CougCenter - Never in doubt: WSU holds off Arizona for 24-17 winWhy Washington State? Well that's a stupid question.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47853/fave.png2013-11-18T22:24:08-08:00http://www.cougcenter.com/rss/stream/48753052013-11-18T22:24:08-08:002013-11-18T22:24:08-08:00The Monday After: Arizona victory edition
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eH-5eI-PCS_uGryecMqQeXvp-oI=/0x185:4000x2852/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23497717/20131116_ajw_bs8_636.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>In a game that was as dramatic as it was unexpected, the Cougs went into Tucson and beat the Wildcats with a late touchdown and a last-second defensive stand. We put a bow on it with our Monday After feature.</p> <p>Ten games into this season, following an unexpected road victory against Arizona, one thing has become incredibly clear: The defining characteristic of this 2013 Washington State football team is its resiliency.</p>
<p>The season was slipping away after losses in four of five games, leaving us to wonder after an embarrassing Halloween loss to ASU if the program really was making as much progress as we all hoped. But faced with the prospect of a season on the brink of spiraling into oblivion, the Cougs came up big in the face of adversity once again on Saturday.</p>
<div class="read-more"> <strong>More</strong>: <a target="new" href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/18/5118654/mike-leach-contract-wsu-cougars-football">Mike Leach extended</a> <a target="new" href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/18/5116116/gif-a-palooza-what-punters-shouldnt-do">WSU-Arizona Gif-A-Palooza</a> <a target="new" href="http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-utah">Complete Utah coverage</a> </div>
<p>These guys are grinders. Their ability to flush bad performances and come back strong the next week, as they have done now on three separate occasions, truly is remarkable and something to be admired.</p>
<p>It makes me think I probably jumped the gun a little bit on the <a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-cougars-football/2013/11/4/5059502/the-monday-after-looking-back-at-wsus-loss-to-asu">commentary two weeks ago</a>. The fan in me never will get real excited about the Rise Up Board on the sideline, but it's worthwhile to note that truly buying into the line of thinking it advocates -- don't worry about what's behind, focus on what's ahead, do your job to the best of your ability -- is the sort of thing that manifests itself in these kinds of bounce-back performances.</p>
<p>I was just about ready to bury these guys, and they proved me wrong in a big way.</p>
<p>There will come a day when it's appropriate to come after these guys for the sorts of uneven performances we've seen this year. And I suppose I sort of did that after the ASU game. But they've picked up the pieces enough times now that I'm satisfied with the progress the program is making.</p>
<p>Now, can we please build on this against Utah so that we don't have to put this resiliency to the ultimate test against Washington in two weeks with a bowl berth on the line?</p>
<h4>What we liked</h4>
<p>I was chatting with Brian Anderson on Friday and just sort of casually asked, "Am I right to be terrified of what Arizona might do to us?" I was thinking of all the spread and misdirection concepts of Rich Rodriguez's offense, which are similar to Oregon and ASU, even though the details are different. WSU was solid against Oregon, but completely paralyzed by ASU.</p>
<div class="sidebar"> <img src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23498331/20131116_ajw_bs8_636.0.jpg"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="411"> <colgroup> <col width="91"> <col width="64" span="5"> </colgroup> <tbody> <tr height="21"><td colspan="6" height="21" width="411" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Arizona Rushing Attack</strong></td></tr> <tr height="21"> <td height="21" style="text-align: center;">Date</td> <td>Opponent</td> <td>Att</td> <td>Yards</td> <td>Avg.</td> <td>TD</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">8/30/2013</td> <td>Northern Ariz.</td> <td>34</td> <td>306</td> <td>9</td> <td>3</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">9/7/2013</td> <td>@ UNLV</td> <td>69</td> <td>397</td> <td>5.75</td> <td>5</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">9/14/2013</td> <td>UTSA</td> <td>48</td> <td>264</td> <td>5.5</td> <td>4</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">9/28/2013</td> <td>@ Washington</td> <td>49</td> <td>199</td> <td>4.06</td> <td>2</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">10/10/2013</td> <td>@ USC</td> <td>33</td> <td>145</td> <td>4.39</td> <td>0</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">10/19/2013</td> <td>Utah</td> <td>58</td> <td>300</td> <td>5.17</td> <td>3</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">10/26/2013</td> <td>@ Colorado</td> <td>50</td> <td>405</td> <td>8.1</td> <td>4</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">11/2/2013</td> <td>@ California</td> <td>51</td> <td>187</td> <td>3.67</td> <td>3</td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20">11/9/2013</td> <td>14 UCLA</td> <td>47</td> <td>239</td> <td>5.09</td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr height="21"> <td height="21"><strong>11/16/2013</strong></td> <td><strong>WSU</strong></td> <td><strong>45</strong></td> <td><strong>195</strong></td> <td><strong>4.33</strong></td> <td><strong>1</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div>
