en-us SportSpyder - The Latest Washington State Cougars Football News https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/news WSU Women Stay at No. 13 Nationally, No. 1 in West Region - Washington State University Athletics - Official Athletics Site Javascript is required. Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:37:46 GMT Dut Benjamin https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394681 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394681 false false Max Dean doesn’t have the typical Australia-to-college football story to tell as a punter at Washington State University. It would be better summarized as a plu Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:23:17 GMT Todd Milles https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394619 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394619 false false The Washington State defense faces a tough test Saturday against a Boise State offense that averages 234 yards rushing per game, ninth in the country. Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:04:43 GMT Greg Woods https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394498 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394498 false false PULLMAN – When Khamari Terrell makes a tackle in space, for a brief moment, he enters a world all by himself. Washington State’s veteran cornerback will usually lower his head, staring down into the turf, maybe closing his eyes, closing himself off to the chaos unfolding around him. Then he usually takes his hands and slaps himself on the helmet. Once. Twice. Lets his energy seep off him like condensation off a glass of ice water. Then he rejoins the action, ready to make another play for the Cougars, for whom he’s playing his fifth and final season of college football. “I think it’s big, especially in college, just knowing that the corners have to tackle every game,” Terrell said earlier this week. “Especially this week, I’m gonna make it noticed that you’re not gonna be able to just run to my side and just think that you’re gonna get a big gain or anything.” Terrell and the WSU defense will get a chance to prove it this weekend, when No. 21 Boise State comes to town for a showdown, the teams’ first clash in Pullman since 2017, the night the late Tyler Hilinski came off the bench to lead the Cougars to a triple-overtime comeback. Here’s the short version of why Terrell and his fellow defensive backs, like cornerback Jalil Tucker and safety Jaylen Thomas, will have to come up big for their team: The Broncos own one of the country’s best rushing attacks, spearheaded by junior tailback Dylan Riley, who ranks second nationwide with 139 rushing yards per game. As a team, the Broncos’ 234 rushing yards per contest ranks ninth in the country. That figures to put quite the strain on this WSU defense, which was gashed last weekend, giving up 48 points to Oregon State’s prolific offense in a three-score loss. But for the Cougars, as they prepare for their next outing, it’s not all about preventing scoring. It’s about one of Terrell’s favorite parts of the game: tackling. All things considered, WSU (1-6, 0-3 Pac-12) has done a fine job of that this season. The Cougars have earned a Pro Football Focus tackling grade of 61.4, which ranks No. 93 nationwide, fifth in the Pac-12. They’ve turned in some gems of tackling outings, including in their loss to Fresno State earlier this season, when they missed just three total tackles. In fact, some of the WSU defenders who have logged the most snaps are also the ones who have tackled the best. Veteran linebacker Keith Brown, who leads the team with 418 snaps, has missed only six tackles. Terrell, who has played 339 snaps, has whiffed only three times. And redshirt freshman nickelback Jamarey Smith, who has 313 snaps, has missed only one tackle all season. So from a 30,000-foot view, the Cougars have done well to tackle, and their coaches deserve credit for that: Defensive coordinator Trent Bray, cornerbacks coach Brandyn Thompson and defensive line coach Eti Ena, among others. Past Cougar teams have not tackled particularly well – Jake Dickert’s 2024 team finished the season ranked fifth-to-last in PFF’s tackling grades, while Jimmy Rogers’ 2025 club finished dead last – so for the program, this represents a key step in the right direction. “Game to game, you gotta be prepared to tackle,” Terrell said, “especially going against a team that runs a lot. So just be physical and just shut down the side of the field and just stop the run, so they won’t try to keep running to that side.” The only problem at hand: Boise State’s playmakers have excelled at forcing missed tackles. In six games, Riley has forced 28 whiffs, which ranks second in the Pac-12. Riley has forced 18. They have excelled in space, and while the Cougars have usually done well to tackle in those types of settings, they aren’t coming off a particularly encouraging outing on that front. In WSU’s loss to Oregon State last weekend, the Cougs missed 18 tackles, one off their most of the season, which came in a season-opening loss to Washington back in early September. In Corvallis, safety Jeremiah Bernard led the way with five whiffs, while fellow safety Jaylen Thomas followed with three and two players missed two tackles apiece: Linebacker Isaiah Hung and cornerback Kai Rapolla. How will those two realities clash on Saturday afternoon on the Palouse? If the Cougars can’t make tackles in space, they might be in for a long day, and as 14-point underdogs, they’re expected to meet that fate anyway. But it’s an interesting conversation because of one key development: Bray’s unit has done a stellar job of stacking up runs up the middle. That’s where some of the Cougars’ best defenders play, from defensive tackles like Leaupepetele and Kaden Beatty to defensive ends Matyus McLain and Linus Zunk, which is why opponents haven’t enjoyed much success running up the middle this season. Even Brown, a linebacker, has graded out as the Cougars’ best run defender, with a mark of 79.9. It’s on the outsides where the Cougs have had less luck, at least in their most recent showing. To turn that fortune around – to reverse the fortune... Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:41:25 GMT Greg Woods https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394027 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58394027 true false Washington State Hosts No. 21 Boise State on Hall of Fame Weekend - Washington State University Athletics - Official Athletics Site Javascript is required. THE PAC IS BACK! Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:13:00 GMT https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58393804 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58393804 false false – Thirteen Washington State Cougars are in the NFL. Here is how they faired this past week. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 22:25:06 GMT https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58393249 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58393249 false false Cougars Head North to Pac-12 Qualifier - Washington State University Athletics - Official Athletics Site Javascript is required. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 21:29:25 GMT Yura, Chisato, Gabriella, Lorelei Timmons-Herrin https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58392543 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58392543 false false With 21st-ranked Boise State coming to town Saturday, the Washington State Cougars should have a few things going their way: The debut of redshirt freshman Owen Wed, 21 Oct 2026 21:04:40 GMT Todd Milles https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58392199 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58392199 false false It’s Homecoming weekend on the Palouse, and the Washington State Cougars will host the rival Boise State Broncos. For Homecoming, the Cougars will roll with their all-crimson uniforms, as revealed on social media earlier today behind the voice of Keith Jackson. All-crimson is the lone uniform set that has been worn every year since 2017. […] Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:16:49 GMT Nate Dahl https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58391560 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58391560 false false Cougars Set to Host Colorado State, Texas State - Washington State University Athletics - Official Athletics Site Javascript is required. - has 480 career kills, 20 shy of 500. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:42:21 GMT Emerson, Audrey, Naomi, Kryssa, Riley Baker https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58389328 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58389328 false false Riding a five-game winning streak, the Broncos visit Pullman behind quarterback Maddux Madsen, who has 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions, while the host Cougars have dropped four in a row. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:43:51 GMT FLM https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58385776 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58385776 false false Boenning Remains in Top 10 After Second Round at Saint Mary’s Invitational - Washington State University Athletics - Official Athletics Site Javascript is required. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 05:30:28 GMT Ben, Garrett, Dylan, Christian, Finn, Preston Collins https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58383078 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58383078 false false Cougars Complete Second Round at Rainbow Wahine Invitational - Washington State University Athletics - Official Athletics Site Javascript is required. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:21:00 GMT Sara, Grace, Kaitlyn, Sydney, Melia, Mallory Brock https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58382581 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58382581 false false Diving deeper into redshirt freshman Owen Eshelman's first start for Washington State on Saturday, here are three things that stood out. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 02:08:46 GMT Greg Woods https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58382210 https://sportspyder.com/cf/washington-state-cougars-football/articles/58382210 false false