WA college football recap – Week 14
MIKE MAYNARD | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 days, 12 hours AGO
The Huskies’ Adam Mohamed (24) turns the corner on a run play against the Oregon Ducks. The Huskies fell short to the Ducks 26-14 on Saturday.
COURTESY PHOTO/UW ATHLETICS
The Cougars’ Caleb Francl (9) celebrates after making a big play on defense. The Cougars defeated Oregon State on Saturday to become bowl eligible for the 20th time in program history.
MOSES LAKE — Rivalry weekend saw some eventful results. Some teams saw unexpected shortfalls while others secured bowl game eligibility. With Eastern Washington and Central Washington finished for the year, that leaves the Cougars and the Huskies. See below how they fared in their final games of the regular season.
Washington State (6-6) vs Oregon State
The Cougars punctuated their regular-season finale with a 32-8 victory over the Oregon State Beavers to secure bowl eligibility, according to a statement by WSU athletics. The Cougars improved to 6–6 overall with the win, marking the program's third bowl appearance in the last four seasons.
“Proud of this group of seniors and the way they fought this season to keep the team connected. I’m excited, it’s been a long season for us ... we’ve grown in many ways,” head coach Jimmy Rogers said.
WSU set the tone early behind an efficient opening drive capped by a 44-yard field goal from freshman kicker Jack Stevens, then seized full momentum with a dominant second quarter.
Senior quarterback Zevi Eckhaus guided a balanced offensive attack, throwing for 197 yards and a touchdown while adding 63 rushing yards and a second score on the ground. The Cougar passing game spread the ball effectively, with seven players recording receptions and junior receiver Tony Freeman leading the way with seven catches for 84 yards.
On the ground, Washington State showcased its depth and explosiveness. Sophomore back Kirby Vorhees added a short touchdown run as WSU finished with a season-high 186 rushing yards on 34 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt.
The Cougar defense turned in one of its strongest outings of the season, holding Oregon State scoreless until the fourth quarter. WSU applied consistent pressure, recording six sacks and seven tackles for loss while forcing three turnovers. Senior linebacker Parker McKenna led the defensive effort with seven tackles, and defensive end Isaac Terrell added 1.5 sacks as the Beavers struggled to find rhythm. Interceptions by Colby Humphrey and Caleb Francl halted promising Oregon State drives and set up favorable field position for the Cougar offense.
Special teams provided a spark throughout the game, highlighted by a standout day from Freeman, who totaled a school-record 169 punt-return yards, including a 59-yard return in the second quarter that led to another WSU score. Stevens remained perfect on the afternoon, adding a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter as Washington State converted on five of its six red-zone opportunities.
The Cougs will find out next Sunday where they will play in their 20th bowl game in program history.
BOX SCORE:
OSU: 0-0-0-8: 8
WSU: 3-16-6-7: 32
Washington (8-4) vs Oregon
Demond Williams, Jr. threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston to cut the deficit to five in the fourth quarter, but Washington ultimately fell to No. 6 Oregon 26-14 on Saturday, according to a statement by UW athletics.
“Oregon is a good football team. It was not a surprise that it was going to be a very good game today,” head coach Jedd Fisch said. “Two teams that were competing at a high level, running the football. I thought there were a few plays that were difference makers for us that just didn’t go our way.”
Boston caught two touchdowns in his return from a two-game absence. The first was a 3-yard strike from Williams with ten seconds remaining in the first half to pull UW (8-4, 5-4) within six going into halftime.
The Husky defense held the Ducks to just one touchdown through three quarters. Dylan Robinson walloped Dante Moore for a sack on a third down in the first quarter. After an Oregon field goal opened the scoring, the Dawgs continually held the visitors to field goals until the fourth quarter.
Rylon Dillard-Allen led the team with 11 total tackles.
One week after rushing for 100 yards in a win over UCLA, Adam Mohammed ran for 105 yards on 14 carries. Eight Huskies caught a pass from Williams.
Washington will find out next Sunday where it plays in a bowl game.
BOX SCORE:
UO: 3-10-6-7: 26
UW: 0-7-0-7: 14
The Cougars’ Caleb Francl (9) celebrates after making a big play on defense. The Cougars defeated Oregon State on Saturday to become bowl eligible for the 20th time in program history.ARTICLES BY MIKE MAYNARD
Wahluke falls to Tri-Cities in home opener
MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors (0-1) were defeated 46-24 in their home opener by the Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars. Despite the loss, Head Coach Makai Hirai said he was proud of the effort his players gave on the court. “That was the biggest thing that I took away is we had a lot of effort. We have a lot of girls who are hungry, and the coaches were excited about (that). Our girls look pretty motivated ... they’re working hard,” Hirai said. The Jaguars started fast and held the lead the entire game. Tri-Cities Prep put up double-digit scores in each quarter except for the third. The Warriors finished strong with 10 points in the fourth quarter, but the Jaguars came out victorious.
From overtime thriller to championship stage
The Knights meet Cashmere once again
ROYAL CITY — On Friday, the No. 1 seed Royal Knights (12-0) will travel to Husky Stadium to play the No. 2 seed Cashmere Bulldogs (11-1) in the 1A state championship game. The Knights Head Coach Wiley Allred was not surprised to see the Bulldogs reach the state championship game. “I was hoping there wasn't a team better than them, because that's a pretty tough team right there. We'll meet our match,” Allred said. When these two met in October, it was the Knights pulling off a late comeback to win 21-15 in overtime. Coming into that game, both teams were undefeated. The Knights had only allowed seven points all season, while the Bulldogs had not allowed a score by any team.
Warriors fall short in home opener
MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors (0-1) were defeated 67-43 by the Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars Tuesday in their return to the hardwood. Wahluke Head Coach Anfernee Cortez said some of the loss may be attributed to first-game jitters. “We started too flat and just kind of dug ourselves into a hole early. Against a team like Tri-Cities Prep, it’s tough to catch up at that point,” Cortez said. A slow start by the Warriors allowed Tri-Cities Prep to take hold of the momentum early and build a commanding lead. In the first half, the Warriors struggled to knock down shots and attack the rim. The Jaguars carried their momentum into the second half to run away with the game. Wahluke had a stronger second-half showing, but Cortez said it was not enough to get back in the game.