<p>If you watched the so-called "<a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-cougars-football/2013/11/17/5115342/wsu-football-hype-video-washington-state-highlights">hype video</a>" that the team viewed in advance of Saturday's game, you know that it finished with this exhortation:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Play fast</strong></li>
<li><strong>Do your job</strong></li>
<li><strong>Play the next play</strong></li>
<li><strong>Make sure your teammates can count on you every play</strong></li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>The Cougar defense did all of that on Saturday.</p>
<p><strong>They did indeed play fast</strong>, which enabled them to return to the hard-hitting, downhill-tackling days of earlier this year; I couldn't help but notice <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136491/darryl-monroe">Darryl Monroe</a> getting back to doing what he does best, trying to separate ball carriers from their heads.</p>
<p><strong>They also did their jobs</strong> -- at least I assume they did, because there didn't appear to be any major breakdowns with guys finding acres of space to run. Yeah, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135340/ka-deem-carey">Ka'Deem Carey</a> ripped off a 30-yard touchdown, but that's just what Carey does. It was the only play of 30 yards or longer in the game.</p>
<p><strong>They played the next play all day</strong>, and that was no more evident than on the final drive. The Cougs looked to have the game won when they appeared to have Arizona quarterback <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135337/b-j-denker">B.J. Denker</a> dead to rights on 4th-and-7 with less than a minute to go. My poor couch took the brunt of my frustration when he wriggled out of the grasps of a pair of Cougars to pick up the kind of first down WSU had avoided giving up all game.</p>
<p>Too many times, I've seen a team get deflated after a play like that. Faced with a new set of downs from inside the red zone, the Cougs forced an incomplete pass, a short completion, a short scramble where -- and this was so key -- Denker was tackled in bounds, and then finally a pass that sailed wide and led the receiver harmlessly out of the end zone. Game over.</p>
<p><strong>Lastly, they certainly were able to count on each other</strong> in the most fundamental way: There were so few missed tackles, especially on Carey, who generally collects them like a trick-or-treater collects Kit-Kats. Things break down so fast when you feel like you have to compensate for your teammates, but WSU wrapped up consistently all day. Particular credit goes to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208375/justin-sagote">Justin Sagote</a>, who had easily his best game of the year with 12 tackles.</p>
<p>Like quarterbacks, coaches probably get too much blame when things go bad, so this seems like a good time to recognize defensive coordinator Mike Breske. I haven't watched the game a second time, so I don't really have any insights into whether WSU did anything special (particularly in the second half, where Arizona was held to just three points), but he clearly had his guys prepared to play. Kudos.</p>
<p><em><strong>Honorable Mention: </strong></em><em>The running attack. Running backs picked up 118 yards on 20 carries, which is the sort of thing you would hope to do against a 3-3-5 preoccupied with stopping the pass. Halliday clearly was looking for fronts the Cougs could run against, and the offensive line did a fantastic job.</em></p>
<h4>What needs to improve</h4>
<p>This isn't a performance specific critique, because I think it's pretty hard to find much fault in the performance. It wasn't perfect, for sure. Would I have liked more of a pass rush? Of course, although I believe some of that was due to a specific strategy to keep Denker contained in the pocket. Would I have liked more explosive pass plays? Sure.</p>
<p>But really, some of this is just a function of not quite being "there" yet, in either talent or maturity. These guys played their butts off.</p>
<p>So, in lieu of that, I'll wish for this: Another strong performance on Saturday that leads to the sixth Cougar victory. WSU hasn't had consecutive strong performances since the first four games of the year. It's time for that to change.</p>
<h4>Which player impressed?</h4>
