The 7-6 Record That Tells You Nothing About Washington State's Early Season Firepower

Alright, Emerald City! You gotta pay attention to what's brewing over in Pullman because Week 2 is about to get WILD. While K-State might see their opener against Nicholls as a warm-up, this matchup against Washington State is a serious step up, and frankly, the Cougars are not the same team that finished 7-6 last season, even with that Famous Idaho Potato Bowl win against Utah State. This is the first time these two schools have ever met, and with how fast college schedules change, we gotta soak in every second of this guaranteed game, because 2029 is a long way off for a return trip!

Caden Pinnick and Kirby Moore Are Unleashing the Offense

Let's talk offense, because Wazzu is about to light up the scoreboard. Forget what you knew, because there's a new sheriff in town at quarterback: Caden Pinnick. This kid transferred in from UC Davis after an absolutely bananas freshman campaign in 2025. We're talking 3,206 passing yards and 32 touchdowns, PLUS another 437 rushing yards and three more scores on the ground! And he was surgical, completing just under 70% of his passes. Yeah, you read that right. Pinnick is a perfect fit for first-year offensive coordinator Kirby Moore's system. Moore, who helped turn Missouri's rushing attack into one of the best in the country (shoutout to Ahmad Hardy!), is bringing a heavy-gap scheme to Pullman. It's all about misdirection and "eye-candy" to get defenses out of position, and we love to see it. Running back Kirby Vorhees, who led the Cougars last season with 576 yards and five touchdowns, has a nearly identical frame to Hardy and is set to explode in this new scheme. Even with a bunch of new wide receivers, expect Wazzu to establish itself as a tough, physical rushing team. Winning the line of scrimmage is going to be HUGE for them.

Defense Was Outstanding, And It's Still There!

And don't sleep on the defense! Last season, the Cougars were flat-out outstanding, ranking 15th in total defense across the nation. That's no fluke! Now, they've brought in Pullman native Trent Bray as their new defensive coordinator. Bray was the head coach at Oregon State for the last two seasons, so he knows a ton of these returning Wazzu players. Why? Because WSU and Oregon State were the only schools left in the conference for those two years. Talk about familiarity! That means Bray is hitting the ground running, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of his guys. This Week 2 matchup against K-State is an early season test, a chance to show what this new-look Washington State team is all about. With Pinnick slinging it and Moore designing the attack, plus a stout defense, we're looking at a Cougar squad ready to turn heads. Get ready, because Wazzu is coming to play!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.