3 keys for Washington State to get back on track at Utah State

If there are any remaining Washington State University football supporters still in search of even a faint glimmer of hope for a turnaround, you might want to tune into the comments coming from one of the winningest active coaches in FBS football.

He’s also the coach of the 1-4 program the Cougars are facing Friday night - Utah State.

“I watched the tape (and asked), ‘How are they 1-4?’” Aggies coach Bronco Mendenhall said Monday during his weekly press conference. “I hope they are saying the same about us.”

Mendenhall pointed out a common factor in why both teams have only one win to their name: Strength of schedule.

“I am not going to make these teams the same, but there are more similarities than not in terms of circumstance,” Mendenhall said.

Here are three matchups WSU has to take advantage of to pull off the upset on the road at Utah State:

1. Get Kirby Vorhees going between the tackles

Sep 19, 2026; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars running back Kirby Vorhees (9) celebrates a touchdown against the Duquesne Dukes during the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This might be a good time for first-year WSU coach Kirby Moore to emphasize the run game in his first outing as the Cougars’ offensive play caller.

With the defensive-minded Mendenhall leading Utah State, the Aggies are always going to be sound on that side of the ball.

But teams - especially recently with Boise State (185 rushing yards, two touchdowns) last week and Troy (169 yards) two weeks ago - have found success running the football between the tackles for large-chunk gains.

Sounds like a good week to fire up junior Kirby Vorhees, who is WSU’s power running back.

2. Disrupt Utah State's Brosterhous-Wood connection

Sep 19, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah State Aggies quarterback Grady Brosterhous (9) drops back to pass against the Utah Utes during the first quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mendenhall is still collecting on his Virginia connections as the Cavaliers’ previous coach from 2016-21.

During the offseason, two key offensive players - quarterback Grady Brosterhous and wide receiver Eli Wood - transferred to Utah State after long tenures at Virginia.

Their chemistry in the pass game is obvious. The Brosterhous-to-Wood connection is one of the best in the Pac-12.

Wood is coming off his best game at Utah State on Saturday at Boise State - seven receptions, 102 yards and a touchdown, including a season-long 31-yard catch. He has hauled in touchdowns in four of the team’s five games.

3. Turn Utah State's quarterback problems into takeaways

Sep 12, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Utah State Aggies head coach Bronco Mendenhall stands on the sideline during the third quarter against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

WSU (15 sacks) and Utah State (17 sacks) are the two teams in the Pac-12 whose quarterbacks have been sacked the most this season.

This is a golden opportunity for the Cougars to manufacture pressure on the Aggies’ two quarterbacks in Brosterhous, who has started the past four games, and McCae Hillstead, who started the season opener before suffering a forearm injury.

Combined, both Utah State signal callers have thrown a conference-high 10 interceptions this season. Hillstead was intercepted last week against Boise State and returned it for a touchdown in the first half.

When asked about WSU’s defense, Mendenhall specifically mentioned the presence of edge rushers Linus Zunk (career-high six tackles against Fresno State) and Matyus McLain (two tackles for loss and a shared sack against Fresno State).

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