Washington State pulled away after a slow start to beat San Diego State 36-13 on Saturday night, the Associated Press reported.
Quarterback Jaxon Potter led the Cougars with three touchdown passes and 257 passing yards, completing 28 of 42 attempts without an interception.
Washington State’s win brought the team to 2-0 under first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers, who last week earned his debut victory in a 13-10 game against Idaho.
Rogers is the first Washington State coach since Bill Doba in 2003 to win his opening two games.
San Diego State opened the scoring just five minutes into the game.
Quarterback Jayden Denegal connected with Jacob Bostick on a 35-yard touchdown pass on fourth down, giving the Aztecs a 7-0 lead.
Washington State responded quickly. Potter found tight end Trey Leckner for a 3-yard touchdown, then connected with Leckner again for another 3-yard score before halftime. Jack Stevens added a 49-yard field goal, and the Cougar defense recorded a safety, sending Washington State into the break with a 19-7 advantage.
The Cougars continued to build momentum after halftime.
Potter hit Leon Neal Jr. on an 18-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 26-7. Stevens followed with a 42-yard field goal, and the scoring run reached 29 unanswered points.
Denegal gave San Diego State a late spark with a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 29-13.
But Washington State sealed the game when Julian Dugger rushed for a 3-yard touchdown with less than three minutes remaining.
Washington State will look to carry its momentum deeper into the season, having already shown improvement in the running game after managing just 3 rushing yards against Idaho the week before.
Against San Diego State, the Cougars finished with 139 on the ground.
Next up, Washington State faces the University of Washington in Pullman for the Apple Cup on Sept. 20.
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