7 Takeaways from Washington State Cougars 28-9 win over Cal
Takeaway #6 – Stuff ’em
Last week, Cal running back Jaydn Ott torched Colorado for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns. Washington State was ready for him on Saturday.
The freshman rushed for 69 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown for Cal, but three of those runs totaled 41 yards, so he averaged 2.15 yards per carry on the other 13 attempts.
Despite Ott’s total, the Washington State Cougars held Cal to 31 yards rushing. Bears quarterback Jack Plummer carried the ball seven times for -28 yards, and only one of those was a sack.
Takeaway #7 – Mixed Secondary
The Washington State Cougars’ secondary had an up-and-down day. They allowed more long gains than they would have liked. Five pass plays went for 20 yards or more. That included back-to-back completions from Jack Plummer to Robert Hunter for 30 and 49 yards, respectively, to open the fourth quarter.
On the other hand, four Cougs defensive backs were among the team’s top 5 tacklers. Time and again, they came up to the line to close Ott’s rushing lanes.
Late in the game, the unit helped to shut down Cal late in the game, holding Golden Bears quarterbacks to 4 of 7 for 30 yards in the visitor’s final three possessions.
Saturday’s victory moved the Cougs to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-12. They are also 30th in the latest Coaches Poll.