No. 21 Boise State (5-1, 2-0 Pac-12) at Washington State (1-6, 0-3 Pac-12). Saturday, Oct. 24, 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. Pacific), Gesa Field at Martin Stadium, Pullman, USA Network.
Your hosts are Thatcher Bluestem, a Boise State fan with a blue car, blue pancakes and the bluest opinions around, and Hank Palouse, a Washington State fan who drives a combine and keeps a shoebox of game tapes in the cab.
Thatcher: Hank, I respect anyone who's kept cassette tapes this long. I'll bring a blue thermos of cocoa.
Hank: Blue pancakes? Out here we eat our pancakes the color the Lord made them. Come on over and I'll prove it.
Players to watch
Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen has completed 110 of 166 passes for 1,296 yards, 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Running back Dylan Riley has 835 yards and six touchdowns on 127 carries. Receiver Rasean Jones has 23 catches for 359 yards. Defensive back Travis Anderson has three interceptions, and linebacker Boen Phelps leads with 35 tackles.
Washington State redshirt freshman quarterback Owen Eshelman made his first career start last week. Caden Pinnick leads the season passing stats with 952 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Receiver Branden Ganashamoorthy has 26 catches for 343 yards. Linebacker Keith Brown leads with 51 tackles, and safety Jaylen Thomas has two interceptions.
Thatcher: Zero interceptions. That's bluer than a cloudless October sky.
What happened last week
Washington State lost 48-30 at Oregon State. Eshelman threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns, ran 15 times for 136 yards and a score, and led three straight touchdown drives late. The 30 points were the Cougars' most against an FBS team this season. Ganashamoorthy caught 11 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.
Boise State had a week off after winning 38-31 at Fresno State on Oct. 10. Madsen went 23 of 34 for 238 yards and two scores. Riley ran for 150 yards and a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass.
Hank: Three straight touchdown drives from a kid in his first start. That tape's a keeper.
Injuries and availability
The Pac-12 doesn't publish an official availability report, and no injury news had surfaced for either team as of Oct. 18. Washington State hasn't announced whether Eshelman or Pinnick will start.
What the coaches are up to
Spencer Danielson has led Boise State since Dec. 3, 2023. His Broncos lead the country in time of possession at 36:41 a game and run for 234.5 yards a game, ninth in FBS. They've committed only three turnovers in six games.
Kirby Moore is in his first season at Washington State, hired Dec. 12, 2025. It's been a hard first year. The offense ranks 130th in yards, but his defense holds opponents to 37% on third down.
Player storylines
Riley against a Cougar run defense allowing 158.3 yards a game is Boise's best matchup. Washington State's hope is through the air. Boise's pass defense allows 261.3 yards a game, 126th in FBS. The Cougars also need third-down stops, because Boise converts 50.6%. Ball security is a worry for the home team, which is minus-7 in turnover margin.
What's happening on campus
It's Homecoming Weekend in Pullman. The 3 p.m. Pacific kickoff is billed simply as "Homecoming!" and Hank says the exclamation point is doing a lot of work. Washington State volleyball hosts Texas State that morning with a LEGO-inspired family game day.
Anything else fun and true
The venue is Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Gesa Credit Union has held naming rights to the playing surface since March 2021, and Martin Stadium opened in 1972. Boise's only loss was 34-27 at Oregon in Week 1. Washington State's one-point loss came 17-16 at Utah State.
Thatcher: Five straight wins, Hank. Paint it blue.
Hank: Cougs never quit, Thatcher. Wave the flag.
The Cover Window
My call: Boise State Broncos 31, Washington State Cougars 20.