Let’s face it, no one in this world is perfect. None of us are beyond making mistakes, having “brain farts,” or suffering regressions of any kind on at least a semi-occasional basis. However, one of the more frustrating experiences life has to offer is when a moment that feels like that happens at no fault of your own, and there aren’t many programs in college football today that know that better than Washington State.
To be frank, if you can think of it, the Cougars have endured it in the turbulence that’s plagued them these past couple of years, whether it be rides on the coaching carousel, the long list of player departures that come with them, or the embarrassment that comes with being relegated to G6 status.
But to their credit, the Cougs have nonetheless managed to hold strong as a winning team, which easily makes them one of my favorite underdogs to root for these days. As a result, I’m dying to know if they’ll be able to keep up the good work this fall. Lucky for me, their schedule comes off as nothing other than an assuring nod.
That’s not to say that there’s absolutely no clouds in the sky, as specifically before its late bye week, Wazzu does have a fair share of formidability, with names like Washington, Kansas State, Arizona, Fresno State, Boise State, and San Diego State all coming to break bread with the Cougars. That roll call didn’t even address the two meetings with the Oregon State Beavers who, in spite of the deeper cuts to their competitiveness, have actually managed to catch the Cougs lacking a couple of times recently.
Yet of course, just because opponents are formidable doesn’t mean they’re insurmountable. K-State, for instance, did no better than Washington State last year and has a new head coach of its own, while SDSU—who shut down both Fresno State and Boise State in 2025—not only lacked the size to beat the Cougars then, but got straight-up flossed by them.
So let’s assume Wazzu loses to the Huskies, Wildcats (the Arizona ones), Broncos, Beavers (once), and…I don’t know, toss in some random upset nobody saw coming. That’d be a mile from ideal, but it’d still make for a 7-5 outcome if all other games went right, locking the Cougs in for a winning season comparable to the ones they’ve already begun getting used to. If I were a fan of theirs, having felt every ounce of the heartache that’s struck Wazzu football lately, I’d take that as another successful run.
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