Fresno, California
At 4:00 PT/7:00 EST on FS1, Washington State (4-1) heads to the Valley to take on Fresno State (3-2). With both teams coming off a bye week, they will be fresh heading into a matchup with major implications. A Cougars win could get them ranked, while a Fresno win would give them a much-needed confidence boost for the rest of the season. Here’s what the Bulldogs need to do to win against their future Pac-12 rival this week:
Throw the Ball All Over the Yard
This year, Washington State’s defense has been below average at best, surrendering 292.4 yards through the air per game. This ranks as the 7th worst in the nation. In addition, they have conceded 11 passing touchdowns this year, which is tied for 115th in the country.
Fresno QB Mikey Keene has had a rocky start to the year, throwing 6 interceptions in 5 games. However, playing against this weak Cougars’ passing defense should provide some bright spots as he looks to play a complete game.
Fresno State’s wide receiver room has been occupied by three receivers: Mac Dalena, Jalen Moss, and Raylen Sharpe. Although Dalena has provided 501 receiving yards this year, Sharpe was the go-to guy for Keene in their last game, where he reeled in 10 catches. Sophomore Moss had a few huge performances last year but is yet to score this season. These three guys will be the main beneficiaries of the air-raid attack we may see this week.
Keene is 16-4 in his career when passing for over 200 yards, so if Fresno State wants to be in this game, a pass-heavy offense should be the way to go.
Defend the Run
Switching to the defensive side of the ball: two weeks ago, Fresno could not defend the run. That is an understatement. They allowed 252 yards on the ground, with 119 of them coming from transfer quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams. This is concerning because if Williams was able to scramble for 119 yards, how many can the talented scrambler John Mateer run for?
After last season, ultra-talented quarterback Cameron Ward entered the transfer portal, ultimately transferring to Miami, where he is currently in the running for the Heisman. Even with those big shoes to fill, Mateer has done an exceptional job thus far, throwing for 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns. Additionally, he has 450 yards on the ground this year. He looks like a running back and runs like one, making him tough to bring down.
A QB spy is the obvious answer, but Washington State has a solid group of young running backs as well. Three-star true freshman Wayshawn Parker has been dangerous, rushing for 325 yards in his first 5 games. Short-yardage back Djouvensky Schlenbaker has three touchdowns on the season. Look for Leo Pulalasi to get a few carries as well.
Fresno State has conceded more rushing yards in their two losses than in their three wins, making it obvious that this needs to be a point of emphasis in this week’s game plan.
Control the Tempo
Fresno State is averaging just over 30 minutes in time of possession, which is around average in the country, while Washington State has the ball for just a mere 28 minutes. This ranks them toward the bottom in time of possession.
This game is set to be a shootout, with both teams averaging over 30 points per game. Typically, in college football, there are plenty of turnovers in shootouts as both offenses use air raids, which shortens time of possession.
Washington State already uses the air raid, and Mateer has thrown 5 interceptions this year. Also, as we know, they barely possess the football. Therefore, there will be loads of opportunities in this game.
Tim Skipper has to make the game manageable for his squad, as they have yet to come from behind for a win. If this game turns into a 1st-quarter blowout, it will be very difficult for Keene and Co. to mount a comeback.
Another key factor is using the home crowd to Fresno’s advantage. The Valley has to be booming, forcing at least one false start or some sort of miscommunication with the Washington State offense. If the crowd is active, this is a winnable game for Fresno.
Final Thoughts
If Fresno is able to keep the game close by stopping the Cougars’ run offense and throwing the ball on early downs, we could see an extremely entertaining shootout. I would be shocked if this game does not finish with more than 55 total points, meaning we could see a game that captures the nation’s attention come 6:30 PT.