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Wazzu’s offense nabs the headlines, but defense is reason behind its rise

But ask Kyle Whittingham why this year’s Washington State team is a handful, why these No. 19 Cougars (8-2, 5-2) have a real shot at thwarting a Washington-USC Pac-12 title game, Utah’s head coach points directly to the other side of the ball. The side not exactly synonymous with a Mike Leach-coached team.

“They’re among the best defenses in the Pac-12 and the country, and that’s really made them a compete football team,” Whittingham said at his weekly press conference Monday. “They’re hard to deal with.”

No. 19 Washington State at Utah

When • Saturday, 3:30 p.