WSU Cougar Football Score: What Really Happened in the Potato Bowl

WSU Cougar Football Score: What Really Happened in the Potato Bowl

Honestly, if you weren't shivering in the stands at Albertsons Stadium or glued to ESPN on a random Monday in late December, you missed one heck of a finale. The final WSU Cougar football score for the 2025 season is officially in the books: Washington State 34, Utah State 21.

It wasn't just a win. It was a statement.

After a season that felt like a total rollercoaster—huge blowout losses followed by gritty defensive stands—the Cougs walked out of Boise as Famous Idaho Potato Bowl champions. Ending the year 7-6 feels a lot better than 6-7, doesn't it? Especially since it snapped a seven-year bowl game drought. That’s a long time to wait for a trophy, even if it is shaped like a giant potato.

The Breakdown: How WSU Dominated the Blue Turf

The game started as a total clinic. Zevi Eckhaus, who has been the heartbeat of this offense, came out firing. He didn't just play well; he played like a man possessed. By the time the clock hit zero, he’d racked up 334 passing yards and three touchdowns.

The first half was all Crimson and Gray. Eckhaus connected with Mackenzie Alleyne for a 41-yard beauty in the first quarter, and from there, the momentum just snowballed. By the time the third quarter rolled around, WSU was up 20-0. You've gotta feel for Utah State. They looked stuck in the mud while the Cougs were playing at a different speed.

But because this is WSU, things got a little... interesting.

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The Utah State Comeback Attempt

Midway through the third, the Aggies finally woke up. They clawed back to make it 27-14 in the fourth quarter. There was this brief, terrifying moment where every Cougar fan probably thought, "Oh no, here we go again."

The turning point? A massive 11-play, 79-yard drive that chewed up nearly six minutes of the clock. It ended with Julian Dugger—the backup QB who basically acts as a Swiss Army knife for this team—scrambling for a 34-yard touchdown. That score basically iced it.

2025 Season: By the Numbers

If you look at the full season results, it’s a weirdly symmetric year. We saw the highest of highs (beating SDSU 36-13) and some truly "don't talk to me" lows (that 59-10 nightmare against North Texas).

Here is how the scoring shook out across the season:

  • Total Points For: 293 (22.5 per game)
  • Total Points Against: 263 (20.2 per game)
  • Home Record: 5-1 (Gesa Field remains a fortress)
  • Road Record: 1-5 (Yeah, we need to work on that)

The defense actually carried the water for a lot of the year. Allowing only about 20 points a game is impressive in modern college football. If the offense had clicked like it did in the Potato Bowl every week, we’re talking about a 9 or 10-win team.

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A New Era: Kirby Moore Takes the Reins

The biggest news isn't just the score; it's who's leading the charge now. Jesse Bobbit acted as the interim coach for the bowl win, and he did an incredible job. Seeing him hoist that trophy was a highlight of the year.

But as we look toward 2026, it’s the Kirby Moore era.

Moore, coming over from Missouri where he was a wizard with their offense, has already been busy. He’s brought in some heavy hitters for the coaching staff, including Trent Bray as Defensive Coordinator. It’s kinda poetic—Moore is a Prosser native and played at Boise State. He knows the Northwest. He knows the Palouse.

He’s already making waves on the recruiting trail too. Just last week, Sumner star running back Lance McGee flipped his commitment from Oregon State to WSU. McGee is a monster—rushed for nearly 2,500 yards in high school. Getting him in the building is a massive win for the new staff.

What Most People Get Wrong About WSU’s Current Standing

A lot of national pundits want to talk about "conference realignment" like it’s a death sentence for Wazzu. They see the Pac-12 changes and assume the program will just fade away.

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Basically, they’re wrong.

The Cougars are actually in a prime position to dominate the "new" Pac-12. The facilities at Gesa Field are getting an upgrade (new video board, better sound, dynamic lighting), and the NIL support is surprisingly robust for a school in a small town. People forget that Coug fans are among the most loyal in the country. We don't just show up; we stay late and scream until we lose our voices.

What’s Next for Cougar Football?

The 2025 chapter is closed, and it ended on a high note. But if you're a fan, you aren't just looking at the past WSU Cougar football score—you're looking at the spring game.

Here is what you should be keeping an eye on as we head into the 2026 season:

  1. Quarterback Battle: With Eckhaus moving on, will it be Jaxon Potter or Julian Dugger taking the first-team reps?
  2. The Run Game: Keep an eye on the rotation between Kirby Vorhees and the newcomer Lance McGee. That could be a deadly 1-2 punch.
  3. Season Tickets: They just went on sale on January 12th. If you want to be there for the Kirby Moore debut, you've gotta move fast.

The Potato Bowl win gave this program exactly what it needed: hope. It wasn't just about the 34-21 score. It was about proving that the culture in Pullman is still alive and well, regardless of what's happening with conference commissioners or TV deals.

The next step is simple. If you're a donor or a season ticket holder, get behind the Moore transition. The "Cougs vs. Everybody" mentality is stronger than ever, and frankly, that's when this team is at its best. Grab some gear, book your hotel in Pullman for September, and get ready. The 2026 season is going to be a wild ride.