<p>Coming into Saturday's game against Arizona, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114012/connor-halliday">Connor Halliday</a> had done a lot of things in his career at WSU. One thing he had never done? Lead WSU on a game-winning, fourth quarter touchdown drive. Check that one off the list!</p>
<p>I'll be honest: I didn't have a lot of confidence in Halliday's ability to do it. It's not that I didn't think he had it in him, but I had seen too many mistakes in too many critical moments to feel good about it. Then he orchestrated the drive of the season to prove me wrong. Check this out:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3593541/game-winning_drive.png"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3593541/game-winning_drive_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Game-winning_drive_medium"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">In case you're not able to do that math in your head, Halliday was 6-of-6 for 73 yards, which included a scramble that picked up a couple of yards and the final touchdown, during which he was flushed out of the pocket and found <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136526/isiah-myers">Isiah Myers</a> with precisely the sort of pass that had turned into an interception so many times this year.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This time, it was gold:</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581937/TD3.gif"><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581937/TD3_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="Td3_medium"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Halliday's final line: 39-of-53 (74 percent) for 319 yards (6 yards per attempt) with two touchdowns and an interception. Like most everything else the Cougs did, it wasn't perfect, but it was good enough to win the game. And that's the most important thing.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em><strong>Honorable Mention: </strong>Justin Sagote, Isiah Myers, Darryl Monroe.</em></p>
<h4>Which player underwhelmed?</h4>
<p>Well, this one is fairly simple, as punter/kickoff man <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/85893/mike-bowlin">Mike Bowlin</a> was spectacularly inconsistent -- as he has been all year. A three-yard punt, two kickoffs out of bounds ... I don't know whether to be glad he's a senior or terrified that there's nobody else on the roster better.</p>
<h4>Up next!</h4>
<p>The Cougars welcome a reeling Utah team in to Martin Stadium for a game that starts at a time that is conducive to actually having a large crowd (12:30 p.m. PST). One has to wonder if Utah is having second thoughts about joining the Pac-12 after playing No. 14 UCLA, No. 10 Stanford, No. 23 USC, No. 19 ASU and No. 5 Oregon in six weeks' time. Yeeeeeow.</p>
<div class="sidebar"> <a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-utah/2013/11/18/5119030/travis-wilson-injury-utah-vs-washington-state"><h2>Travis Wilson out for Saturday</h2> <img src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23498547/20131109_ajw_bn1_172.0.jpg"></a> <span>A post-concussion examination revealed an issue that could end Wilson's career. (Photo: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports)</span> </div>
<p>Not surprisingly, the Utes have lost four in a row and six of their last eight.</p>
<p>The two wins have come over BYU and Stanford, though -- combined record: 15-5 -- so there's obviously talent here. You likely will hear <em>ad nauseam</em> this week that Utah isn't quite the same on the road as it is at home, having lost to Arizona, USC and Oregon by double digits each. But go ahead and consider the competition, and understand that Utah hasn't exactly put up a bunch of stinky turds on the road.</p>
<p>Utah will be coming into the game without its quarterback, Travis Wilson, <a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-utah/2013/11/18/5119030/travis-wilson-injury-utah-vs-washington-state">who is out for at least the rest of this year</a>. It's an offense that already hadn't been great; the Utes haven't exceeded 5.0 yards per play since the middle of October. Of course, that's partly because of the murderers row they've played over the last month and a half.</p>
<p>The defense is stout, as usual, and the Cougs are likely to have some trouble protecting Halliday, as the Utes really get after the quarterback. Senior defensive end <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/88026/trevor-reilly">Trevor Reilly</a> has seven sacks in his last four games.</p>
<p>The Cougs are early one-point favorites in the game. Of course, they were favorites against Oregon State.</p>
