PAC-12 Football Power Rankings week ending 10/3
6. Washington State Cougars (4-1, 1-1)
Last Game: WSU 28 – California 9
On Saturday, Washington State’s offense was like a muscle car with a bad starter. It took a little while to get started, but that baby took off once it did.
Aside from two interceptions, Cameron Ward played well. He threw for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Renard Bell was the main target this week. He pulled in 8 passes for 115 yards and a score. Robert Ferrel also had 6 catches for 74 yards and a TD.
The Wazzu defense brought their A-game. A week earlier, running back Jaydn Ott torched Colorado for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns. Washington State was ready for him on Saturday.
They held the freshman to 69 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown. But three of his runs totaled 41 yards, so he averaged 2.15 yards per carry on the other 13 attempts.
This Week at USC, 4:30 PM, FOX
The Cougs face an uphill climb on Saturday; USC is ranked 6th in the country for a reason. Wazzu has to find a way to stop the Trojans’ explosive offense.
Southern Cal quarterback Caleb Williams would be grabbing all the headlines if it wasn’t for Michael Penix. Williams is a dynamic dual-threat who will eventually play on Sundays. Middle linebacker Daiyan Henley will have his hands full as the “spy.”
If the Cougars’ defense can get some stops, then it’s on Ward and the offense to not only score points but also avoid turnovers. They can’t give the home team any extra chances.
He’ll need protection from the hog mollies up front. With enough time to throw, Ward has an excellent set of receivers to call on.
Washington State is a good football team. Unfortunately, USC is on another level.