Washington State was a 32½-point underdog on the road at fourth-ranked Ole Miss. The Cougars didn’t win, but they gave the college football world a bit of a surprise. They kept pace with the Rebels the whole way, and even had a chance to tie or win on a final possession at the end of the game. WSU lost 24-21 and fell to 3-3 on the year, but the team’s performance Saturday afternoon at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., should provide encouragement for the Cougar faithful.

Defense causes problems for explosive Rebels

Ole Miss was able to produce yards, but the Rebels struggled to finish drives in the first half as WSU’s defense successfully played a bend-but-don’t-break style.

The Rebels reached the goal line on their first possession, but Cougs safety Cale Reeder forced a fourth-down incompletion with a big hit. The Cougars, backed up again on Ole Miss’ ensuing drive, forced a field-goal try, which was no good. In the second quarter, with Ole Miss just outside of the red zone, WSU defensive end Isaac Terrell sacked Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and ripped the ball away, and the Cougs recovered.

Ole Miss found enough life on offense in the second half to put the Cougars away, but it was never easy. The Rebels, leading by three points with under 3 minutes left, had a chance to run the clock out, but the Cougars’ run defense stuffed Ole Miss and gave WSU’s offense one more possession.

Coming into the game, the Rebels had only allowed four sacks through their first five games. WSU tallied three sacks. Ole Miss’ 24 points were tied for its lowest scoring output of the season. The Rebels also managed 24 points in their win over then-No. 4 LSU on Sept. 27. The Rebels were held to their lowest yardage total of the season (439). And although Chambliss was more effective as the game wore on, he had his least-productive passing game of his four starts, by far.

Eckhaus steady, ground game breaks through

Despite the difficult environment and ultra-talented opponent, Zevi Eckhaus again looked comfortable leading the Cougars offense.

The senior quarterback again proved why he should have been the Cougs’ No. 1 option at the position all along. Yes, he took four sacks and couldn’t get WSU’s offense going for a few drives in the second half, but he played an efficient game, avoided mistakes, and, broadly speaking, gave the team a chance to shock the country.

Eckhaus completed 24 of 31 passes (77%) for 218 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, adding a 22-yard scramble in the first half. He completed 12 straight passes during a long stretch in the third and fourth quarters. Eckhaus capped his hot streak with a 19-yard TD pass to Tony Freeman, which trimmed the deficit to three points with 2:43 remaining.

As far as the rushing attack, the Cougars were surprisingly solid against the toughest defense they’ve seen. WSU, which entered the game as one of the worst running teams in the country, posted its second-best rushing game of the season, finishing with 127 yards (just behind its 154 yards two weeks ago versus Colorado State).

Sophomore Kirby Vorhees had the most-productive game by a WSU running back so far this season, recording 88 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. His 46-yard TD run in the third quarter was WSU’s longest run of the season and the first TD rush by a WSU tailback this year.

Overall, it was a positive step for WSU’s offense, which played an admirable, turnover-free game despite facing adversity. Starting tackle Christian Hilborn was out with an injury. His backup also went down with an injury in the third quarter. Receivers Devin Ellison and Carter Pabst weren’t in the lineup for unspecified reasons, as well.  Plus, the Cougs had several big plays negated by penalties.

Not enough, but a good sign nonetheless

It’s hard to explain what happened Saturday and how the Cougars played so well against an opponent that was supposed to run right over them.

Did Ole Miss overlook the Cougars and come out flat? It’s possible. But it could be that WSU was inspired by the matchup, the noise surrounding the game, its underdog tag. The Cougars came out with fire and played their best.

If that’s the case, then WSU needs to replicate that energy and emotion every time it takes the field, because the season could take a major turn for the better if the Cougs use this loss as encouragement, rather than being deflated by it. It’s not every day that a five-touchdown underdog, a relegated “mid-major” program that has no business competing with the likes of Ole Miss – that is, according to the power-conference snobs that consider everyone else to be inferior – goes into an SEC stadium and plays to win.

WSU may not have won, but it made a statement. The Cougars don’t have the status they used to. They don’t have the same resources as the bloated SEC and Big Ten. But they can still compete when given the opportunity on a national stage. They’ll get another chance to prove themselves next weekend when they visit No. 19 Virginia.