<h4>More from CougCenter:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-utah/2013/11/18/5119030/travis-wilson-injury-utah-vs-washington-state?utm_source=cougcenter&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">WSU vs. Utah: Utes QB Travis Wilson out for the season</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/18/5118654/mike-leach-contract-wsu-cougars-football?utm_source=cougcenter&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Head coach Mike Leach extended through 2018 season</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/18/5116116/gif-a-palooza-what-punters-shouldnt-do?utm_source=cougcenter&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">GIF-A-Palooza: What punters shouldn't do</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/18/5116198/wsu-volleyball-comes-back-from-a-two-set-deficit-to-upset-no-4-usc?utm_source=cougcenter&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">WSU volleyball comes back from a two-set deficit to upset No. 4 USC</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/18/5117078/wsu-cougars-washington-state?utm_source=cougcenter&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Monday morning trivia</a></li>
</ul>
https://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-arizona-football-tv-schedule-score-news-preview/2013/11/18/5118180/wsu-vs-arizona-recapJeff Nusser2013-11-18T09:00:08-08:002013-11-18T09:00:08-08:00GIF-A-Palooza: What punters shouldn't do
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OdYlaC4KpkZ4EpdQXQShgH6XtDo=/72x1:450x253/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23411729/punter-tackle.0.gif" />
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<p>WSU beat Arizona. There were some great throws, better catches and a quick lesson on what NOT to do for young up and coming punters. Here's Saturday's game in GIFS.</p> <p>Hey beautiful. It's been a while.</p>
<p>A combination of bye weeks, poor play on the part of our football team when they do play and an extremely busy schedule on my part has meant a lack of GIFy goodness on this fine website.</p>
<p>That brings me to a classic good news-bad news situation. The good news? The wait is over. GIF-a-Palooza is back and just as good <strike>(if not slightly worse)</strike> than ever. The bad news? Due to my traveling schedule for the holidays coming up, there won't be one next week and won't be one for the Apple Cup (at least not until well into the next week). I didn't want to leave you, the adoring fan, in the lurch for that long. So... here I am.</p>
<p>First, a small disclaimer, I am under more time constraints this week so I didn't have time to rewatch the game. Below are the GIFs I captured while watching the game live. If you have any requests, I'll more than likely have some time later in the week to fulfill some of them.</p>
<p>Now that your expectations have been successfully dashed, here's the moment a month or so in the making: GIF-a-Palooza: Arizona edition</p>
<p>The Cougs struck first in this one and the first question you may ask is: 'Who caught the TD catch?'. My reply would be: 'What am I? The internet? Look it up yourself'. Of course, you wouldn't be able to find an answer because it was a rushing touchdown and I just successfully wasted your time.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3581427/1st-td.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="1st-td_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3581427/1st-td_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114012/connor-halliday" class="sbn-auto-link">Connor Halliday</a> looked great this Saturday. Besides a few mistakes, he threw ball fine and found his receivers well. Here's a great throw where he found <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208367/vince-mayle" class="sbn-auto-link">Vince Mayle</a> up the middle for a big gain.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581443/Connor-to-mayle.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Connor-to-mayle_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3581443/Connor-to-mayle_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>Back when movies were invented there was this one where a train was coming right at the camera. Everyone freaked out because they thought a train was about to crash into the theatre. If this next GIF were an old time movie, you would be freaking out about being hit in the face with a football. Don't worry! It's a video of something that has already occurred many miles away from you. You're in no danger! (Also, a great catch from <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208423/river-cracraft" class="sbn-auto-link">River Cracraft</a>)</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3581459/Cracraft-catch.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Cracraft-catch_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3581459/Cracraft-catch_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>When you punt the ball there are three things you should do. First, catch the ball. Second, drop the ball towards your foot. Third, push your leg forward into the ball to propel it forward (a.k.a. kicking the ball). Arizona's punter forgot to do one of these things and he paid for it. He paid dearly.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3581693/Punter-tackle.