COUGARS HOST OREGON STATE FOR TOP-25 MATCHUP ON FOX
No. 21 Washington State opens Pac-12 Conference play with a Saturday matchup against No. 14 Oregon State at Gesa Field. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. on FOX.

SERIES HISTORY
Washington State leads the all-time series 56-48-3 over Oregon State and had won eight straight meetings before OSU posted a 24-10 win in Corvallis last season. Saturday will be the first matchup in the series where both teams are nationally ranked in the Associated Press Top-25.

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE 
Washington State opened the season with wins at Colorado State, against No. 19 Wisconsin and Northern Colorado for its first 3-0 start in back-to-back seasons since 2018-19. The Cougars returned to the Associated Press Top-25 after the win over Wisconsin and enter this week ranked No. 21. WSU enters the week third in the country in passing (402.0) led by quarterback Cameron Ward's 330.0 ypg, also third-best nationally, while wide receiver Lincoln Victor is ninth nationally with 24 catches. The Cougar defense has forced five turnovers through the first three weeks while Jaden Hicks enters the week with the best overall defensive grade in the country while EDGE Ron Stone Jr. is tied for second in the Pac-12 with three sacks. Head coach Jake Dickert has guided WSU to back-to-back bowl games and is in his second full season leading the Cougars.

COUGAR QUICK GAME
TEAM
• WSU has reached a bowl game in the last seven full seasons, 2nd-longest bowl streak in the Pac-12 (Utah)
• WSU recorded a Gesa Field sellout against Wisconsin (33,024) week two, had 2 in 2022 (Washington, Oregon)
• Jake Dickert is the 3rd Cougar head coach to start 3-0 in each of his 1st two seasons 
(John R. Bender – 1906-08), Gus Welch – 1919-20)

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT (Player Notes Pages 10-17)
• QB Cameron Ward enters the week 4th in the country in total offense/g (373.0), 5th in passing (331.5)
• EDGE Ron Stone Jr. enters the week tied for 2nd in the Pac-12 with 3 sacks, tied for 4th with 4 tackles-for-loss
• EDGE Brennan Jackson was named to 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, 3x All-Pac-12 Conference
• S Jaden Hicks enters week four with the nation's best defensive grade, according to PFF College
• OL Fa'alili Fa'amoe, OL Ma'ake Fifita, OL Esa Pole, WR Lincoln Victor; Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List
• K Dean Janikowski's career-long 55-yard FG at CSU was longest since 2017, 8th-longest in country in 2023

COLLEGE GAMEDAY RECORD
Dating back to the middle of the 2003 season, ESPN College GameDay has had the WSU flag appear throughout the show. The streak reached 290 last week in Colorado. The first appearance came in Austin, Texas (10/4/03) and the streak began two weeks later in Madison, Wisc. (10/18/03). Two flags – Ol' Crimson and Gray – have been flown in the background of the GameDay set by dozens of friends and alumni. The Gray flag was added in 2014 after Whitey was retired in honor of Steve Gleason's "No White Flags." Appearance No. 217 was its first in Pullman (10/20/18), a 34-20 win over Oregon. 

ALL EYES ON THE COUGS
- Since 2015, WSU is 4th among Pac-12 and Big-12 teams in views per game (1.59 million)
- Cougs are ranked No. 21 in the latest Associated Press Top-25, ahead of 48 other power 5 teams
- WSU owns the 5th-best winning percentage in the Pac-12 over the last 10 years (62.2%)
   ahead of Stanford, UCLA, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon State, Arizona
- WSU is looking for its first 4-0 start since starting the 2017 season 6-0
- WSU's last win over a Top-15 team came in 2018, a 34-20 win over No. 12 Oregon in Pullman

DEFENSE TAKEAWAYS
Since 2020, Washington State's defense has forced the second-most takeaways in the Pac-12 (61), only USC has more (67). The 2023 defense has opened the season with impressive performances.
at Colorado State - 37 rush yards allowed, 2 INT, Jaden Hicks 37-yard INT return for TD
Wisconsin - 90 rush yards allowed, 3 FF, 3 sacks, held All-American RB Braelon Allen to 20 rush yds
Northern Colorado - held UNC to 7 first-half points, 5 tackles-for-loss, 2 sacks, 5 QB hurries

RECORD BOOK WATCH (PAGE 7)
- 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)
- Kicker Dean Janikowski's 180 career points are the eighth-most points by a kicker in WSU history
- Janikowski's 27 career made field goals are tied for 10th-most in WSU history (Tony Truant)
- Janikowski's 99 career made PAT are eighth-most in WSU history
- Janikowski's 81.8 career field goal percentage (27-33) is the second-best FG% in WSU history 
- EDGE Ron Stone Jr. owns 24.5 career tackles-for-loss, 7.5 away from breaking into WSU Top-10
- Stone Jr. owns 14 career sacks, 3 away from breaking into the WSU Top-10 (17, Rien Long, 2000-02)
- EDGE Brennan Jackson owns 23 career tackles-for-loss and 12.5 career sacks

RON STONE JR. COMES UP BIG IN WISCONSIN WIN
Edge Ron Stone Jr. was named the Bronko Nagurski Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week and Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Week after making five tackles including two sacks and forced fumbles on both sacks in the 31-22 win over No. 19 Wisconsin in Pullman week two. The redshirt-senior's second strip sack of the game was recovered and returned for a touchdown by the Cougars late in the first half. The San Jose, Calif. native added another sack in last week's win over Northern Colorado and enters Pac-12 play tied for second in the league with three sacks and tied for fourth with four tackles-for-loss.

