Washington State’s Pac-12 opener comes with a personal twist for Kirby Moore

The first-year Cougars coach will face a Fresno State program where he spent six seasons and became an offensive coordinator

Southern California Trojans coach Lincoln Riley (left) and Fresno State Bulldogs coach Matt Entz shake hands after the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First-year Washington State University football coach Kirby Moore certainly has a few connect-the-career-dots moments to check off this fall.

One of them is coming up Saturday in hosting Fresno State to kick off Pac-12 play.

Kirby Moore spent six seasons at Fresno State

In 2022, Moore - then an assistant coach under former Bulldogs coach Jeff Tedford - became an offensive coordinator for the first time as part of his six-year tenure in the Mountain West Conference.

A year later, he was hired at Missouri as the offensive coordinator, which led to WSU hiring him last December to lead the Cougars.

If you take into account the overall landscape of college football, there aren’t too many program leaders who have accomplished more over the past decade than second-year Fresno State coach Matt Entz.

Fresno State has kept winning under Matt Entz

A former defensive coordinator at five previous stops, Entz took over at North Dakota State in 2019 for his first head-coaching position.

And all he did was win, posting a 60-11 record, winning the FCS national championship in 2019 and 2021.

Dec 27, 2025; Tucson, AZ, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For you trivia buffs, Entz oversaw the first 16-0 season in the modern era in his first year at NDSU, when the Bison defeated James Madison, 28-20, to win the national title. The school joined Yale, which also accomplished the feat in 1894, as the only programs in history to do so.

And after one season as an assistant in 2024, he led Fresno State to a 9-4 record in his first year in 2025, including a win over Miami of Ohio in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl.

Top Fresno State offensive players

RB Bryson Donelson, 5-11, 205, jr.

WR Josiah Freeman, 6-4, 200, sr.

RB Rayshon Luke, 5-10, 180, sr.

QB Jayden Mandal, 6-0, 205, jr.

Top Fresno State defensive players

DT Deijon Laffitte, 6-3, 305, jr.

NICK Simeon Harris, 6-0, 180, sr.

LB K’Vion Thunderbird, 6-0, 235, jr.

S Ryan Wilson, 6-0, 195, sr.

Jayden Mandal has emerged at quarterback

Going to Fresno State baseball games and watching future American League MVP Aaron Judge, Jayden Mandal’s dream was to pitch and hit for the Bulldogs.

Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs quarterback Jayden Mandal (7). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And he gave a verbal pledge to that program as a sophomore out of nearby Buchanan High School.

But, in the end - football won out.

A year after missing the entire 2025 season with serious shoulder and arm injuries, Mandal won the starting quarterback job during preseason camp, and is quickly becoming a force under center.

His toughness is a tone-setter, and Mandal - after making just his second career start to begin the season against USC - has not committed a turnover in the past three games.

Against Rice, Mandal passed for 210 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.

“I thought he took some shots (down the field) and made some big-time throws,” Entz said.

Rayshon Luke gives Fresno State a dangerous weapon

There is a reason Rayshon Luke’s nickname is “Speedy.” He is a 10.5-second 100-meter sprinter who is a menace in the open field.

Sep 6, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs running back Rayshon Luke (2). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Luke remained hopeful he would put a slow start to the season behind him Saturday - and did with a career-high 167 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown run.

After Rice was able to contain much of the Bulldogs’ inside run in the first half, Fresno State began attacking the perimeter. That is Luke territory.

On his 52-yard touchdown run: “I ended up out-running everybody,” he told reporters in his post-game press conference.

Luke began his college career as part of the rotation at Arizona, but transferred to Fresno State last season. He led the team in rushing with 702 yards and six touchdowns as an all-Mountain West honorable mention performer.

Now he is coming off his breakout game.

“I always have confidence,” Luke said. “This ups it even more.”