HOUSTON – After leading the Washington State Cougars to a 24-19 win over Washington for the Apple Cup trophy this past Saturday, Cougars head coach Jake Dickert has been named the 2024 season’s first Bear Bryant Awards Fan Vote Favorite Coach of the Week presented by Accenture. Now in his third full season at the helm of the Cougars program, Saturday’s win marks the second Apple Cup win of his tenure in Pullman.
Washington State is off to its third consecutive 3-0 start after the win and is receiving votes in both the AP Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Poll.
John Mateer led the way for the Cougars, completing 17 of 34 passes for 245 yards and a score, while racking up 62 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns on the ground. Josh Meredith hauled in seven passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, and both Adrian Wilson and Andrew Edson turned in seven-tackle performances, with Edson adding 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack.
Mateer capped a six-play, 91-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown run with 21 seconds remaining in the first half to give Washington State a lead it would not relinquish, and after Washington kicked a field goal to pull to within five points as time expired in the third quarter, the WSU defense kept the Huskies off the scoreboard in the fourth to seal the victory. The defensive performance marked only the second time since the 1999 season that WSU held Washington to under 20 points.
Beginning this week and continuing through the remainder of the regular season, the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards will recognize a coach weekly for leading their team to an exceptional victory.
The American Heart Association, a global force for healthier lives for all, presents the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Awards annually to celebrate excellence in coaching, to honor Coach Bryant’s legacy and to raise awareness and critical funds for their mission. The coaching legend died from a heart attack in 1983, just 28 days after his final victory and retirement.
Fans can follow the action at facebook.com/bryantawards, x.com/bryantawards, or Instagram.com/bryantawards or the hashtag #BryantAwards. To attend the exclusive, VIP experience visit bryantawards.org.
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