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Punter-tackle_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3581693/Punter-tackle_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>Speaking of great throws from Halliday, here's another one. This one gave WSU a touchdown and put them on top for the second time in the game.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3581725/TD2.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Td2_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3581725/TD2_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>How do football receivers just have that innate ability to know where that sideline is? On 3rd down, Caldwell knew where that line was and made a fantastic catch to make a key conversion on a drive that would end in the final, go-ahead touchdown.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3581921/Caldwell.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Caldwell_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3581921/Caldwell_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>Speaking of that go-ahead touchdown...</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581937/TD3.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Td3_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581937/TD3_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>And this is how it ended. I nearly had a heart attack. Not literally, of course. That would mean that I have a serious health problem that needs medical attention. While the situation was worrisome... I did not need medical attention following...</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3587705/final-play.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Final-play_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3587705/final-play_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>Here's a closer look. Try not to have a heart attack (literal or figurative) while watching reliving the moment in this fast moving series of still images.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3587721/final-play-2.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Final-play-2_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3587721/final-play-2_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>That's it for this week. I'd like to end this article with some words of encouragement for our Wildcat friends. It's Ok. Just think back to better times. Like a few weeks ago when you did something (I don't remember what it was) and one of your fans reacted like this:</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/3421117/Arizona-fan-CC.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Arizona-fan-cc_medium" class="photo" height="400" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3421117/Arizona-fan-CC_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>Man... Those must have been great times. Just remember how happy this guy was when what ever he was reacting to happened and imagine yourself there. Good times...</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/18/5116116/gif-a-palooza-what-punters-shouldnt-doJeff Collier2013-11-16T14:15:25-08:002013-11-16T14:15:25-08:00Cougs pull out dramatic victory over Arizona
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pquKPJ3vaTfA3TlAQsQ3fwfV91s=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23327833/20131116_ajw_bs8_241.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Washington State Cougars are one win away from bowl eligibility after a stunning victory over Arizona. </p> <p>The Washington State Cougars defeated the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Wildcats</a>, 24-17, to nab their fifth win of the season in Tuscon, Arizona on Saturday afternoon. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114012/connor-halliday" class="sbn-auto-link">Connor Halliday</a> hit <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136526/isiah-myers" class="sbn-auto-link">Isiah Myers</a> for the game-winning score with 2:15 left and the WSU defense held on the final play to secure the victory.<span> </span></p>
<p>WSU dominated early, building a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Wildcats would battle back behind their star.</p>
<p>Arizona eventually began the second half with a 14-10 lead behind two touchdowns from running back Ka'Deem Carey. The Wildcats took the opening kickoff, but it was WSU that would soon reclaim the lead.</p>
<p>UA fumbled a punt snap and WSU recovered deep in opposing territory. Three plays later, Connor Halliday would hit <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208423/river-cracraft" class="sbn-auto-link">River Cracraft</a> for a 23-yard touchdown pass to put WSU on top, 17-14.</p>
<p>The Wildcats would come back to tie the game on the ensuing possession with a 25-yard field goal.</p>
<p>Both teams traded missed field goals in the fourth quarter, keeping the game tied at 17 before WSU would take over at the Arizona 24 with less than 7 minutes to play. A spectacular 19-yard catch from <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/161396/teondray-caldwell" class="sbn-auto-link">Teondray Caldwell</a> put the Cougs deep in Arizona territory.</p>
