FRESNO, Calif. — In an exciting matchup on Saturday night, Washington State managed to secure a 25-17 victory over Fresno State, thanks in part to a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown by redshirt freshman Ethan O’Connor in the fourth quarter.
Washington State, now with a record of 5-1, was trailing 17-16 when O’Connor intercepted a pass from Mikey Keene and swiftly ran it back to score, giving the Cougars a crucial lead after a failed two-point conversion with just 6:52 remaining in the game. Dean Janikowski later extended the lead by kicking a 23-yard field goal with 1:46 left on the clock, cementing the final score.
The game opened with John Mateer scoring a touchdown for Washington State on a 1-yard run during the first drive, although their attempt for a two-point conversion was unsuccessful, leaving them ahead at 6-0.
Fresno State quickly responded, with Keene connecting on a 34-yard touchdown pass to Josiah Freeman, putting the Bulldogs in the lead at 7-6. The Cougars surged ahead once again after Kris Hutson capped off a 75-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, ending the first quarter at 13-7 after a second quarter without scoring.
Fresno State regained the lead midway through the third quarter thanks to a 6-yard touchdown run by Elijah Gilliam. Washington State answered back with a 34-yard field goal from Janikowski at the 5:16 mark, taking a 16-14 advantage into the final quarter.
A 27-yard field goal from Dylan Lynch, who had previously missed two attempts from longer distances, then put the Bulldogs back in front by one point with 11:04 remaining in the game.
In terms of individual performances, Mateer completed 17 out of 34 passes for a total of 172 yards and rushed 18 times for an additional 46 yards. On the other hand, Keene had a strong showing for Fresno State, completing 24 of 35 passes for 220 yards but suffered from one pivotal interception. Gilliam was a standout on the ground, rushing for 120 yards on 20 carries.