The Cougars returned home after not playing in Martin Stadium for four weeks straight. The family weekend game kicked off slowly. After a sluggish start filled with punts and defensive stops from both teams. Quarterback Zevi Eckhaus got the offense going with a flea flicker play that found Josh Meredith for 40 yards and brought the WSU offense just outside the red zone.

On a play that fell apart, Eckhaus scrambled seven yards for the game’s first touchdown, giving WSU a 7–0 lead midway through the second quarter. Eckhaus racked up 74 yards on the ground in the game.

The 89-yard drive put the Cougs on the board. WSU extended its lead on the next possession when Eckhaus connected in the endzone with a leaping Tony Freeman for a 15-yard touchdown pass. 

The Cougars continued the dominance in the first half when Zevi found Carter Pabst off a bobbled pass for Pabst’s first career touchdown. With that pass, Eckhaus exceeded 10,000 career passing yards. 

“Pabst is an incredible football player. He’s been making plays like that since he’s gotten here.” Eckhaus said. “[He] is able to make those plays and we have full trust and confidence that he can do those things and it was a display out there as to why we trust him.”

Toledo finally answered before halftime as quarterback Tucker Gleason hit Junior Vandeross III for a 24-yard touchdown, bringing down WSU’s lead to 21–7 at the break.

WSU entered the second half as rain began to pour. The Toledo defense would try and find a spark when safety Braden Awls intercepted a throw from Eckhaus. The Cougar defense would be able to stop Toledo and force a punt. 

The rain would not stop Coug fans from cheering on their team as a group of guys took to the top of the student section. They removed their shirts and cheered on the team as the group grew past a hundred fans with their shirts off, cheering on Wazzu in the downpour.

“That was cool. I remember looking up at the crowd and it started with like seven or eight guys and then it got to like 20 and then I remember at one point getting on the sideline and there was probably like close to 100 people over there,” Eckhaus said. “I mean, it’s just a testament to the Cougs. You know, they’re crazy. They’re awesome. It’s why there’s so much support and love within this community, that’s who they are.”

Awls would continue to be a nightmare for Eckhaus when he intercepted him again. Gleason then guided the Rockets deep into Cougar territory, but WSU’s defense held firm with a crucial fourth-down stop to regain possession.

After a costly defensive pass interference penalty on WSU cornerback Colby Humphrey, Gleason’s pass deflected off his receiver’s hands and into the arms of linebacker Parker McKenna. The interception gave the Cougars the ball back at their own 35-yard line. McKenna talked about his production on the field. 

“It was great. And the offense, I think, they had some solid drives too, to keep us off the field. I think we were… making the offense go three and out a couple times, which was great. We just continue to do our jobs. I think that’s the biggest thing. I think I got away from just the basics and doing my job and not worrying about, you know, chasing plays and stuff like that.”

The Cougs used this opportunity to drive down the field and put the game away with a Kirby Vorhees touchdown to bring the game to 28-7 and secure the victory.

In all of WSU’s victories, the Cougs have held their opponents to under 14 points. Jimmy Rogers talked about the defense’s production in a post-game press conference.

“Our defense got put in some situations, responded constantly throughout the game, and did much better in some of the tackling,” he said.

Eckhaus finished with 159 passing yards, three total touchdowns and two interceptions. WSU’s ground game complemented him with 162 rushing yards, led by Vorhees and Eckhaus. The Cougar defense stopped the Rockets’ attack, limiting Toledo to just 61 yards rushing and forcing multiple turnovers in key moments.

The Cougars next take on their Pac-12 rival, the Oregon State Beavers, on Nov 1 at 4:30 p.m. in Corvallis.