3 matchups Washington State must win to beat San Diego State

The Cougars have one final opportunity to secure their first FBS win before heading into next week's bye

Oct 24, 2026; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Owen Eshelman (17). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Playing a game for a ninth consecutive week has certainly taken a toll on the Washington State Cougars.

But they can’t push for too much sympathy with the schedule-makers. San Diego State is in the same boat, making them two of the only 10 teams in FBS football that have opened the season with nine consecutive games.

Both teams will reach their bye week Monday.

“I know we are pushing through,” first-year WSU coach Kirby Moore said on his “Cougar Football Hour with Kirby Moore” show Wednesday in Pullman.

Here are three matchups WSU must have the upper hand on to win at San Diego State on Saturday:

1. Take advantage of San Diego State's vulnerable secondary

A year ago, SDSU’s secondary was a shutdown unit, led by co-Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year Chris Johnson, a cornerback who was selected by Miami in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Safety Dalesean Staley was expected to be a returning starter, but he suffered a serious knee injury last spring.

So, all five players in the Aztecs’ defensive backfield are new - and they have struggled giving up big-chunk plays.

This is a week when Moore, who knows the offense is in dire need of making explosive plays, should dial up the deep-passing heat, led by quarterback Owen Eshelman, who will make his third career start Saturday.

And although the Cougars have one true threat to stretch the field in Branden Ganashamoorthy, they can certainly get Daniel Blood and Tank Hawkins Jr. on some deep crossers, as well as tight end Trey Leckner.

2. Keep the Aztecs' running back duo in check

Another week, another standout running back comes to test the WSU defense.

Except SDSU has a pair of good tailbacks in Javion Kinnard, a shifty big-play runner who loves to get out on the perimeter, and Lucky Sutton, who came into the season atop the depth chart, but has been hampered by a multi-week ankle injury.

Kinnard is fourth in the conference in rushing with 526 yards and three touchdowns. Sutton has come on as of late, and sits 12th in the league with 358 yards and five touchdowns.

Last week in the loss at Colorado State, Kinnard and Sutton were near 100-yard rushers, combined for 192 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

Much like it was facing Boise State’s Dylan Riley, the league’s leading rusher, last week in Pullman, the Cougars cannot afford to allow Kinnard to get to the second level of the defense. If he does, that could be trouble.

3. Don't let Jaylon Hawkins take over the game

If Oregon State’s Jesse Legree had not stormed the Pac-12 - or the country - in the manner in which he has as a true freshman to thrust himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation, more people would be talking about SDSU’s Jaylon Hawkins.

He is also young - a redshirt freshman. And he is also electric.

Hawkins ranks 15th in FBS football in all-purpose yardage with 948 total yards as a kickoff returner and wide receiver.

He is the top kickoff returner in the country with 626 yards and three touchdowns. And recently, the Aztecs have peppered him with targets - 22 over his past three games - in the receiving game.

Hawkins is coming off a career outing as a receiver, catching six passes for 164 yards and a touchdown at Colorado State.

This will be a test in coverage and communication for the WSU cornerback trio of Khamari Terrell, Jalil Tucker and Jamarey Smith on Saturday.