Washington State is the pride of the Pac-12 this week. There really hasn't been much to celebrate in the old “Conference of Champions” since mass defections left just WSU and Oregon State. Those two are hanging together until five recently announced schools — and hopefully a sixth — join what will be a reconstituted football league in 2026.
Until then, the Pac-12 will take whatever glory it can get. Right now, that's Washington State's season debut in The Associated Press poll. The Cougars are No.
22 following their 29-26 win at San Diego State and 7-1 for the first time since the 2018 Mike Leach-Gardner Minshew team started 10-1 and finished 11-2. Jack Dickert's team is led by sophomore quarterback John Mateer, who brought the Cougars back from a 26-14 deficit with 13 minutes left against the Aztecs and also led fourth-quarter comebacks to beat San Jose State and Fresno State. “That's why they give you 60 minutes.
It's the Cardiac Cougs," Dickert said. "There's no quit in our football team. There's a lot of grit, a lot of heart, a lot of passion.
That comes from within, that comes from the team, that comes from the leaders. There's no die. It was what, 14-26, right? And they came back, kept believing.
We've done it before, we do it again.” Washington State is playing eight opponents from the Mountain West and Oregon State is playing seven as part of a one-year scheduling agreement with that conference. Oregon State has lost three straight and is 4-4.
The Cougars .