Cougars Break the Drought with Dominant Third Quarter

The air in Pullman tasted like relief on Saturday. Caden Pinnick stood in the pocket, the grass slick beneath his cleats, and found Jack Pedersen over the middle. The ball spiraled through the clear Pacific Northwest sky, an 11-yard arc that landed in Pedersen’s hands for a touchdown. It was the first of three scores Pinnick would engineer, a trifecta that snapped Washington State’s three-game skid and delivered a 48-7 victory over Duquesne.

The Cougars had been quiet, holding the Dukes to just 14-7 at the break. But the third quarter erupted. Pinnick’s passing precision and running threat turned the tide, shifting the momentum from a stalemate to a rout. The scoreboard, once tight, began to bleed points in the wrong direction for the visitors.

Explosive Third Quarter Breaks Open

Washington State poured 21 points into the third period, dismantling the Duquesne defense. After the initial strike to Pedersen, Pinnick located Braden Ganashamoorthy for a 10-yard connection. The rhythm was unbroken. Kirby Vorhees, a blur of speed, cut inside and unleashed a 58-yard sprint. He crossed the goal line as the period closed, leaving the Dukes (0-3) stranded on the field.

The offensive line moved like a wall, opening lanes that had been clogged in previous weeks. The Cougars’ total yardage swelled to 512, a stark contrast to the 180 yards managed by the visitors. The difference was not just in numbers, but in the physicality of the blocks and the timing of the routes.

Rushing Attack Powers Offense

Pinnick’s versatility was the engine. He carried the ball for a touchdown, adding a dimension that keeps defenses guessing. Maxwell Woods and Kirby Vorhees formed a dual-threat core, combining for over 200 yards of ground gain. Woods finished with 116 yards, while Vorhees posted 109. Their ability to push the chain down the field kept Duquesne’s secondary backpedaling, creating the space for Pinnick’s deep strikes.

Special teams added to the pile in the final frame. Tank Hawkins and Maxwell Woods both returned punts for touchdowns. These scores, while less glamorous than the offensive touchdowns, cemented the margin of victory. The Cougars (1-2) had found a rhythm that had been missing in their opening losses to Washington and Kansas State.

Duquesne Struggles to Find Rhythm

For Duquesne, the day was defined by scarcity. Carson Camp found the end zone once, a one-yard run that tied the game early in the first quarter. It was the only score the Dukes managed. The offense stalled, unable to generate the sustained drives necessary to challenge the home team. The defense, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Washington State’s passing game, could not contain the pressure.

The loss leaves the Dukes winless in the Championship Subdivision. They return home next Saturday to face Rio Grande (Ohio). For Washington State, the focus shifts to a tougher test against Arizona. The win in Pullman, reported by Yahoo Sports and other outlets, was a necessary reset. It proved that when the passing game clicks and the running game surges, the Cougars are a team that can dominate.