Duquesne vs Washington State Picks and Prediction for Saturday September 19 2026

The Duquesne Dukes travel to Pullman, Washington, to face the Washington State Cougars on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Washington State returns home desperately searching for its first victory after falling to 0-2 with a 34-7 loss at Kansas State. The Cougars generated only 166 total yards in that defeat and now step down significantly in competition against FCS opponent Duquesne. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free college football picks for more NCAAF predictions throughout the season.

Duquesne Can Test Washington State's Confidence

Duquesne faces obvious disadvantages in depth and overall roster talent, but the Dukes enter an unusually interesting FCS-FBS matchup because Washington State is struggling. Instead of facing a confident Power Four opponent coming off consecutive victories, Duquesne gets a Cougars team that has opened 0-2 and just endured an extremely poor offensive performance.

That doesn't erase the talent gap. Duquesne still needs to survive the opening stages without allowing Washington State to establish immediate control. The Dukes' best chance is to make the Cougars sustain long drives while avoiding turnovers that create easy scoring opportunities. Every scoreless Washington State possession would increase the pressure inside the stadium.

Duquesne also benefits from having virtually nothing to lose. Washington State is expected to win comfortably, while the Dukes can play aggressively and attempt to capitalize on the Cougars' uncertainty. If Duquesne can remain within two possessions entering the second half, a large underdog number becomes extremely valuable.

Washington State Desperately Needs Offensive Improvement

Washington State's 34-7 loss at Kansas State exposed major offensive concerns. The Cougars finished with only 166 total yards and converted just two of 12 third-down opportunities. Their lone touchdown came from the defense, meaning Washington State's offense went an entire game without reaching the end zone.

The defense competed early, but it eventually wore down as Kansas State controlled possession and piled up nearly 300 rushing yards. That makes the Duquesne game especially important. Washington State needs its offense to establish rhythm and prevent the defense from spending another afternoon carrying an unreasonable workload.

The Cougars should have a substantial talent advantage Saturday, but asking them to cover an enormous spread after what happened at Kansas State would be difficult. Washington State's primary objective should be winning comfortably and finding offensive answers. Until the Cougars prove they can consistently generate touchdowns, the underdog deserves consideration whenever the market asks Washington State to cover four or more touchdowns.

Duquesne vs Washington State Picks and Prediction

Pick: Duquesne +28.5 or Better

Take Duquesne if the Dukes are getting +28.5 or better. Washington State should win, but laying more than four touchdowns with an offense that just produced 166 yards and zero offensive touchdowns isn't appealing. The Cougars may dominate defensively and still struggle to create enough scoring margin to cover an enormous number. Duquesne doesn't need to threaten the outright upset to cash this ticket.

Pick: Under 52.5

Take the Under if the total is set at 52.5 or higher. Washington State's offensive problems make this my stronger position. The Cougars scored only seven at Kansas State, and those points came from their defense. Stepping down to FCS competition should produce significant improvement, but Washington State would still need a dramatic offensive turnaround to push this game toward a high total. A projected Washington State 31, Duquesne 10 supports both wagers.

Final Picks: Duquesne +28.5 or Better and Under 52.5