<p>Three plays later, Halliday would roll right and loft a pass to Isiah Myers on the sideline. Myers would secure the catch, break a tackle and score a 25-yard TD to put the Cougs ahead with 2:15 left.</p>
<p>It didn't take long for Arizona to move down the field. In just four plays, the Wildcats were down to the 31. WSU took a timeout, possibly to conserve time and possibly to adjust.</p>
<p>After the timeout, WSU came up some solid tackling in open space to force a 4th and 7 for Arizona. Wildcat QB <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135337/b-j-denker" class="sbn-auto-link">B.J. Denker</a> looked like he would be sacked, but spun out and scrambled for a first down.</p>
<p>Four plays later, WSU would secure the win after a Denker pass was caught out of bounds as time expired.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-arizona-football-tv-schedule-score-news-preview/2013/11/16/5112226/wsu-vs-arizona-football-final-score-recapCraig Powers2013-11-16T12:39:08-08:002013-11-16T12:39:08-08:00Wildcats lead Cougs at half
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats">Arizona Wildcats</a> lead the Washington State Cougars, 14-10, after one half of play in Tuscon, Ariz. on Saturday afternoon. The Cougs jumped out to the lead early, but <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/135340/ka-deem-carey">Ka'Deem Carey</a> scored a pair of touchdowns to give UA the halftime advantage.</p>
<p>WSU opened the game with a solid drive, going deep into Arizona territory before falling short on a fourth-down attempt. That would be followed by a stop from the defense, setting up the Cougs' first scoring drive.</p>
<p>On that possession, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114012/connor-halliday">Connor Halliday</a> hit <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/208367/vince-mayle">Vince Mayle</a> on a pair of throws to get WSU inside the redzone. The drive was capped by a 16-yard touchdown run from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136503/marcus-mason">Marcus Mason</a>, who made a cut and the 10-yard line and ran untouched into the endzone.</p>
<p>After forcing a three-and-out, the Cougs got the ball back and went into Arizona territory with a beautiful 27-yard touch pass to Mayle over the middle:</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3581443/Connor-to-mayle.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="Connor-to-mayle_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3581443/Connor-to-mayle_medium.gif"></a></p>
<p>The drive would stall inside the 10-yard line and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114027/andrew-furney">Andrew Furney</a> knocked through a 24-yard field goal to give WSU a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Arizona would answer back with a four-play, 61-yard drive that ended on a 30-yard touchdown run from Carey. The Wildcats would then snag the lead on their next possession when Carey took a swing pass into the endzone to put UA up 14-10. Carey finished the half with 90 yards on 13 carries.</p>
<p>WSU had an opportunity to get points late in the half, taking over possession on the 50-yard line with 1:51 left in the second quarter. The drive went nowhere, and head coach Mike Leach elected to punt on 4th and 6. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/85893/mike-bowlin">Mike Bowlin</a> rewarded his decision by shanking the ball, netting three yards and setting Arizona up with great field position.</p>
<p>The Wildcats would squander the chance by missing a 40-yard field goal as the first half ended.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-arizona-football-tv-schedule-score-news-preview/2013/11/16/5111950/wsu-vs-arizona-football-halftime-score-kadeem-careyCraig Powers2013-11-16T10:30:05-08:002013-11-16T10:30:05-08:00WSU-Arizona open game thread!
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<figcaption>Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cougars continue their quest for bowl eligibility today against the Wildcats in Tucson. Here's where to talk about it with other fans as the game unfolds.</p> <p>The WSU Cougars take on the Arizona Wildcats today in Tucson at 11 a.m. PST on Pac-12 Networks in a critical matchup for both teams. Washington State is seeking to inch closer to bowl eligibility for the first time since 2003, while Arizona is attempting to keep whatever minuscule hopes it has for a Pac-12 South title alive.</p>
<p>It's been an amazingly weird three weeks for the Cougs, what with a Thursday game sandwiched around a pair of byes. This is the first Cougar Football Saturday in about a month, and it seems has been a palpable lack of excitement heading into today's game. In addition to the odd scheduling, I'm guessing that has a bit to do with the current three game losing streak, during which the team has been outscored by 86 points.</p>
