FRESNO, Calif. (October 12, 2024) – Ethan Connor's 60-yard interception return for a touchdown gave Washington State a fourth-quarter comeback 25-17 victory at Fresno State Saturday evening.
Fresno State held a 17-16 lead early in the fourth quarter before O'Connor's house call gave the Cougars a 22-17 lead with under seven minutes left.
Dean Janikowski added a 23-yard field goal with 1:46 remaining for the eight-point advantage and the WSU defense turned the Bulldogs over on downs as time expired to give WSU their first 5-1 start since 2018.
Cougar quarterback
John Mateer rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown while freshman running back carried 12 times for 63 yards. Wideout
Kris Hutson caught a team-high six passes for 45 yards and had a two-yard rushing touchdown.
Janikowski connected on both field goal attempts, hitting from 34 yards out in the third quarter before his 23-yarder capped the scoring. Janikowski also averaged over 51 yards on three punts and kicked off six times.
Defensively, Buddah Al-Uqdah made a team-high seven tackles while
Kyle Thornton and
Tyson Durant each added five with Durant adding an interception for the second straight game.
Keith Brown and
Khalil Laufau each recorded a sack for the defense who picked off a pair of passes, recorded a pair of sacks and held an opponent under 20 points for the third time this season.
Washington State took the opening kickoff and capped the opening 75-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Mateer and Hutson's two-yard rushing score on an end-around gave the Cougars the lead later in the first quarter. WSU nearly took a lead into halftime but FSU made a diving interception in the end zone right before the half to keep the Cougar lead 13-6 at the break.
The Bulldogs took a 14-13 lead with a touchdown midway through the third quarter, Janikowsi's first field goal allowed WSU to regain the lead but Fresno State's fourth-quarter 13-play drive was capped by a field goal for a 17-16 advantage. Minutes later, O'Connor stepped in front of a Bulldog pass attempt on the ensuing drive and raced 60 yards for the go-ahead score.
Washington State hosts Hawai'i next Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
