Washington State Football: Keys to Victory vs. Utah State

Jared Miller | Nov 8, 2024

Oct 11, 2024; Logan, Utah, USA; Utah State Aggies quarterback Spencer Petras (7) warms up before a game against the UNLV Rebels at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images / Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

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The Cougars, who now find themselves in the AP 25 at #20 and in the College Football Playoff rankings at #21, are having one of the better seasons in recent memory with four regular season games to go. This weekend Washington State looks to snag their eighth win and should have a pretty good shot of doing so at home against a struggling Utah State squad. Still, the threat of an upset is ever-present this time of year and if WSU wants to avoid that fate against the Aggies this Saturday, here's what they'll need to do.

Get the Ground Game Going

Utah State has a hard time stopping the run. In fact, through October, the Aggies defense gave up 291.3 yards per game on the ground and let opponents 14 touchdowns by way of the run. They've shown no real signs that those issues are improving so the formula for the Cougars here is pretty cut and dried.

Quarterback John Mateer has been the team's best rusher in 2024, paving the way with 575 yards and 10 touchdowns. Right behind him is running back Wayshawn Parker who has 446 yards and a pair of TDs. Running the ball is something Washington State's offense does moderatly well on the whole but their numbers seldom jump off the stat sheet. This weekend they have the opportunity to really open that game up and, if they do, odds are high that Utah State won't be able to keep up for long.

Take Advantage of Short-Handed USU Receiving Corps

The Aggies got the tough news a couple weeks ago that star wide receiver Jaylen Royals would be done for the season with a foot injury. He was far and above the best wideout on the Utah State roster, piling up 55 catches for 834 yards and six scores through eight games this fall. Royals did not play last weekend against Wyoming and it showed as the team put up its lowest passing numbers since Week 2.

The Cougs will want to keep that number low again because QB Spencer Petras still knows how to fling it. DBs Ethan O'Connor and Tyson Durant have been having great seasons in WSU's secondary and their jobs get significantly easier without having to worry about Royals. Their attention now turns to potential targets like Kyrese White and Otto Tia. O'Connor and Durant have combined for five picks and eight PBUs this year and, if they can corral Utah State's depleted receiving corps, then Washington State has a great chance on Saturday.

Get Pressure on Petras

As stated earlier, Aggies signal caller Spencer Petras has the ability to slice through defenses if he gets going. Last month alone he posted games of 461 passing yards and 360 yards against UNLV and New Mexico respectively and, while Utah State still lost both of those games, those are not necessarily dice that the Cougars defense should want to roll in this one.

Getting pressure on Petras will be important but it also won't be easy. One thing the Aggies have done well this year is keep their quarterback upright. Opponents have gotten just 14 sacks this season and have only gotten through once over the last two games. WSU, though, has a bunchh of guys that are capable of bucking that trend, starting with sophomore Ansel Din-Mbuh. The young defensive lineman has authored 4.5 sacks this year and has made 5.5 tackles for loss. Andrew Edson and Raam Stevenson are a danger in that department as well, having teamed up for 4.5 more sacks and another 7.5 TFLs. If one or more of them are able to puncture that O line and get Petras uncomfortable, the Cougars will be in buisiness.

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