<p>That excitement could change in a big way today with a win, which would move WSU within one solitary victory of a bowl game. This is one of the games on the schedule that most people marked down as "winnable," even though the Cougs are 11.5-point underdogs.</p>
<p>Other than the fact that the game is on the road, this seems to be a favorable matchup for WSU; Arizona loves to run the ball and has a quarterback of questionable throwing ability, precisely the sort of team against which WSU has had some success this year.</p>
<p>And with so little game action over the past three weeks, one has to imagine WSU probably is as healthy as it has been all season.</p>
<p>Can the Cougs pull it off? Discuss below as the game unfolds.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-arizona-football-tv-schedule-score-news-preview/2013/11/16/5111174/wsu-vs-arizona-tv-stream-schedule-channel-previewJeff Nusser2013-11-16T09:30:36-08:002013-11-16T09:30:36-08:00Bax used his bye week to travel for beer
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<figcaption>Bax loves beer.</figcaption>
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<p>Baxter went East to grab a beer made out West. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/1591107/BaxBanner3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Baxbanner3_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/1591107/BaxBanner3_medium.jpg"></a> <br id="1384622362912"></p>
<p>There hasn't been much WSU football recently, and subsequently there hasn't been much need for Baxter to pick out beers of the game. But while the football team needed a bye week to recuperate and relax, Baxter decided to use his free Saturday to visit some friends in the big city.</p>
<p>Last weekend, without the burden of a Cougar football game to cover, Baxter and I took a trip to Boston to stay with a friend and celebrate his birthday.</p>
<p>No less than 25 people were at the party, enjoying catered Chipotle and pumpkin ales in brown-sugar-rimmed-glasses (have only seen this in Boston, it is quite tasty).</p>
<p><span>But even in such a big crowd, Baxter was the star. In between begging for tacos, he showed off his substantial bag of tricks, delighting the inebriated crowd of millenials. He even tried a few beers, most notably Sierra Nevada's delicious Celebration Ale. </span></p>
<p>Bax had another reason for going to Boston--there are a few desirable beer brands that distribute in Massachusetts, but not Vermont. One of those is Great Divide out of Colorado, purveyors of a number of delicious beers, the most famous of those being Yeti Imperial Stout.</p>
<p>Yeti is closely aligned with the Russian Imperial Stout style. Those stouts are typically harsher than your standard Irish and have a much heartier hop backbone.</p>
<p><b>Craig's Review: </b>Great aroma on the beer with mixture of coffee and piney hops. The taste is dark roasted followed by a heavy dose of bitter to balance it out. The alcohol presence gives a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.</p>
<p>Overall, a delicious beer that was certainly worth the trip to Boston. <span>We also snagged an oak-aged version to enjoy later. </span></p>
<p><b>Baxter's Review: </b>Man, people love to watch me roll over. So much that they give me all sorts of treats just for doing so. Do they know how easy that is? I could do it like a thousand times in a row and not even care. People are so easy to please.</p>
<p>The beer was yummy. Tasted like chocolate, which Craig never lets me have (jokes on him, I've eaten an entire box of chocolate chip cookies when he wasn't looking).</p>
<p>That's what Baxter and I are enjoying for WSU-Arizona. What will you be having?</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/craft-beer-reviews/2013/11/16/5111326/wsu-cougars-arizona-football-baxter-beer-great-divide-yeti-imperial-stout-reviewCraig Powers2013-11-16T05:00:22-08:002013-11-16T05:00:22-08:00HCA: A busy Saturday for WSU
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<figcaption>John Reed-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Football, soccer and a double dose of basketball. If you want to spend all day watching WSU sports you are in luck.</p> <p>With the football team having two bye weeks and playing a Thursday game in the last three weeks, Saturdays haven't been very busy for WSU recently. That all changes today.</p>
<p>The football team will be in action against Arizona. The women's soccer team opens <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness" class="sbn-auto-link">NCAA Tournament</a> play against Illinois. The women's basketball team continues play in the Rainbow Wahine Classic and the men's basketball team hosts Lamar.</p>
<p>If you wanted to -- and have the right cable package -- you could come close to watching 10 hours of WSU athletic action today. Here's a look at the schedule and a quick guide of how you can watch what.</p>
<p>11 a.m.: Football at Arizona -- Pac-12 Network</p>