HICKS OPENS 2023 WITH BIG NIGHTS
Redshirt-sophomore safety Jaden Hicks opened 2023 with a pair of big nights beginning with a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown to go along with seven tackles, a shared sack and two pass breakups in the season-opening win at Colorado State. In the win over No. 19 Wisconsin, Hicks tallied nine tackles, a tackle for loss, two pass breakups and forced a fumble. Following the win, Hicks earned high praise from ProFootballFocus College, earning the best defensive grade among power 5 players (90.2). Last season, the Las Vegas native earned Freshman All-America honors after leading all Pac-12 freshmen defenders with 76 tackles.
- Bednarik Award Defensive Player of the Week (Wisconsin)
- Enters week four with the top defensive grade in the country (91.3)
- Hicks owns the best safety tackling grade and best safety coverage grade in the country

STONE AND JACKSON STRIKE TWICE IN WIN OVER NO. 19 WISCONSIN
Sixth-year senior Edge's Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson delivered some huge moments in the 31-22 win over No. 19 Wisconsin week two. Stone Jr. recorded a pair of sacks and forced fumbles on both sacks with Jackson recovering both fumbles, returning the second two yards for a touchdown late in the first half. 
- Stone Jr. earned the 2nd-best pass rush grade by Pac-12 EDGE players last week, 8 pressures
- Jackson earned the 6th-best defensive grade among Pac-12 EDGE players, 4 pressures, 5 tackles

CAMERON WARD OPENS 2023 IN STYLE
Quarterback Cameron Ward opened 2023 going 37-of-49 for a WSU career-high 451 yards along with three touchdown passes and a one-yard rushing touchdown in the 50-24 win at Colorado State. Ward added two more touchdown passes in the win over No. 19 Wisconsin week two and exploded for four touchdown passes and rushing score in last week's win over Northern Colorado.
- Ward is 3rd in the NCAA in passing yards/g (330.0), 4th in the NCAA in total offense/g (361.7)
- Ward's 451 passing yards were the most in a season opener since Connor Halliday (532, 2014) and the most in a season-opening win in program history
- Ward completed his first 12 passes against Northern Colorado, finished 20-of-26 for 327 yards, 4 TD
- Ward owns 7 games as a Coug with a rushing TD and pass TD

LINCOLN VICTOR'S HOT START
Senior wide receiver Lincoln Victor opened the 2023 campaign with a pair of big games beginning with career-highs of 11 catches for 168 yards in the win at Colorado State. The West Camas, Wash. native and Hawaii transfer two seasons ago had eight of his catches go for first downs, the most by any Pac-12 receiver week one. In the week two win over No. 19 Wisconsin, Victor caught seven passes for 55 yards including a one-yard touchdown and also threw a 39-yard completion, the longest by a non-quarterback since WR Kristoff Williams threw a 47-yard touchdown pass against Utah in 2011. Victor added six catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns and completed a pass for a two-point conversion in last week;'s win over Northern Colorado
- 2 100-yard games in the first three weeks; 168 at Colorado State, 119 vs. Northern Colorado
- Enters the week 9th in the country with 24 catches, third in Pac-12 with 342 receiving yards

COUGAR DEBUTS
17 Cougars made their debuts in the 50-24 season-opening win at Colorado State
- 2 true freshman made their collegiate debuts; Ansel Din-Mbuh (DL), Carlos Hernandez (WR)
- 2 redshirt-freshmen made their collegiate debuts; Buddah Al-Uqdah (LB), Reece Sylvester (S)

21 more Cougs made their debuts in the 64-21 win over Northern Colorado week three
- 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)

SIX NAMED 2023 TEAM CAPTAINS 
WSU voted six players as team captains for the 2023 season; OL Konner Gomness, EDGE Brennan Jackson, CB Chau Smith-Wade, EDGE Ron Stone Jr., WR Lincoln Victor and QB Cameron Ward.

SEVEN NAMED PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12
Seven Cougars were named to Preseason All-Pac-12 Conference Teams by the conference. Four players were named to the second team in EDGES Ron Stone Jr and Brennan Jackson, defensive back Chau Smith-Wade and punter Nick Haberer. Defensive back Jaden Hicks, kicker Dean Janikowski and running back Nakia Watson were each named honorable mention.  

