PULLMAN, Wash. — The Washington State Cougars officially earned bowl eligibility after defeating the Arizona Sun Devils 28-18 on Saturday afternoon.
With the historic victory over Stanford, the Cougs were looking to win a bowl game for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. Standing in their way was Khazavian Valadai and the ASU Sun Devils, who ranked third in the conference in rushing yards.
The Kaugs’ first touchdown came after a strong defensive play in the first quarter. Brennan Jackson’s forced fumble pinned the Sun Devils deep in their own territory, giving the Cougs good field position after the punt. They drove down the field and capped it off with a trick play on fourth down that led to a touchdown from running back Nakia Watson.
On the ensuing drive, QB Cameron Ward threw a two-yard pass to Leighton Smithson for a touchdown. The Sun Devils blocked a WSU PAT attempt to make it 13-0 in favor of the Cougs.
The Cougars’ run and defense dominated Saturday afternoon. Watson had 143 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, and the Cougars’ defense created headaches for ASU’s offense.
Watson’s third TD of the day made it 28-0 later. ASU would later score three touchdowns, but it wouldn’t be enough to overcome WSU’s dominance in the first half.
Ward finished the day 22/37 for 219 yards and a touchdown.
The Cougs will look to continue their winning streak against the University of Arizona in Tuscon before facing the University of Washington in the Apple Cup at Martin Stadium.
PAT COVERAGE: Washington State is excited about the opportunity to score a cup
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