Recap and highlights: Fresno State cruises past Washington State 29-6 in Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl
INGLEWOOD, Calf. – Jake Dickert will need to wait another year to win his first bowl game as Washington State head coach.
Fresno State started strong and rolled to a 29-6 win over Washington State at the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl in front of 32,405 fans at SoFi Stadium.
The Bulldogs (10-4) opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive. The Cougars (7-6) wouldn’t score until late in the third quarter – the only time WSU put any points on the board.
Washington State’s defense kept them in the game, but couldn’t make up for a staggering 501-182 difference in total offense in favor of Fresno State.
After the Cougars scored to make the score 16-6, the Bulldogs answered with another 75-yard touchdown drive and scored again on their next possession to cap the rout.
Fresno State’s Jake Haener completed 24 of 36 attempts for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Jordan Mims handled 18 carries for 205 yards and two scores. Both players managed more yardage individually than the Cougars as a whole.
Cameron Ward competed 22 of 32 attempts for 137 yards and an interception. He didn’t get much help from the rushing attack, that averaged 1.6 yards a carry.
The Cougars are now 0-2 in bowl games with Dickert as head coach, losing last year’s Sun Bowl to Central Michigan 24-21.
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First quarter
12:20 – Fre 0, WSU 0: Fresno State receives the opening kickoff and are driving down the field, having picked up 53 yards on five plays.
11:54 – Fre 7, WSU 0: Too easy for the Bulldogs, as Haener finds a Pope wide open for a 22-yard touchdown pass.
Haener completes 4 of 4 passes for 67 yards and the score on the opening possession.
9:54 – Fre 7, WSU 0: Tough start for the Cougars offense, which loses five yards on its opening drive and punts to the Fresno 37.
7:51 – Fre 7, WSU 0: Cougars force a pair of incompletions from Haener – his first of the game – and hold the Bulldogs to a field goal attempt, which misses badly from 36 yards.
5:57 – Fre 7, WSU 0: Nothing doing again for the Cougars, which pick up a first down on a run by Watson, but punt after their next three plays.
Fresno starts on its 15.
3:45 – Fre 7, WSU 0: Haener is sacked on back-to-back plays, but the Cougars can’t bring down Mims on a screen pass, who converts a 3rd-and-20.
1:00 – Fre 7, WSU 0: Cougars get a stop and start on their own 14 after a 29-yard punt.
Second quarter
14:52 – Fre 7, WSU 0: Direct snap to Watson on 4th down is stopped and Fresno takes over on the WSU 23.
12:52 – Fre 14, WSU 0: Mims takes a direct snap around the left edge for a 4-yard touchdown run.
Bulldogs capitalize on the short field with a 4-play, 23-yard drive.
11:34 – Fre 16, WSU 0: Ward pulls an “Orlovsky” and steps out of bounds for a safety, trying to avoid pressure in the end zone.
Costly mistake for the Cougars, which couldn’t have started much worse. More penalty yards than total offense for WSU, which is being outgained 184-20.
9:17 – Fre 16, WSU 0: Cougars get the ball back at their own 26 after a short Fresno drive. Let’s see if the offense can get anything going this time, after previous drives ending punt-punt-downs-safety.
7:26 – Fre 16, WSU 0: Fresno muffs a punt, but the Cougars are called for fair catch interference and the Bulldogs will retain possession at their own 37.
Cougars picked up one first down on their drive, but netted just five yards.
5:45 – Fre 16, WSU 0: Malani sacks Haener for a loss of 11 on third down. The Cougars start on their own 11. A touchdown drive here would more than triple their offensive output to this point.
0:48 – Fre 16, WSU 0: Ward is sacked on third down and the Cougars are going to be held scoreless at halftime.
Third quarter
11:10 – Fre 16, WSU 0: Just when the Cougars start to move the ball, Ward tosses the ball up for grabs in coverage and Early obliges with an interception. Fresno starts on their own seven.
8:34 – Fre 16, WSU 0: Cougars force a punt and start on their own 40. Maybe this time they’ll score? Or make it to the red zone? We’ll hold our breath.
3:40 – Fre 16, WSU 6: We have points! Watson punches in a 1-yard touchdown to get the Cougars on the board, capping a 9-play 60-yard drive. We’ll stay at a two-score game though, as Ward is pressured and throws the 2-pt attempt away.
0:36 – Fre 22, WSU 6: Fresno marches down the field and Haener completes an 11-yard touchdown to Remigio to recapture momentum.
Bulldogs answer the Cougars’ score with a 6-play 75-yard drive in just 3 minutes.
Fourth quarter
13:11 – Fre 22, WSU 6: Ward’s pass is incomplete on 4th down and the Cougars turn it over.
8:29 – Fre 29, WSU 6: Mims scores a 2-yard touchdown, his second of the day and that will about put the LA Bowl out of reach.
Mims has 16 carries for 160 yards and two touchdowns, as the Bulldogs have outgained the Cougars 428-166.
6:39 – Fre 29, WSU 6: WSU’s most valuable player of the afternoon trots out for another punt. Haberer boots one 53 yards, where the Bulldogs start at their own 14.
Haberer has four punts for 193 yards (48.3 average) and three inside the 20.
Programing update
Deion Sanders’ final game as Jackson State head coach is going to overtime in the Celebration Bowl against North Carolina Central.
The LA Bowl will start on ESPN News.
Available players update
Washington State free safety Sam Lockett III is not suited up, along with cornerback Chau Smith-Wade.
Wide receiver Rendard Bell will add one more game to his seven-year WSU career, after previously being believed to be out for the season.
Cougars to honor Leach
Washington State added a sticker to the back of its helmet to honor former coach Mike Leach, who died earlier in the week.
Pregame
The Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl sure isn’t the Granddaddy, but Washington State and Fresno State will be happy they aren’t watching the postseason from the couch.
The Cougars (7-5) and Bulldogs (9-4) kick off at 12:30 p.m. on ABC.
Washington State is looking for its first bowl win under coach Jake Dickert, after the Cougars fell to Central Michigan in last year’s Sun Bowl.
It won’t come easy against Mountain West champion Fresno State, which is favored by 3½ points.
The Cougars are missing a host of regular season starters, including two wide receiver and three linebackers, due to a combination of the transfer portal and sitting out for the NFL draft. Still, quarterback Cameron Ward will lead the offense, which is hoping to avenge a lopsided Apple Cup when it last took the field on Nov. 26.
Fresno State played a little more recently, beating Boise State in the Mountain West championship game. The Bulldogs have won their last three bowl games, including last year’s New Mexico Bowl over UTEP.
Game preview
More on the Cougs
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