PULLMAN, Wash. - No. 21 Washington State defeated Utah State 49-28 at gesa Field Saturday night. Check out the postgame notes from the win.
TEAM NOTES
• WSU improved to 8-1 for the first time since 2018
• WSU improved to 3-2 all-time against Utah, had dropped the last two meetings
• WSU has won six straight home games at Gesa Field dating back to last season against Colorado
• WSU rushed for 303 yards, its eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season, the most since 2005 (11), second 300-yard game of the season (301, Texas Tech) and most since 2022, 306 at Stanford
• WSU recorded two takeaways (INT, FUM), pushing its season total to 17, passing last season's total of 15
PLAYER NOTES
• Hunter Haines made his college debut, appeared on kickoff, made one tackle
• Rod Tialavea started at left guard, Christian Hilborn did not start, snapping 34-game start streak
• John Mateer completed 18-of-24 passes 179 yards and four touchdowns, pushes season passing TD total to 22
• Mateer rushed for one touchdown, pushing his season total to 11, tied with Samoa Samoa (1980) for most in WSU single-season history
• Mateer's 14th career touchdown run is the fourth-most rushing touchdowns by a Cougar quarterback
• Wayshawn Parker carried 11 times for career-high 149 yards, his first career 100-yard game and most rush yards by a freshman in WSU single-game history
• Parker scored his third and fourth rushing touchdowns of the season, owns five total touchdowns this season
• Parker's 75-yard touchdown run was the longest by a Coug since 2006, Chris Ivory, 80 yards against Idaho
• Kyle Williams caught five passes for 55 yards, his 46th consecutive game with a catch, owns a catch in all 46 career games played (1st 25 at UNLV (2020-22)
• Williams caught a career-high three touchdowns, his second career multiple-TD game (2, 2024, Portland State), owns eight touchdowns this season, 14 as a Coug, 24 in his career
• Cooper Mathers caught his sixth touchdown of the season, adding to his WSU single-season record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end
• Buddah Al-Uqdah forced his third fumble of the season, recovered his second fumble of the season, made seven tackles
• Kapena Gushiken picked off his second pass of the season (Texas Tech) and third of his career
• Adrian Wilson matched a career high with seven tackles
• David Gusta recorded his first career sack
• Dean Janikowski tallied four points to push his career point total to 288, fourth-most in WSU history
• Janikowski made four extra points to push his career PAT total to 162, 2nd-most in WSU history