Preview: Washington State Aims to Keep Bowl Hopes Alive vs. Louisiana Tech
Under the lights at Gesa Field, the Washington State Cougars will host the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs for the first time in program history on Saturday night, with kickoff set for 7 PM Pacific on The CW.
Stating the obvious, it’s a crucial matchup for both programs: Washington State, sitting at 4-5, is fighting to stay alive in the hunt for bowl eligibility, while Louisiana Tech, at 5-4, looks to notch a statement win on the road and secure a winning record with their own bowl bid secured with two weeks left in the regular season.
For first-year coach Jimmy Rogers and the Cougars, this game represents a chance to steady a roller-coaster 2025 season. Washington State’s defense has quietly been one of the most reliable in the country, allowing just over 319 yards per game — good for top-30 nationally — and keeping opponents to modest scoring totals in recent weeks. But the offense has been another story.
The Cougs are averaging just under 20 points per game and rank near the bottom of the FBS in total offense, struggling with consistency, red zone execution, and turnovers. Injuries on the offensive line as of late and instability at quarterback switching from Jaxon Potter to Zevi Eckhaus after three games haven’t helped the situation, and the team’s minus 10 turnover margin has been one of the worst in the nation. Still, at home in Pullman, they’ve shown flashes of grit and defensive toughness that could swing things their way to get back to the .500 mark.
Louisiana Tech arrives in the Palouse with a 5-4 mark and a reputation for being as scrappy as they are unpredictable. The Bulldogs’ offense has leaned on its ground game, averaging 173 rushing yards per contest, and they’ve put up a solid 28.1 points per game overall. They likely will be even more reliant on running the football with starting quarterback Blake Baker going down with a season-ending torn ACL, forcing backups Evan Bullock and Trey Kukuk into action as a platoon.
But the Bulldogs’ real strength has been on the other side of the ball. Tech’s defense ranks among the best in scoring, giving up fewer than 19 points per game, and they’ve made life difficult for opposing quarterbacks all season. The Bulldogs’ Achilles heel has been discipline — they’re one of the most-penalized teams in college football — and Baker’s injury has left the offense relying on backups to keep things rolling, thus putting more pressure on the defense to win games.
The key storyline going into Saturday revolves around turnovers and composure. Louisiana Tech has one of the top 20 turnover margins in the FBS, while Washington State has struggled mightily in that category. If the Cougars can protect the ball and avoid self-inflicted mistakes, their defense should be able to contain a Bulldogs offense still searching for rhythm. On the other hand, if Louisiana Tech can force a few early takeaways and keep the score low without a bunch of penalties, they’ll have every chance to pull off a mild upset.
The long trip from Ruston to Pullman is a tall order, though, and fatigue could play a factor against a Washington State team built to grind out physical, defensive games in cold November conditions.
Expect a tight, low-scoring contest, with both defenses controlling the tempo and possessions coming at a premium. Washington State’s home-field advantage and defensive consistency make them the safer pick, but Louisiana Tech’s opportunistic style could turn things on a dime, particularly with their talented defense. In a game likely decided by turnovers and red-zone execution, the Cougars hope to be able to do just enough to keep their dwindling bowl hopes alive.
