Jay Sawvel’s 2-9 Wyoming Cowboy football team is heading to Pullman, Washington, to face the Washington State Cougars at 8-3 on the season coached by former Wyoming coordinator Jake Dickert. The Cougars are undefeated at home for the season and are on a two-game losing streak. The Pokes hope to button up a season they’d like to forget about, as bowl season will just be memories of previous years, unfortunately. The last time the two teams faced off was in 2018 when legendary college coach and Wyoming native Mike Leach (RIP) brought his Cougars to War Memorial for a showdown that ended with future NFL quarterback Gardner Minshew defeating Wyoming 41 to 19. Backup quarterback Evan Svoboda is expected to make the in place of Kaden Anderson, who is currently in concussion protocol following a hit during a run last Saturday against Boise State.
Per a University of Wyoming Athletics Media Relations official, the following players are out for today's game at Washington State:
Kaden Anderson (QB)- In protocol
TK King (WR)- Illness
*Correction: We apologize for inadvertently stating that Sam Scott and Jordan Bertagnole would be out today. They are both playing. We have revised our article with the most current information.
Washington State Analysis:
Passing
John Mateer (QB): The offensive anchor for the Cougars, Mateer averaged 268.8 passing yards per game, completing 64% of his throws. He totaled 2,957 yards with 28 touchdowns and a passer rating of 165.2, making him a top performer in the conference.
The team's passing attack has been its strength, averaging 276.7 yards per game, with a 64.7% completion rate.
Rushing
John Mateer (QB): Not only a passing threat, Mateer added 770 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Mobile dual threat!
Wayshawn Parker (RB): Contributed 690 rushing yards at an efficient 5.6 yards per carry and four touchdowns, providing balance to the offense.
The Cougars averaged 177.8 rushing yards per game, with a 5.0 yards-per-carry average, highlighting their effective ground game.
Receiving
Kyle Williams (WR): A dominant deep threat, Williams led with 967 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 17.3 yards per catch.
Kris Hutson (WR) and Josh Meredith (WR) also made significant contributions with 621 and 442 yards, respectively.
The Cougars' receivers combined for 3044 yards and 29 touchdowns, emphasizing the depth of their passing game.
Defense
Taariq Al-Uqdah (LB): A leader on defense with 68 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 interceptions, and a pick-six.
Ethan O'Connor (DB): Delivered in clutch moments with a team-high 4 interceptions for 84 yards and one touchdown.
The defense averaged 7.5 tackles for loss per game and forced 13 interceptions, maintaining competitiveness in high-pressure situations.
Special Teams
Dean Janikowski (K): Reliable in kicking, converting 96.1% of extra points and 72.7% of field goals, totaling 73 points (no relation to former NFL kicker Sebastian Janikowski).
Leyton Smithson (S): Led the team in kick returns, averaging 22.1 yards per return.
Key Team Stats
Offense: Averaged 454.5 total yards and 6.8 yards per play, making them a potent threat.
Turnovers: Limited to 0.9 turnovers per game.
Difference Makers: The Cougars consistently edged opponents in total offense, averaging 17.4 more yards per game.
Depth Charts:
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