The bigger question for Washington State isn't whether it wins this one, it's whether the game does anything to answer why an offense hasn't scored more than 10 points all season. Duquesne already got run off the field by a fellow FCS team, so the jump to a Power-conference roster isn't going to flatter it, and the number on the board reflects that without much argument.
None of that makes this a game to circle for drama. It's a get-well spot for a Cougars program still figuring out what it has under new leadership, and a payday trip for Duquesne to bank a check and get film on a young roster before conference play starts.
Washington State's issue through two games hasn't been the scoreboard against Duquesne's caliber of competition, it's been generating anything on offense against real defenses. A 10-point showing against Washington and a 7-point showing against Kansas State are the kind of numbers that don't just disappear because the opponent gets easier — they get masked by it, which is a different problem.
Duquesne's trip West is its third road game to open the year, and its offense has managed only 13 total points across the first two. There's little in that profile to suggest a competitive script in Pullman, and the Cougars' main job Saturday is simply looking like themselves for the first time this season.