TV take: John Mateer shows how much WSU needs his big-play ability in win over San Diego State

Early in the fourth quarter of Washington State’s eventual 29-26 win over San Diego State on an embarrassing field at the Aztecs’ Snapdragon Stadium, it seemed obvious the oddsmakers had missed on this one.

The Cougars, 6-1 coming in, were favored by almost three touchdowns against the 3-3 home team. But with a little less than 14 minutes remaining, they trailed by 12. Covering was out the window. Winning, though, was still in the picture.

And the duo in the broadcast booth, veteran play-by-play voice Carter Blackburn and former Rice quarterback Taylor McHargue, were there to share it with us. They had told us early the Aztecs, coming off back-to-back wins, were playing well. And the Cougars? Like everyone who covers the team on TV, they focused on quarterback John Mateer. He was the right guy, as he teamed with the Kyle Thornton-led defense and a key replay overturn, delivered in the final 13 minutes.

What they saw

• The Cougar offense is built around the legs and arm of Mateer. In the Cougars first loss, Boise State limited both. So did the Aztecs – for most of the game.

When Washington State and Mateer won the battle, as they did early with his flea-flicker, 26-yard touchdown throw and midway through the second quarter on Mateer’s 1-yard push into the endzone, the offense clicked.

For the middle part of the game, it didn’t. At the end? Yes, including the 15-point rally and, after Thornton knocked away a key third-down pass with a lot of contact, running down the clock to inside the final half-minute. The Aztecs then picked up a roughing the punter penalty to end their chances.

It might not have happened, though of replay had not changed the spot of Mateer’s last key run, a 4-yard gain on third-and-4. It was originally marked short.

“What a gritty night for John Mateer,” McHargue said as the clock ran down. “In the fourth quarter (he had) so many explosive plays.”

• The passing game was up and down. Mateer was sacked three times and moved off his spot more than that. He attempted 27 passes, completed 19 and ended up with 257 yards.

The running, was worse.

Mateer came in with a WSU-quarterback-record 533 rushing yards. He’s come up biggest in the biggest games, most notably his 197 yards against Texas Tech. But against the Aztecs, he had 1 yard on his first 15 attempts. Take out the sacks and he still only had 17 on 12.

At that point, McHargue explained how San Diego State, who will join the Pac-12 in 2026, were containing Mateer. A birds-eye view popped on the TV. McHargue drew a series of yellow lines, and told the viewers how the Aztec staff wanted to “build a cage” around Mateer. They did, especially in the second half.

Mateer, who had more yards in the fourth quarter than the first three combined, finished with 42 rushing yards on 21 attempts.

• The offensive issues put pressure on a Cougar defense that, early on, did what it does. Bend a lot, but stiffen within the shadow of its endzone.

Up until the last couple minutes of the second quarter, all San Diego State had to show for four drives was two Gabriel Plascencia field goals. But as the offense struggled, the defense began to break. After two three-and-outs to start the second half – and the offense not taking advantage – the defense gave up a trick-play 27-yard touchdown pass from SDSU receiver Jordan Napier, followed by an 11-play, 69-yard 5-minute, 23-second scoring drive.

Mateer and WSU answered, with an incredible Kyle Williams catch for 33 yards and a precise Mateer throw resulting in a Carlos Hernandez 34-yard touchdown.

And the defense did the same, thanks to a Taariq Al-Uqdah interception after the Aztecs had moved into the red zone.

With 8:31 left, WSU had life. The ball on its 37. And Mateer had his magic moment. An 18-yard scramble on what looked to be another sack.

“Broken tackle after broken tackle,” is how McHargue described it. “We’ve seen it all year from John Mateer.”

Five plays later – four of them for 14 or more yards – Mateer was in the endzone. A “wild Philly-special-looking play, Hutson manages to corral it for the two-point conversion,” according to Blackburn and the Cougars led 29-26.

• The Aztecs’ Snapdragon Stadium opened in 2022. It is, of course, in San Diego, the land of perpetual sunshine. But, for some reason, the grass field has obvious issues.

How obvious? You could see it on the broadcast, especially in the middle of the field. In some spots there were more divots than Esmeralda after four high-handicappers had finished a spring round.

And, when a San Diego State receiver slipped early in the game, one of way-too-many slips at all positions, Blackburn offered up his opinion of the playing surface, calling it “questionable turf.” There is no question, however, the field contributed to a choppy, disjointed game.

The stadium isn’t just the Aztecs’ home. The city’s NWSL team, the San Diego Wave FC uses it all summer. A Major League Rugby team, the San Diego Legion, also plays there. The city’s new MLS team, which starts in 2025, is also scheduled to use it.

The wear and tear showed. And impacted the quality of the game.

What we saw

• If you needed proof there is a football officiating shortage at all levels of football, all you had to do was watch this game.

The referee was Spokane’s John Love, who has been moving up the Pac-12 ladder for years. He’s reached the pinnacle of the college hierarchy this season, moving from the center judge position – the other official in the offensive backfield – to a full-time spot wearing the white hat – and addressing the audience.

But recently he was spotted working a middle school football game in Spokane.

Why? There is a need. And Love, along with every official in the local association, chips in.