<p>1 p.m.: Soccer vs. Illinois -- <a target="_blank" href="http://pac-12.com/videos/washington-state-university">Live online stream</a> (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/14/5105896/college-cup-2014-wsu-vs-illinois-stream-tv-schedule">more info on the broadcast</a>)</p>
<p>2 p.m.: Women's basketball vs. West Virginia</p>
<p>9:30 p.m.: Men's basketball vs. Lamar -- Pac-12 Network (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/15/5108100/tv-information-for-wsu-lamar-basketball-it-may-not-even-air-at-all">more info on the broadcast</a>)</p>
<p>I don't think anyone would complain about a 4-0 day.</p>
<h4>Football:</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.spokesman.com/cougs/stories/2013/nov/15/bucannon-at-core-of-wsu-defense/" target="_blank">Bucannon at core of WSU defense - The Spokesman-Review</a><br>It was apparent even in 2010 the Cougars had unearthed a future impact player in safety Deone Bucannon. Starting in place of the injured <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/9733/chima-nwachukwu" class="sbn-auto-link">Chima Nwachukwu</a>, Bucannon racked up 16 tackles against Arizona, the most ever by a WSU freshman.</p>
<p><a href="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2013/11/15/pac-12-football-picks-of-the-week-friday-night-in-the-rose-bowl-and-a-loaded-saturday/" target="_blank">Pac-12 football: Picks of the Week (Friday night in the Rose Bowl and a loaded Saturday) | College Hotline</a><br>WASHINGTON STATE (plus-12.5) at ARIZONA: The Cougars opened league play with a stunning upset at USC way back on Sept. 7. Since then, they have one conference victory — over Cal. No reason to think they’ll be up to the task in Tucson against a team that always plays well at home. Look for 200+ yards from Ka’Deem Carey vs. WSU’s wobbly run defense. Pick: Arizona.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/11/15/2800103/cougars-had-long-time-to-prepare.html" target="_blank">Cougars had long time to prepare for Arizona game | College Football | Columbus Ledger Enquirer</a><br>If Washington State can't beat Arizona, it won't be for lack of time to prepare. When the Cougars take the field in Tucson on Saturday, they will be playing for the first time since Halloween night.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/nov/16/a-wsu-victory-today-at-arizona-would-go-a-long/" target="_blank">A WSU victory today at Arizona would go a long way toward displaying progress - Spokesman.com - Nov. 16, 2013</a><br>A lot has happened since the last time the Washington State football team faced Arizona in 2010. Both programs fired underperforming coaches and hired high-profile replacements known for their respective high-octane offenses.</p>
<h4>Soccer:</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/nov/15/wsu-soccer-team-turns-focus-ncaa-tournament/" target="_blank">WSU soccer team turns focus to NCAA tournament - Spokesman.com - Nov. 15, 2013</a><br>It’s time to push the reset button, says Washington State women’s soccer coach Keidane McAlpine.</p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/2013/11/16/5110692/wsu-vs-arizona-football-washington-stateMark Sandritter2013-11-16T04:00:03-08:002013-11-16T04:00:03-08:00How to follow WSU-Arizona
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<figcaption>Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Washington State Cougars will try to end a three-game losing streak when they travel to Tuscon and face the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night. Arizona has already reached bowl eligibility with a 6-3, but may have seen its Pac-12 South title hopes crushed last week with a 31-26 loss to UCLA.</p>
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<b>More</b>:<a href="http://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-cougars-football/2013/11/12/5087646/wsu-vs-arizona-wildcats-preview-scouting" target="_blank"> Breaking down Arizona's offensive and defensive schemes</a>
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<p>WSU hasn't played many games recently, with a Thursday night game sandwiched by two byes. When the Cougars take the field on Saturday, it will be for just the second time in a month.</p>
<p>Some time off probably didn't hurt. The Cougs have been run off the field the last three times out, with a 52-24 loss to Oregon State followed by a 62-38 loss to Oregon and a 55-21 defeat at the hand of Arizona State.</p>
<p>Wazzu hasn't won since Oct. 5, when a 44-22 win put the team at 4-2 and in prime position to reach a bowl game for the first time since 2003. Now WSU will need to win two of its final three games to become bowl eligible.</p>
<p>Getting one of those will be tough in Arizona, where the Cougs haven't won since 2004.</p>
<p><b>Game time, TV schedule:</b> 11 a.m. PT, Pac-12 Networks</p>
<p><b>Live radio stream:</b> <a href="http://tunein.com/radio/Washington-State-IMG-Sports-Network-s206521/" target="_blank">TuneIn Radio</a></p>
https://www.cougcenter.com/wsu-vs-arizona-football-tv-schedule-score-news-preview/2013/11/16/5110416/wsu-cougars-arizona-wildcats-football-game-time-tv-schedule-live-radio-streamCraig Powers