PULLMAN, Wash. (Oct. 25, 2025) – Redshirt-senior quarterback
Zevi Eckhaus accounted for three touchdowns as Washington State used a dominant second quarter and a strong defensive performance to post a 28-7 nonconference victory over Toledo Saturday afternoon at Gesa Field.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Cougars (4-4) exploded for 21 points in the second period. Eckhaus opened the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run to cap an 11-play, 89-yard drive early in the quarter. WSU extended its lead on the next possession when Eckhaus connected with
Tony Freeman for a 15-yard touchdown strike. The Cougars made it three straight scoring drives before halftime as
Carter Pabst hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Eckhaus to push the lead to 21-0.
Toledo (4-4) got on the board just before halftime on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Tucker Gleason to Junior Vandeross III, but that would be the Rockets' lone score of the day. The WSU defense shut out Toledo in the second half and limited the visitors to just 299 total yards.
Eckhaus led the Cougars with 159 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding 74 yards and a score on the ground. Pabst had two catches for 49 yards and a touchdown, and Freeman added a 15-yard scoring grab. Senior receiver
Joshua Meredith paced the receiving corps with four receptions for 81 yards, including a 40-yard catch that set up a Cougar score.
The Cougar defense controlled the game throughout, holding Toledo to 61 rushing yards on 24 attempts while holding the Rockets to 299 yards of total offense, 157 yards below their season average. Senior linebacker
Parker McKenna intercepted a pass and recorded 10 tackles, while safety
Tucker Large led all players with a career-best 13 tackles.
Washington State finished with 321 yards of offense, including 162 on the ground. Running back
Kirby Vorhees sealed the victory late in the fourth quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run that capped a 12-play, 65-yard drive that lasted 6-minutes, 34-seconds to make it 28-7. Freshman kicker
Jack Stevens was perfect on all four extra-point attempts.
The Cougars are next in action Nov. 1 when they travel to Corvallis, Ore. to face Oregon State.
