PULLMAN, Wash. — A top 15 ranking has quickly vanished on Washington State.
Three consecutive losses have turned a perfect 4-0 to 4-3. But head coach Jake Dickert says there's still time to get back on track.
"When you don't get your way. You really reveal who you are. Okay, so last three weeks, we didn't get our way. Right went in there with a mission, didn't get it accomplished. So this team, okay, I mean, now that some of the other stuff is out there, you know, we're just fighting for each other. And we're fighting for a bowl game, we're fighting to extend that season because we only got 32 days guaranteed left," Washington State head coach Jake Dickert said. "Our heart and passion of how we play following this up will be important."
The Cougars will be on the road in Tempe, Arizona to face a 1-6 Arizona State team.
A game Washington State should win.
To do so, the Cougs will have to stop running back Cameron Skattebo who's ran for 413 yards and six touchdowns. Skattebo has also caught 19 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown.
"You know, he's kind of the guy that's driving their offensive rhythm. They got more pieces back now off the bye week than they had, but the tailback is the catalyst for what they're trying to do offensively," said Dickert. "You know, we got to make sure that we're sound in the game and we're also tackling well. I think that'll be big to limit those runs to two three yard gains instead that he's been breaking those things for eight plus. So, there'll be a variety of different things that we need to do as a group to make sure that we're trying to contain him."
There's no denying Washington state has struggled mightily to run the football this season. The Cougs backfield has combined for 83 yards over the three-game losing streak. An average of 27.7 yards per game.
Getting the running game going moving forward may be an even bigger task with Dickert announcing sophomore running back Jaylen Jenkins has been dismissed from the team for violating team rules.
Washington State at Arizona State will kick off at 5 p.m. on Saturday.