It’s the best of the West Coast as Washington State (7-5) squares off against Fresno State (9-4) in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium on Saturday. Both teams have been ravaged by offseason moves with the transfer portal and the coaching carousel, but there is still plenty of buzz around these two spunky programs, particularly due to the quarterback joust between Cameron Ward and Jake Haener.

How We Got Here:

Washington State had preseason hype for the first time since Minshew Mania thanks to Incarnate Word transfer QB Cameron Ward coming up north and bringing his head coach Eric Morris to be his offensive coordinator. But after an upset win over No. 19 Wisconsin in Madison in Week 2, the Cougars blew a sizable lead at home to Oregon with a hideous final few minutes. The loss started a stretch in which WSU lost four of five, with the offense struggling to score in the final three losses against some of the stronger teams the Pac-12 has to offer. The Cougs finished strong against easier competition heading into the Apple Cup, but Michael Penix Jr. was not to be contained in a UW win.

Fresno State also had preseason hype and was considered by many to be a contender for the Group of Five New Year’s Six bid. This was the window for the Bulldogs to win, given the return of head coach Jeff Tedford, quarterback Jake Haener, safety Evan Williams, and plenty of veteran stars. But the injury bug bit Fresno State as hard as any team in the FBS, taking Haener, Williams, wide receiver Josh Kelly, and others on its scurry through the program. As a result, the Bulldogs were substantially worse and four of their first five. Backup quarterback Logan Fife struggled but did just enough to stop the skid against San Jose State and New Mexico, just in time for Haener to return against San Diego State. The Bulldogs never looked back once they slowly grew healthier, and they finished the regular season on a seven-game winning streak to clinch a spot in the conference title game. Awaiting them were the Boise State Broncos, a team that had smacked Fresno State 40-20 on the smurf turf two months prior. Fresno State capped off its table running with a 28-16 win to clinch the Mountain West title.

Washington State enters this game without either coordinator, as Eric Morris is off to North Texas and Brian Ward takes over as Arizona State’s defensive coordinator. The Cougs are also without three of their four leading receivers and multiple starting linebackers. Head coach Jake Dickert takes over as the defensive play-caller, so there shouldn’t be much worry on that side, aside from the general anxiety of containing a Haener-led offense.

Players to Watch:

Washington State:

QB Cameron Ward — Even though his incredible 2021 season didn’t quite translate statistics-wise to WSU, Ward is still electric with the football in his hands. He faces an aggressive Fresno State defense that doesn’t give up many touchdowns or a high completion percentage. Ward has proven that he doesn’t need to be Superman for the Cougs to win games, but with a potent offense on the other sideline, he needs to make good decisions and take care of the football, particularly late in the game. His numbers are at their worst in the fourth quarter, with a 61.7% completion percentage, four touchdowns to four interceptions, and 118.3 rating in the fourth this season.

LB Kyle Thornton — With Daiyan Henley entering the draft and Francisco Mauigoa in the portal, Washington State will have some new faces starting at linebacker. One of which is former walk-on Kyle Thornton, who began his career on the scout team to earning his first career stat in his hometown in a bowl game. In the past two seasons, Thornton has tallied 47 tackles in a reserve spot but gets the limelight in the LA Bowl.

WR Robert Ferrel — Senior wideout Robert Ferrel has 300 more receiving yards than the next available guy on the depth chart at wide receiver. The JUCO product came over from UIW with Ward and Morris and has brought his reliable hands and quick feet to the Wazzu passing game. He’ll need to be at his best as the clear WR1, but look out for Leyton Smithson as well, as he had an impressive Apple Cup performance.

Fresno State:

QB Jake Haener — Simply put, this team goes where Jake Haener takes it. You could argue that his impact was most felt when he was sidelined with an ankle injury that many thought would end his season. But since returning against San Diego State, averaging 293.7 passing yards per game and throwing 14 touchdowns to two interceptions in six games. He’s electric in the pocket and on the run, but his offensive line has to clean things up as he has been sacked three times per game since his return.

CB Cam Lockridge — Fresno State’s defense is manned by many seniors, including David Perales, Evan Williams, and Levelle Bailey, but junior Cam Lockridge has emerged as a mainstay in the secondary after transferring from Hawai’i. His five interceptions led the Mountain West and his nine passes defensed were tied for third in the conference. Lockridge was the defensive MVP in the conference title game after picking off Taylen Green twice.

WR Nikko Remigio — Senior Nikko Remigio has experience facing the Cougs while at Cal, and he didn’t receive many touches in his two losses to them. In his debut season for the Bulldogs, great things have happened when Remigio has the football in his hands. He is one of only five players in the FBS with multiple punt return touchdowns, and he’s not too shabby as a receiver either with career highs in receptions (69), yards (768) and touchdowns (five).

Score Prediction:

This game should be a ton of fun. Fresno State has been playing with fire since late October, and I don’t anticipate this veteran squad slowing down against a depleted Wazzu team. The Bulldogs, after starting 1-4, do the unthinkable and win 10 games. Fresno State 38, Washington State 27.