> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Washington State Falls to Arizona 34-24 After Early Lead Slips Away - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/washington-state-cougars-fall-arizona-wildcats-early-lead-slips-away/ - Published: 2026-09-28T04:50:58.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:13:12.000Z - Author: Jacob Stevenson - Tags: Analysis, Cougars Football, Caden Pinnick, Branden Ganashamoorthy, Jackquintin Bal Washington State got off to a fast start Saturday afternoon, but the Cougars could not maintain their momentum as the Arizona Wildcats rallied behind quarterback Noah Fifita for a 34-24 win. The Cougars jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter behind an efficient opening drive from Caden Pinnick and a pick-six from Jackquintin Bal. However, Arizona responded with four straight scoring drives to take control of the game after that point. Washington State falls to 1-3 on the season following the loss, while Arizona improves to 3-1 with the two teams heading in opposite directions as conference play approaches. The Cougars had several opportunities to stay within striking distance late, but the offensive struggles that have plagued them at times this season showed up again down the stretch. Takeaways from a hard-fought loss for the Cougs to a quality Big 12 opponent: ### ‍1\. Washington State's offense looked like a completely different unit on its opening possession. Right off the bat, the Cougars marched 71 yards on 10 plays, with Pinnick finishing the drive himself with an 11-yard touchdown run to give WSU an early 7-0 lead. The defense then quickly provided the Cougars with another spark. Fifita tried to make a throw into traffic, and Bal stepped in front of the pass before returning it 25 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six gave Washington State a 14-0 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter, sending the crowd in Pullman into a frenzy. Arizona quickly answered, however, as Fifita connected with Tre Spivey for a 28-yard touchdown. The Wildcats added another touchdown early in the second quarter to tie the game at 14-14. Washington State regained the lead late in the first half when Jack Stevens connected on a 33-yard field goal, sending the Cougars into halftime with a 17-14 advantage to finish off a solid first two quarters of all-around play. ### 2\. The third quarter proved to be the turning point, and not in a good way for the Cougs. Despite a hot start, Washington State was unable to generate much offensively coming out of halftime and maintain that momentum. The Cougars' first four possessions of the second half ended with three punts and a lost fumble. WSU also went 0-for-4 on third down during the quarter. That’s far from a recipe necessary to pull off an upset. Arizona took advantage of the offensive struggles and eventually took its first lead of the game when Fifita connected with Caleb Smith for a 38-yard touchdown. The Wildcats entered the fourth quarter with a 21-17 advantage. Washington State had opportunities to respond, but Arizona's defense continued to pressure Pinnick and prevent the Cougars from putting together sustained drives to answer. ### 3\. With the game beginning to slip away, Washington State finally found another spark offensively. Just when the game seemed to be getting away from the Cougs, Pinnick led a six-play, 75-yard drive that ended with one of the biggest plays of the game for Kirby Moore’s squad. Facing 4th and 10, Pinnick found Branden Ganashamoorthy for a 46-yard touchdown with 7:15 remaining in the game. The touchdown cut Arizona's lead to 31-24 and gave the Cougars a chance to complete the comeback. Washington State's defense then forced Arizona into a 51-yard field-goal attempt after a late stand, but Michael Salgado-Medina converted the kick to extend the Wildcats' lead to 34-24 with 1:57 remaining. The Cougars' final possession reached the Arizona 24-yard line, but Pinnick's fourth-down pass fell incomplete with 39 seconds remaining, ending Washington State's comeback attempt. ### 4\. Baby steps under center for Pinnick, but still much room for improvement. Turning in arguably his best start so far, at least based on the competition on the other side, Pinnick finished the game completing 24 of 41 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown while adding 35 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He made some nice throws and created plays with his legs, but his deep ball continued to inconsistent, and he struggled at times when facing pressure in the pocket. Unfortunately, the offensive line couldn’t keep him clean much after the first quarter, which played into the offense falling into a lull as Arizona started to heat up. Washington State will need to do a better job protecting its quarterback when the Cougars face Fresno State next week. Giving Pinnick more time in the pocket will be important as the offense looks to become more consistent. ### 5\. The Washington State defense had several strong moments against Arizona, but Fifita proved to be too much to contain. Bal led the Cougars with nine tackles while also recording the pick-six. Linus Zunk continued to make an impact up front, finishing with six tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Cougars also blocked an Arizona field goal attempt in the third quarter. But Arizona's passing game eventually created too many problems for the Cougars with Fifita’s arm and receiving talent on the outside. Fifita finished with 297 passing yards and four touchdown passes. Arizona also found success with explosive plays through the air, allowing the Wildcats to erase Washington State's early 14-point advantage. Similar to the Apple Cup against Washington, the Cougars' defense played well for much of the game, but eventually wore down as the game progressed with the offense not providing enough support sustaining drives. ### Up Next Washington State now turns its attention to Fresno State as the Cougars begin Pac-12 conference play next Saturday at Gesa Field. The loss to Arizona drops WSU to 1-3, but the Cougars showed flashes of improvement on both sides of the ball that should serve them well going into conference matchups. The biggest challenge moving forward will be finding consistency on offense. Washington State has shown flashes of being able to move the ball and make big plays, but sustaining drives, protecting Pinnick and avoiding turnovers will be critical as the Cougars enter the next portion of their schedule.