What Arizona needs to know about a much different Washington State team
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Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats head back on the road in Week 4, returning to Pullman, WA, for the first time since 2023 in what is now a non-conference showdown with the Washington State Cougars.
WSU (1-2) blasted FCS opponent Duquesne last Saturday, 48-7, thanks to a dominant second half by the run game and a pair of excellent plays on special teams. Ultimately, the Cougars are in a transitional period, however, after replacing the coaching staff and many skill position players as they opted for a fresh start heading into the rebuilt Pac-12 conference in 2026.
Meanwhile, Arizona is coming off a 42-17 win over Northern Illinois in Tucson and is looking for its first road win of the campaign. Saturday's game will feel like an old conference showdown, although in reality it represents the final non-con game of the season for Arizona before Big 12 play takes over in October.
Below is a look at four things to know about this Washington State squad ahead of Saturday afternoon:
New staff, new players, new(ish) conference
It's a completely new look era for Washington State, which is led by first-time head coach Kirby Moore, along with new coordinators Trent Bray and Matt Miller and a litany of new faces on both sides of the ball - including quarterback Caden Pinnick, receivers Darrius Clemons and Daniel Blood, tight end Jack Pedersen, safety Jaylen Thomas, linebacker DJ Warner, and EDGE rusher Linus Zunk.
A completely retained offensive line, alongside returning running backs Kirby Vorhees and Maxwell Woods, helps a ton, but ultimately this is a team very much still finding themselves in the early going - with losses at UW and Kansas State before the blowout win over Duquesne.
WSU also has the added burden of trying to rebuild the Pac-12 from the ashes. The first year of the league hasn't gone great yet, although Oregon State looks solid, while Boise State, San Diego State, and Colorado State are productive teams as well.
There is little doubt the Cougars would love a home win over a former Pac-12 member, so that added energy is something for Brennan and the Wildcats to prepare for this Saturday.
Caden Pinnick can run, but WSU doesn't pass
The Cougars are led by signal caller Caden Pinnick, a transfer from FCS UC Davis who has done a lot of damage for WSU so far with his legs, but far less with his arm.
Pinnick has 42 completions for 403 yards and two touchdowns, three interceptions, and seven sacks through Washington State's first three games. WSU's 134.3 passing yards per game ranks 132nd out of 138 FBS programs, while Pinnick's 42 completions rank 98th among all QBs.
However, the dual-threat QB does have 166 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground, one of three WSU ball carriers with over 150 rushing yards so far this season. Don't be surprised to see Arizona's run defense tested far more than their pass defense on Saturday in Pullman.
Limited recent success for Arizona vs. WSU
Arizona is 28-19 all-time against Washington State dating back to 1963, with a 21-13 record while both teams were members of the Pac-12.
However, the Wildcats haven't fared too well against the Cougars over the last decade, with a 2-5 overall record dating back to 2015, including just 1-2 at home and three straight losses in Pullman until a massive 44-6 road win in 2023, Fisch's final season in Tucson.
Pullman is a tough place to play, and even though this year's team is in a transitional phase, the Wildcats cannot overlook coach Moore and the Cougars - else they could find themselves off to an 0-2 road start.
Special talent on Special Teams
Washington State did something in Week 3 against Duquesne that you don't see every day, with two different players returning punts for touchdowns on back-to-back drives in the fourth quarter, helping to cement a 48-7 victory - the first of coach Moore's career.
Jaylen Thomas went 47 yards for a TD to make it 41-7 with 5:32 left in the game, while Tank Hawkins took one 65 yards just over two minutes later, ending the scoring at 48-7.
Obviously, opponent context matters here, but Arizona must be diligent on the special teams to avoid getting up backbreaking plays - which is especially problematic when it gets the home crowd involved.
WSU does have a kicking problem, with Jack Stevens missing a 30-yard field goal and an extra point last week, but preventing big plays must be a critical area of focus for Brennan and UA this week.
Arizona and WSU will kick off at 4:30 PM PT on Saturday, Sep. 26, in Pullman. The game will be broadcast on CBS.
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