDSU and the Cougs just went back and forth again, giving each other possession. That is, until WSU punter pinned the Aztecs inside the 10-yard line. Then WSU’s Isaac Bobby Terrel sacked Denegal, leading to a safety. The sack was Bobby’s first ever with the Cougars; he’s been there since he was a true freshman in 2023. Rogers said the safety was “huge” for them and helped them get going.
The safety seemed to light a fire into the Cougars, because after that, the offense came down the field in 50 seconds and scored on another three-yard touchdown pass to Trey Leckner, his second of the game. Going into halftime, the Cougars were up 19-7. WSU had 148 passing yards and 113 rushing yards. SDSU had 68 passing yards and 40 rushing yards.
Coming out of halftime, the Cougars’ offense wasn’t done rolling. They were in a flow state. Potter completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Leon Neal Jr. Neal is a player who has been through a lot of adversity in his career with the Cougars, involving switching positions and being a walk-on. Head coach Jimmy Rogers praised Neal’s versatility and adversity.
“Excited about Neal, put on scholarship due to how he works, proud of him,” Rogers said.
The Aztecs still weren’t able to figure out what to do with the Cougars’ defense. Even with starting safety Tucker Large injured in the first half and not returning in the second half, SDSU went three and out. The Cougars capitalized again with a field goal made by Stevens from 42 yards. SDSU was able to score to end the third quarter with Denegal getting a one-yard rushing touchdown with 57 seconds left.
There wasn’t much action in the fourth quarter, but WSU finished with a touchdown with Dugger on a three-yard rush. Dugger had three plays in the game, all runs, different from last week when Dugger threw and had more pass plays called.
WSU ended the game with 257 passing yards and 150 rushing yards. Josh Meredith caught eight passes for 88 yards, the most catches he’s had in his Cougar career dating back to last year’s Apple Cup, where he had seven catches for 111 yards. Jaxon Potter was sharing the wealth of this game, hitting 13 different players and having a 66% completion percentage.
Potter felt freer this week and didn’t have the same nervousness he did in game one vs. the Idaho Vandals. “We didn’t play our best against Idaho, and we wanted things to be better. It starts with me, and I relayed that message,” Potter said. Rogers, when asked about whether a pass-first offense that sets up the run game is something that will be seen more, said, “If we have to do that, we have to do that. I’m not one to ram a square peg down a round hole,” Rogers said.
