Cougs Need to Clean Up Mistakes Before Regular Season Finale, Pac-12 Rematch

Nov 15, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars wide receiver Leon Neal Jr. (12) lines up for a play against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

Washington State went on the road to James Madison, falling to the Dukes in a tough late-game collapse. They had their fair share of chances to take control of the game, but an offensive explosion and defensive stranglehold by JMU in the second half prevented them from doing so.

Heading back home to face Pac-12 opponent Oregon State in the regular season finale next week, the Cougs have one more chance to finish strong and become bowl-eligible.

---

Can't Get Comfortable

With two separate leads in the second half against a 9-1 team on the road, the Cougs had more than enough opportunities to finish the game out with a win. They had just three offensive drives in the last 30 minutes, and seemingly stopped attempting to manufacture anything on the offensive side of the ball.

They attempted only two deep passes in their 27 plays in the third and fourth quarters, and their offense consisted of conservative passing plays and even safer rushes. On defense, the pass rush faded almost immediately after halftime, and the aggressiveness noticeably dipped. The Cougars are heavily favored once again in their upcoming Pac-12 matchup against Oregon State, and they need to get ahead early and keep their foot on the gas pedal.

Work on Shutting Down Big Plays

For 90% of the game, the Cougs were firmly in the driver's seat. However, just a handful of plays turned the tide of the game and gave WSU its sixth loss of the season. A 37-yard pick-six, a 68-yard passing touchdown from quarterback Alonzo Barnett III to Braeden Wisloski, and a 58-yard rushing touchdown by Wayne Knight. Those were the backbreakers of the game.

Stopping chunk plays against the Oregon State offense next week should be much easier, but it's certainly no guarantee. The Cougs need to play a clean game against the Beavers and handle business from wire to wire, and the easiest way of going about that is to keep their offensive gains to a minimum and not give their defense any free takeaways.

Send the Seniors Off on a High Note

There should only be one thing on the minds of every Coug player and coach going into the regular season finale, and that's coming out of it with a senior night victory. For a season that hasn't been the prettiest or the most successful, ending it off with a conference win would be substantial for both future prospects and becoming bowl-eligible.

How the team can pull out a victory shouldn't be at the forefront of the game plan, just that the final score is in favor of the Cougs. With plenty of impactful seniors up and down the roster, next Saturday will be a major opportunity to honor their contributions and end their collegiate careers with a big win.

---