Recap and highlights: No. 23 Washington State dominates first half, coasts to 64-21 win over Northern Colorado
PULLMAN — Jake Dickert was a straggler at halftime. Washington State’s head coach jogged into the locker room behind most of his players, darting around them to sneak under the tunnel and address them halfway through their 64-21 win over Northern Colorado.
Nobody in crimson and gray was in too much of a rush on Saturday afternoon. The Cougs didn’t need to be. Cameron Ward completed 20 of 26 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns, receiver Lincoln Victor hauled in two of those scores and thanks to an explosive first half, Washington State cruised to their third win of the season.
There might have been no better way for No. 23 WSU to kick off Pac-12 play, which begins next week when No. 16 Oregon State comes to Pullman for a primetime game on Fox.
To beat the winless FCS Bears, the Cougs (3-0) unleashed it all in the first quarter, leaping ahead 22-0 with two touchdowns through the air and one on the ground. In the second, Ward completed touchdown passes to Josh Kelly and Victor. Watson sandwiched a touchdown rush between those scoring plays. With that, the Cougars entered halftime up 43-7, and it was time for the backups to play.
So many Cougs got involved you might think Dickert was trying to set a record. All told, 12 WSU players caught passes, from Victor to Tsion Nunnally to Watson, who exited in the first half and did not return to the sideline.
While he was in the game, Watson recorded his best game of the season, carding nine carries for 41 yards and one touchdown, a 6-yard run that’s the Cougars’ longest rushing score of the season by a running back. Still, WSU’s top rushing honors went to walk-on Dylan Paine, who entered when the game was out of reach and posted seven carries for 81 yards, including a 52-yarder, helping his team finish with 235 rushing yards.
Still, some of this Washington State win is best told by the numbers. The Cougs outgained the Bears 720-347. Ward and Mateer, who completed 7 of 8 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, helped WSU register 479 passing yards.
Several Cougs scored for the first time in their WSU careers. That included Nunnally, who hauled in a 62-yard touchdown pass from Mateer in the third frame; Paine, who scored from one yard out and receiver Josh Meredith, who reeled in a 15-yard touchdown reception, also from Mateer.
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First quarter
15:00 – WSU 0, UNC 0: Bears win the toss and defer to the second half. Washington State starts at the 25 after a touchback.
10:28 – WSU 8, UNC 0: Ward scrambles for an 8-yard rushing touchdown and the Cougars take a quick lead. WSU converts a 2pt conversion on a pass from Jenkins to Riviere.
Cougars have an emphasis on their rushing attack on their first possession. WSU picks up 19 yards on six attempts and convert a fourth down try on a quarterback sneak.
Ward leading rushers with 12 yards.
9:31 – WSU 8, UNC 0: Bears pick up one yard on a rush and then punt after consecutive incompletions. Not great start for what figures to be a long day for UNC quarterback Sirmon.
WSU starts on its 30.
6:08 – WSU 15, UNC 0: Ward finds Williams wide open over the middle for a 37-yard touchdown. Everything coming easy for Ward and the Cougs so far. He’s 9 of 9 for 116 yards passing.
4:48 – WSU 15, UNC 0: Bears pick up nine yards on first down, but are stuffed on a run and forced to punt after an incompletion.
Second three-and-out forced by the Cougars defense.
3:41 – WSU 22, UNC 0: With as much time as he wants in the pocket and open receivers running all over the field, Ward finishes another perfect drive with a 28-yard touchdown to Victor over the middle.
Ward is 12 of 12 for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Victor has four receptions for 67 yards.
0:00 – WSU 22, UNC 0: Bears pick up their first third down conversion, but can’t do anything else and punt for a third consecutive drive.
Cougars start at their own 26 when the second quarter begins.
Second quarter
12:27 – WSU 29, UNC 0: Ward throws his first two incompletions – a couple of potential touchdowns – but it’s more of the same for the Cougars. Kelly goes up to catch a fade for an 18-yard score.
Could we see the Cougars backups before halftime? Probably not, but it might not make a difference.
WSU leads 264-25 on yards gained, doing it mostly through the air with 225 passing yards. The Cougs have scored a touchdown on every possession.
10:24 – WSU 29, UNC 0: Another 3-and-out for the Bears. WSU starts on its 36.
8:45 – WSU 36, UNC 0: Watson runs for a 6-yard touchdown. Cougars said emphasis would be on the ground game today, Watson has seven carries for 33 yards.
3:20 – WSU 43, UNC 0: Ward flips a pass to Victor over the middle, who takes it around the outside for a 31-yard touchdown.
Ward is 20 of 26 for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Victor has six catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
0:12 – WSU 43, UNC 7: Robinson pulls down a deep pass from Sirmon in the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown to get the Bears on the board.
UNC had an 8-play, 75-yard drive, nearly tripling their total yards for the game.
Halftime
Washington State dominate every aspect of the first half against Northern Colorado and lead 43-7 at Gesa Field in Pullman.
The Cougars, led by Cameron Ward, scored a touchdown on all six of their possessions.
Ward completed 20 of 26 attempts for 327 yards and four touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown. Lincoln Victor had six receptions for 119 yards and two scored.
The WSU defense forced UNC to punt on its first five possessions, before driving 75 yards to get on the board before halftime.
Expect the Cougars to get some backups into the game in the second half.
Third quarter
12:21 – WSU 43, UNC 7: Bears pick up a first down, but are stopped after that. Couguars start at their own 7 after a long punt.
Ward is on the sideline and Mateer will take over at quarterback.
10:08 – WSU 50, UNC 7: Cougars second-string offense cuts through the defense just as easily, going 93 yards in seven plays.
Mateer caps the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Meredith.
5:45 – WSU 50, UNC 14: Backup quarterback Gibbs scores a 1-yard touchdown for Northern Colorado.
5:10 – WSU 57, UNC 14: Mateer throws a perfect pass down the sideline to Nunally, who takes it for a 62-yard touchdown. Cougars get back on the board in two plays.
Fourth quarter
13:46 – WSU 64, UNC 14: Paine punches in a 1-yard touchdown run.
11:36 – WSU 64, UNC 21: Sirmon completes a 52-yard touchdown to Stewart.
7:12 – WSU 64, UNC 21: Cougars bring in Brown – their third quarterback of the game – and start trying to run the clock out. They drive deep down the field, but Brown’s pass is tipped and intercepted at the UNC 3, where the bears take over.
3:58 – WSU 64, UNC 21: Cougars get the ball back and should run the clock out from here.
Pregame
Jake Dickert hasn’t lost a nonconference game as head coach of Washington State. Odds are the Cougars will go 3-0 for a second-straight year.
No. 23 WSU (2-0) hosts Northern Colorado of the Football Championship Subdivision today at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network.
The Cougars knocked off then-No. 19 Wisconsin last week 31-22, leading to them cracking Sunday’s AP top 25. A point spread was not available Friday, but WSU has 99% in ESPN’s matchup predictor over UNC.
The Bears (0-2) were dominated in their first two games of the season, losing to Abilene Chrisitan 31-11 and Incarnate Word 42-7. They did not score a touchdown until the fourth quarter of either game.
The Cougars will need to avoid looking ahead to next Saturday’s Pac-12 opener against No. 16 Oregon State, which will air nationally on Fox.
Series history
The Cougars and Bears have played once, with No. 22 WSU winning 59-17 in Pullman on Sept. 7, 2019. Anthony Gordon led the Cougars with 464 yards and four touchdowns.
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