Max Borghi available for Washington State after missing three consecutive games

Max Borghi participated in pregame warmups for Washington State Saturday morning, indicating the running back is available to play for the Cougars in today’s Pac-12 North game against California.

Borghi, who returned to practice early last week, has missed each of the team’s first three games with a back injury that he sustained during fall camp. The running back didn’t travel with the team to games at Oregon State and USC, and wasn’t on the Cougars’ sideline in the last home game against Oregon.

In Borghi’s absence, senior Deon McIntosh has emerged as a viable No. 1 running back for the Cougars, rushing for 304 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s first three games. McIntosh is averaging 6.9 yards per carry.

It’ll be Borghi’s first action in nearly a full calendar year, since WSU lost to Air Force in the Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 27, 2019. As a sophomore, the Colorado native finished with 813 yards rushing, 597 more receiving and 16 total touchdowns for the Cougars.