Next Steps: How Cougs Can Get Back On Track After Apple Cup Loss

Sep 20, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies linebacker Deven Bryant (17) forces an incomplete pass against Washington State Cougars wide receiver Joshua Meredith (18) in the first half of Apple Cup at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

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Washington State fell back to .500 on the early season after a convincing loss to the Washington Huskies in the 117th annual Apple Cup. The Cougars' sloppy play to open their 2025 campaign caught up to them quickly, sending the team spiraling with two straight losses and far more uncertainty than definitive ways to move forward and strengths to lean on.

Traveling to Fort Collins to take on the Colorado State Rams in the upcoming Week 5 matchup, here is how the Cougars need to set themselves up to get back into the win column.

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Run Game, Run Game, Run Game

Watching the Cougars' rushing attack in 2025 has been an absolute chore for Washington State fans to endure through four games. Averaging under three yards per carry for the third time in three games, posting an abysmal 28 yards on 27 attempts, the team has utterly floundered at every effort to establish any efficient ground game.

Of the four players who recorded a rushing attempt against the Huskies, running back Kirby Vorhees' 2.6 YPC and 13 yards both led the team. Quite frankly, it's simply impossible to sustain success with those numbers being team-leading. The change-of-pace factor that backup quarterback Julian Dugger provided in the first few weeks has been fully extinguished, being held to -6 yards on three carries. With a lack of true rushing production and an incredible drought of explosive runs, the longest run against Washington was just seven yards. Time is beginning to run thin for the Cougars to develop a usable run game, and swift changes must be made.

Define The Starting Receiving Corps

Spreading the ball out has often been attributed to quarterbacks as a much-needed skill, but it's certainly possible for it to become a downside. Starting QB Zevi Eckhaus threw for 277 yards and two scores, but with 14 players with at least one reception and none with more than three, the Cougars have a growing issue with the chemistry and ceiling of the receiving corps.

Senior wideout Joshua Meredith has established himself as a solid deep threat, and junior Tony Freeman has been a decent safety blanket. Neither of the two is a bona fide star, however, and outside of them, no other players have separated themselves from the rest of the group. The still-uncertain quarterback situation and struggling offense require a much more definitive scheme. Head coach Jimmy Rogers and his staff need to figure out who their best options are and move forward with them.

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MORE: Washington State Fall To Rival Washington Despite Improved Performance in Apple Cup

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Terrell And Peleti Need To Take Control

The Cougars' defense has not been a chaos-creating unit through four games, with not enough of a substantial pass rush or turnover creation. They recorded three sacks against the Huskies, with their season average at less than two per game. The two players capable of changing this narrative, however, did have productive games despite the loss.

Defensive ends Isaac Terrell and Buddha Peleti both recorded a sack on Saturday, and lead the team on the season with 2.5 and 1.5, respectively. Star power at all aspects of the Washington State defense has been hard to come by so far in 2025, and Terrell and Peleti might be the team's only hope in generating consistent pass rush. The two DEs need to take on more responsibility and elevate their games to propel the Cougars' defense, and they continue to show that the upside exists, and it just needs to be unlocked.

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