WSU moments

The catches: Cooper Kupp made plays all night against the Cougars thanks to his size, speed and superior skill. But the star receiver did not have to work hard to come up with a 26-yard touchdown two minutes into the second half to give EWU the lead. A defensive miscommunication led to EWU’s best player being able to jog uncovered to the end zone, where he caught his 59th career touchdown pass – the most in FCS history.

The hit: Robert Taylor ejected for targeting EWU’s Shaq Hill, who still made a 36-yard catch despite the helmet-to-helmet contact. With Shalom Luani out, the Cougars had to go to their third-string safety against EWU’s ferocious passing attack. Hunter Dale, a sophomore, will likely start next week at Boise State.

The run: Though EWU was the aggressor, WSU made a habit of winning games in the final minutes last season, and gave itself a chance at another comeback by cutting the deficit to three points with 4:42 to play. Gage Gubrud slammed the door on the Cougars with a 30-yard run through the teeth of the WSU defense, making it a two-score game with less than two minutes remaining.