STANFORD, Calif. -- Cameron Ward threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third, Nakia Watson rushed for 166 yards and a score and Washington State snapped a three-game losing streak with a 52-14 victory against Stanford on Saturday.
The Cougars (5-4, 2-4 Pac-12) scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and then put the game away with two more TDs in the final 2:09 of the first half.
Jaden Hicks also returned a fumble 17 yards for a score in the second quarter as Washington State used four takeaways and 306 yards rushing to get over the frustration of the losing streak.
Ward threw for 176 yards with a 7-yard TD pass to Anderson Grover and a 9-yarder to Donovan Ollie on fourth-and-3. Ward also had a 15-yard TD run.
Tanner McKee threw for 236 yards and backup QB Ashton Daniels ran for two scores but Stanford (3-6, 1-6 Pac-12) committed four turnovers and lost for the sixth straight time to the Cougars.
Benjamin Yurosek led all receivers in receptions (8) and yards (90) for the Cardinal.
Watson set the tone for Washington State, rushing for 65 yards on the second play from scrimmage to set up Leyton Smithson 3-yard TD run and then scoring on a 41-yard run on the Cougars final play of the half following a fumble by Benjamin Yurosek that made it 42-7.
Stanford travels to Salt Lake City to take on Utah on Saturday.