Two-minute drill: Washington State’s keys to victory against Wyoming

PULLMAN – Here is what to watch for when Washington State hosts Wyoming at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on The CW.

When Wyoming has the ball …

This much may depend on who starts under center for the Cowboys: Evan Svoboda or Kaden Anderson. Svoboda started the first eight games of the year, but he was benched early in Wyoming’s loss to Utah State in late October. That prompted redshirt freshman Anderson to take his place.

More of a stand-still pocket passer, Anderson took the reins for the Cowboys’ next two games, a win over New Mexico and a loss to Colorado State, but in Wyoming’s loss to Boise State, he exited early with what turned out to be a concussion. Svoboda stepped back in.

Earlier this week, Wyoming coach Jay Sawvel indicated Anderson is questionable for Saturday’s game against WSU, meaning Svoboda is the likely starter.

If that’s the case, the Cougars can expect some QB runs, which the 6-foot-5 Svoboda executed with 192 rushing yards and five touchdowns during his first eight games of the year, when he had the starting job.

That kind of offense has given WSU trouble this year, particularly in its past two games, losses to New Mexico and Oregon State, both of which deployed mobile quarterbacks.

UNM QB Devon Dampier rushed for 193 yards and three touchdowns, and when OSU put in dual-threat QB Gabarri Johnson, he picked up six carries for 47 yards and one touchdown, which came on his team’s opening series of the game.

“They can match anyone’s physicality in the country. They’ve proven that throughout the course of the last however many years – they are a physical outfit,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said of Wyoming.

“So you better bring your hard hat and your pail and your shovel, and you better be ready to go after this thing, because they’re going to get you in a phone booth. They’re going to turn it into a war in the core.”

The Cowboys’ offense has been spotty recently, scoring only 10 points against Colorado State and 13 against Boise State. Against the Rams, Anderson had an outing to forget, completing just 13 of 30 passes for 120 yards. A week later, Wyoming kept things close against the Broncos, but its offense put up just one touchdown and Anderson had only 116 yards passing before he left with his injury.

For WSU to be better on defense against Wyoming, it always starts with tackling. The Cougars have missed 152 tackles this year, third most nationally. They could also use a boost from their pass rush, which hasn’t produced a sack in three games.

Wyoming’s offensive line has yielded 13 sacks, including seven from left tackle Jake Davies and six by right tackle Caden Barnett. That could open the door for WSU edges like Syrus Webster and Andrew Edson .

For the season, Webster has had 26 pressures, but zero sacks. That makes him the only player in the country with at least 25 pressures and no sacks, per Pro Football Focus data.

When Washington State has the ball …

The Cougars’ offense has been humming. In his past five games, WSU QB John Mateer has completed 102 of 137 passes (74%). He hasn’t thrown an interception in that stretch. He’s totaled 28 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns, keeping him in the national lead for most total touchdowns with 42.

At the heart of that improvement has been WSU’s offensive line, which has earned a PFF pass-blocking grade of 86.4, third best in the country.

Even with center Devin Kylany sidelined last week with a knee injury, the group hardly missed a beat, moving right guard Brock Dieu to center and left guard Christian Hilborn to right guard. Their ability to keep Mateer upright has keyed much of the Cougars’ resurgence on offense.

But they haven’t been perfect. Last weekend, Oregon State found itself in a position to connect on a winning field goal in large part because on the prior series, WSU receiver Kyle Williams coughed up a rare fumble. It took away the Cougars’ chance to win the game – “I didn’t really feel like they could stop us,” Dickert said – and it put OSU in great field position.

The Cowboys’ defense hasn’t excelled at creating turnovers, generating only five interceptions this season, three from defensive back Wrook Brown. Wyoming has also forced just three fumbles, one from edge Tyce Westland, who is tied for the team lead with three sacks on 20 pressures.

It’s good news for the Cougars, who hadn’t faced much of a turnover problem recently. Before Williams’ fumble against Oregon State, WSU’s last turnover came five games prior in a win over Fresno State, when Mateer threw an interception and committed a fumble.

If anything, WSU might be wise to involve Williams more. In the Cougars’ loss to the Beavers, Williams had a 57-yard touchdown catch, on which he made one man miss on a screen pass and raced the rest of the way to the end zone. That followed Williams’ two previous games, when he reeled in three touchdown catches apiece against Utah State and New Mexico.

Wyoming has permitted 222 passing yards per game, which is a respectable No. 72 nationally. But considering how accurate Mateer has been lately, it might not matter all too much.