2022 COUGARS WON IN MADISON, MADE 7TH STRAIGHT BOWL
Washington State opened last season with three-straight wins, including a victory at No. 19 Wisconsin, and captured three of its final four games to reach the Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl, its seventh-straight bowl appearance, the second-longest current bowl streak in the Pac-12 Conference. WSU, who went 7-6 including a 4-5 mark in Pac-12 play, finished in the top four of numerous Pac-12 defensive categories, including second in Red Zone defense and tackles-for-loss, third in scoring defense and turnovers gained, and fourth in sacks. WSU also led the Pac-12 in Red Zone offense. In 2022, WSU had 10 All-Pac-12 players, including honorable mention quarterback Cameron Ward and second-team selection EDGE Ron Stone Jr. while safety Jaden Hicks garnered third-Team Freshman All-America honors. 

COUGAR DEFENSE LED THE WAY in 2022
- WSU was second in the Pac-12 with 80 tackles-for-loss, third in scoring (22.9), fourth with 33 sacks
- WSU tied for third in the Pac-12 with 21 takeaways, 12 interceptions and 9 fumble recoveries
- Jaden Hicks led Pac-12 freshmen in tackles (76), named to Freshman All-America Third Team
- WSU held USC quarterback Caleb Williams to 15-of-29 passing and 188 yds, season lows

COUGAR FOOTBALL BROADCAST TEAM
Matt Chazanow is in his ninth season as the play-by-play voice for Cougar football, men's basketball and baseball broadcasts. Joining Chazanow for his sixth season will be former Cougar quarterback Alex Brink who is the only WSU quarterback to win three Apple Cups and was later a seventh-round draft pick by the Houston Texans. Returning for her 12th season as the sideline reporter is Jessamyn McIntyre.

14 COUGS ENTER 2023 WITH DEGREES
Joshua Erling, LB    Accounting and Finance
Konner Gomness, OL    Social Sciences
Isaiah Hamilton, WR    Psychology (San Jose State)
Brennan Jackson, EDGE    Business Administration
Chris Jackson, DB    Social Science
Dean Janikowski, K    Digital Technology & Culture
Sam Lockett III, DB    Social Sciences
Ahmad McCullough, LB    Communications (Maryland)
Christy Nkanu, OL    Marketing (Southern Utah)
Devin Richardson, LB    Physical Culture and Sports (Texas)
Simon Samarzich, LS    Sport Management
Ron Stone Jr., EDGE    Public Relations
Kyle Thornton, LB    Economic Sciences
Nakia Watson, RB    Social Sciences

NEW COACHES
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR / QUARTERBACKS
Ben Arbuckle arrives in Pullman having spent the past two seasons at Western Kentucky, serving as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the 2022 season. In his first season in that role, Arbuckle took the Hilltoppers to great heights as the team finished sixth in total offense (497.3 ypg) and 15th in scoring (36.4 ppg), while quarterback Austin Reed led the nation in passing yards (4,746) and was third in passing touchdowns (40). 

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR / LINEBACKERS
Jeff Schmedding returns to the Pacific Northwest having spent the past two seasons at Auburn, most recently serving as defensive coordinator. In 2022, Schmedding oversaw the development of All-SEC First Team edge rusher Derick Hall, who totaled 60 tackles, 12 TFL's and seven sacks. In his first season at Auburn (2021), the Tigers ranked 29th in rushing defense and 17th in tackles-for-loss. Schmedding spent the previous two seasons at Boise State as the defensive coordinator where in his first season leading the defense saw the Broncos claim the Mountain West Championship and finish in the top 25 nationally in team sacks (37) and scoring defense (20.6 ppg). 
 
WIDE RECEIVERS
Nick Edwards arrives in Pullman having spent the 2022 season as an offensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons, working alongside the offensive coordinator with gameplan duties. Edwards joined Atlanta's staff after spending two seasons (2020-21) as the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Cal Poly. Prior to his time at Cal Poly, Edwards spent three seasons (2017-19) as the wide receivers and running backs coach at Cal and three seasons (2014-16) at his alma mater, Eastern Washington, as the wide receivers coach where he coached future NFL wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne. 

EDGES
Frank Maile (MY-lay) joins Dickert's staff having spent the past two seasons at Boise State where he served as the Broncos' assistant head coach and defensive line coach. During the 2022 season, the Bronco defense led the way to a 10-4 overall record, including a victory over North Texas in the Frisco Bowl. The Broncos finished ninth nationally in total defense and 16th in scoring defense.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Ben Iannacchione is no stranger to Dickert as the two worked together when both were on Craig Bohl's staff at Wyoming during the 2018-19 seasons. Iannacchione comes to Pullman having spent the 2022 season as the head strength and conditioning coach at Akron. A former standout offensive lineman who played collegiately at Boise State, Iannacchione arrived at Akron after spending the 2021 campaign at Pitt after prior stops on the football staffs at Kansas (2020), Wyoming (2018-19), LSU (2011-15, 2016-17) and Youngstown State (2015).