Difference makers: Washington State defense has improved effort in loss to Wyoming

PULLMAN – Here are three difference-makers and a key moment from Washington State’s 15-14 loss to Wyoming on Saturday evening.

Quinn Roff

In and out of the lineup all year with various injuries, WSU’s senior edge made one of the biggest plays of the game. With the Cowboys threatening inside Cougars territory in the fourth quarter, he sacked Wyoming QB Evan Svoboda and forced a fumble, recovered by WSU linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah, who returned it 15 yards.

Nusi Malani

Also playing his final game at WSU’s Gesa Feld, Malani added a play like Roff’s. On the Cowboys’ ensuing series, the Cougars clinging to a one-score lead, Malani stripped Svoboda on a fourth-and-1 play. Al-Uqdah leapt on the loose ball again, preventing Wyoming from scoring when it was in WSU territory. He totaled two tackles .

Kyle Williams

For the second straight week, WSU’s veteran wideout took a screen pass and scored. In the first quarter, he caught a bubble screen from WSU QB John Mateer and raced 37 yards to the end zone, providing the Cougars’ offense with a jolt early in the game. Williams was scarcely targeted for the rest of the game, but he did finish with four catches for 59 yards and the one score.

Key moment

Wyoming took the lead with 24 seconds left on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Svoboda to tight end John Michael Gyllenborg. On fourth-and-14, after WSU had come inches away from what looked like a possible game-ending interception, the Cougars’ defense lost track of Gyllenborg in the end zone. With only a few seconds to work with and two timeouts, their offense couldn’t do much on the other end.