Postgame Notes - Northern Colorado - Washington State University Athletics

Postgame Notes - Northern Colorado

September 17, 2023 | Football

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State improved to 3-0 for the second straight season after a 64-21 win over Northern Colorado at Gesa Field Saturday afternoon. Check out the postgame notes from the win.

TEAM NOTES
•      WSU has started 3-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2018-19
•      Jake Dickert is just the third Cougar head coach to start 3-0 in each of his first two seasons
(John R. Bender – 1906-08), Gus Welch – 1919-20)
•      WSU's 43 points in the first half were the most since scoring 55 points in the first half against Arizona (2018)
•      WSU recorded 50+ points in two of the first three games for the first time since 2019
(58 - New Mexico State; 59 - Northern Colorado)
•      WSU's 64 points are the most since scoring 69 against Arizona in 2018)
•      WSU's 718 yards of total offense are the third-most in WSU single-game history (812 – California, 2014); 720 – UCLA, 2019)
•      WSU's 229 rushing yards are the most since rushing for 306 in the win at Stanford last season
•      WSU's 34 first downs are tied for the eighth-most in WSU single-game history, the most since 2019 (35, Oregon State)

PLAYER NOTES
•      20 made their collegiate debuts: Khalil Laufau (DT), Isaac Terrell (Edge), Rashad McKenzie (DT), Warren Smith Jr. (CB), Adrian Wilson (S), Peter Eyabi (Edge), Landon Roaten (OL), Bryson Lamb (DT), Emmett Brown (QB), Ashton Tripp (OL), Leon Neal Jr. (WR), Cole Pruett (WR), Leo Pulalasi (RB), Cole Norah (S), Jack Procter (Edge), Luke Roaten (OL), David Johnson (WR), Kasen Kinchen (CB), Joseph Roback (LB), Ethan O'Connor (CB)
•      Davon Hicks (LB) made his WSU debut
•      Dylan Paine set career-highs with seven carries for 71 yards with a long of 52 and his first career touchdown (1 yard)
•      Cameron Ward threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns, his 23^rd career 300-yard game and sixth at WSU
•      Ward also rushed for a touchdown, his 10^th career rushing touchdown, 7^th career game with 1 rush TD and 1 pass TD
•      Lincoln Victor caught six passes for 119 yard and two touchdowns (28, 31), his 2^nd career 100-yard game and his first career two-touchdown game
•      Kyle Williams has caught a touchdown in three straight games, had two catches for 49 yards with a 37-yard TD catch
•      Cameron Johnson recorded his first career catch (15-yard catch in 1^st quarter), finished with two catches for 27 yards
•      Josh Meredith and Tsion Nunnally each caught their first career touchdown passes
•      Buddah Al-Uqdah recorded a career-high four tackles
•      Reece Sylvester made a career-high six tackles
•      Ron Stone Jr. recorded his third sack of the season, finished with four tackles including two for loss
•      Brennan Jackson recorded his first sack of the season, finished two stops and one quarterback hurry
•      Dean Janikowski made all eight of his PAT, pushing his career point total to 180, eighth-most points by a kicker in WSU history