The Washington State Cougars Opener Provides Answers to Many Questions
Fortunately for the Washington State University football team, they got to see their opponent play already in Week 0. This is not something that many teams have a luxury of having in week one. Coach Leach and his staff will take full advantage of this and be studying lots of game film.
How Did Wyoming Do?
The Cowboys controlled the whole game against the New Mexico State Aggies with a 29-7 victory. The score might not wow anyone, but they were firmly in control and a lot of that had to do with the outstanding performance by the Cowboy defense.
The Aggies were held to -9 rushing yards and only 144 passing yards. Granted, the Aggies are not the most talented team, but it is no small task to hold a team in negative yardage for an entire game.
Offensively, the running game is where Wyoming found success. Running Back Nico Evans, had a great stat-line with 190 yards on 24 carries and 2 TD’s on the ground.
Overall, Wyoming looks like a strong defensive team with a run-heavy offense. This will be an interesting matchup for the Cougars, but a great opener to show Washington State exactly where they stand early in the season.
The Matchup
Washington State will present a passing attack Wyoming is not likely to see all season. Coach Leach is being tight-lipped over who will be the starting QB for the opener. Based on my previous article, I still believe that Trey Tinsley has a great shot at being the starter.
I was looking at players who have been around the team before, so I did not include Gardner Minshew. In my opinion, it is between Tinsley and Minshew. My gut says the nod will go to Minshew in this one, so look to see #16 behind the center.
It is always good to have a test in week one. That way you know what to work on the rest of the year. The WSU offense vs the Cowboy defense is the most interesting to me. That will be the storyline to follow. The big question from for Washington State University is the quarterback. I agree, but I also am curious to see how the running game is integrated into the offensive game plan as well.
The defense, led by Peyton Pelluer, will do a great job defending the Wyoming offense. They did not pass a lot against the Aggies, so expect there to be a big push to stop the run. The inexperienced defensive line will need to have a big presence in this one.
The Answer
This game will answer a lot of questions that the Cougar faithful have about this year’s football team. We will know who the QB is, how much the offense will change, and if the defense can be as effective as they were last year.
Similarly to the rest of the Sports Al Dente Staff, I am as excited as it gets for Pac-12 Football to kick off for another great season.