Washington State Drops Heartbreaker At #4 Ole Miss 24-21

The Washington State Cougars were on the cusp of a massive upset on Saturday, but couldn't quite finish the job. Lane Kiffin's No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels team walked away with a 24-21 win to drop the Cougars to 3-3 on the season.

Here's what stood out from the Cougs' valiant effort in SEC country.

Outstanding First-Half Defense

In the opening two quarters, the Cougars' defense gave them a fighting chance.

WSU forced an Ole Miss turnover on downs at the four-yard line on the Rebels' first possession. On Ole Miss' second possession, they missed a field-goal attempt from 47 yards out. Early in the second quarter, Isaac Terrell stripped the ball from Trinidad Chambliss and Bryson Lamb recovered for the Cougars. Ole Miss scored on their final two drives of the half to take a 10-7 lead into the break.

It ended up being a career day for Terrell, whose star seems to keep growing. His four tackles for loss are tied for the eighth most in a game in WSU history.

Another Decent Day For Eckhaus

Zevi Eckhaus threw two touchdown passes for the Cougs (his third consecutive contest accomplishing such a feat. He completed 24 of 31 passes for 218 yards in a performance where the WSU offense did not turn the ball over. He also rushed for a net of 18 yards on 11 carries, including a 22-yard scamper.

Other strong compliments to the WSU offense included Kirby Vorhees, who finished with 88 yards on the ground, mostly from a 48-yard touchdown run, and Tony Freeman, who caught nine balls for 90 yards and a touchdown.

While how consistent the running game can be is still up in the air, WSU have now produced three games with at-least 100 yards on the ground.

No Margin For Error

While the Cougars didn't make many huge mistakes, the mistakes they did make ultimately cost them dearly against a team that looks more and more likely to make the College Football Playoff.

Jack Stevens missed his first field goal of the 2025 campaign after making all eight of his previous attempts this year. In a three-point game, that miss really mattered.

The defense, while certainly effective in moments, also allowed one too many big plays to Trinidad Chamblis and the Rebels' offense. WSU allowed six passing plays of 15 yards or more as well as six rushing plays of ten yards or more.

The Cougars will return to action on Saturday, October 18 at Virginia. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. PT on The CW.