Washington
State irked by ranking, makes case for New Year's bowl football game
By Brent
Schrotenboer, USA Today
1:12 p.m.
ET Nov. 28, 2018 Updated 3:19 p.m. ET Nov. 28, 2018
Washington
State athletic director Pat Chun almost couldn’t believe what he saw Tuesday
night when the latest rankings came out for the College Football Playoff.
The
Playoff committee had dropped his Cougars all the way down to 13th?
The
committee also ranked his 10-win team behind No. 9 Florida (9-3), whose
schedule included two wins against over-matched teams from a lower subdivision.
“It
doesn’t make any sense to us,” Chun told USA TODAY.
It didn’t
make much sense to coach Mike Leach, either.
So they
are making a case. And they hope the committee hears it, because this is what
happens when lucrative bowl berths are to be subjectively decided Sunday by 13
people with votes. It tempts some teams to lobby for their cause in public. In
this case, Chun and Leach believe WSU has earned a spot in the New Year’s Six –
one of the six most prestigious bowl games. That could mean the Fiesta Bowl for
the Cougars on Jan. 1
“We have
earned the right to be considered the best 10-2 team,” Leach told USA TODAY.
Instead,
four teams with 9-3 records are currently ranked ahead of the Cougars after
they fell from No. 8 last week and lost their regular-season finale against the
Washington Huskies 28-15. The Huskies (9-3) are ranked higher now at 11th. But
Chun and Leach aren’t arguing to be ranked higher than them.
Other
issues are their bigger concern. That includes playing nine conference games in
the Pac-12 Conference while other leagues, such as the Southeastern, only have
to play eight and can fill the other four games on their regular-season
schedule with non-conference games that are often much easier.
“We’re
just hopeful that there’s a correction at the end with the last poll,” said
Chun, whose team had one other loss, at Southern California in September 39-36.
“We want to make sure people are taking a look at 10 wins for us, and two
losses that were tough losses, but were by no stretch of the imagination bad
losses. We feel like our resume stacks up with the best two-loss teams in the
country, not the best three-loss teams in the country.”
To get
into the New Year’s Six, the Cougars will have to rank at least in the top 12 –
and quite possibly higher – when the committee releases its final rankings and
bowl pairings Sunday. The champions of the Pac-12, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and
Atlantic Coast conferences all get automatic berths in the New Year’s Six
games, plus the highest-ranked champion of a major conference from outside
those Power 5 leagues.
The New
Year’s Six games include the top four teams in the Orange and Cotton Bowl
semifinals on Dec. 29. The Sugar Bowl will match teams from the SEC and Big 12
that aren’t in the semifinals. The Rose Bowl likewise is set to match the
Pac-12 champion, Washington or Utah, against a team from the Big Ten.
That
leaves only a few spots in the New Year’s Six for other top teams – in the
Peach and Fiesta, to be decided by the committee’s rankings.
Right now,
it looks like Washington State will be locked out of those games instead of
Florida, No. 10 LSU (9-3) or No. 12 Penn State (9-3), unless the committee
moves the Cougars up Sunday.
The case
against Florida of the SEC is that the Gators boosted their win count with
blowouts against Idaho and Charleston Southern of the lower Football
Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Gators also lost at home to Missouri this
month, 38-17.
"There
is not a doubt in my mind that if WSU was named Stanford, USC, or UCLA they
would be in the top 10," Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt told USA TODAY.
"It’s as if the committee did not know that one of the two losses was a
ridiculous officiating and conference replay mistake (vs. USC). The favoritism shown the middle of the SEC is
alarming, in particular when you analyze the schedule make-up of each
team. Florida’s schedule is incredibly
weak, and that is before you consider the fact that their one (Power 5)
non-conference opponent (Florida State) was terrible this season."
By
contrast, WSU exactly didn’t stack its non-conference schedule with
heavyweights, either. It beat Eastern Washington of the FCS, Wyoming and San
Jose State. But if the Cougars were able to play a fourth non-conference game
against Charleston Southern instead of nine league games, including USC, they
might be 11-1 instead of 10-2.
Penn State
of the Big Ten plays nine conference games but hurt its credentials with a
lopsided loss this month at Michigan, 42-7.
Bill
Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff, told USA TODAY
that "it’s never just one thing" with the committee's rankings. He
said Florida, LSU and Penn State played more difficult schedules than WSU.
"For
example, all three of Florida’s losses were to teams ranked in the CFP’s top 25
(Kentucky, Georgia and Missouri,)" Hancock said in an e-mail. "Same
for LSU (Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M in that wild game Saturday
night.) Two of Penn State’s losses were
to teams ranked in the top ten (Ohio State and Michigan.) Florida also defeated
two CFP-ranked teams (at Mississippi State and LSU at home.) LSU has a
significant victory over Georgia."
Hancock
said the loss to Washington was a factor for WSU, too. "Of course, the
Huskies’ three losses were by a total of ten points," Hancock said.
Leach has
his own argument about his team's body of work.
“I will
put our 10-2 record against anyone’s,” Leach said. “No one ever blew us out. We
played nine conference games.”
Klatt said
one strong voice or "rogue vote" in the committee room could make a
difference.
"Seems
WSU just doesn’t have the right (committee) voice arguing their case in the CFB
beauty pageant," Klatt said in an e-mail.
::::::::::::
Coug Women’s
Basketball information from WSU Sports Info
San
Francisco (2-3) at Washington State (2-4)
7pm on
Thursday Nov. 29 2018
Friel
Court at Beasley Coliseum
OPENING
FIVE
> The
Cougars look to extend their winning streak against USF to seven-straight as
the two teams meet for the third-consecutive season Thursday night.
>
Chanelle Molina was named to the all-tournament team at the Warner Center
Marriott Thanksgiving Basketball Classic last week after averaging 15.0 points,
8.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game.
>
Borislava Hristova, a Cheryl Miller Watch List nominee, sits third in the
Pac-12 in scoring at 21.0 ppg having scored double-figures in all six games.
She recorded her first career double-double (18 pts, 11 rbds) vs Jacksonville
State.
> Maria
Kostourkova is second in the Pac-12 in rebounding at 10.8 rpg.
>
Alexys Swedlund continues her impressive start defensively as she is third in
the Pac-12 in steals per game at 2.5. In addition, the sharp-shooter is
averaging 11.5 points per game on 2.67 3-ptFG per game, 4th best in the Pac-12.
WSU GAME
INFORMATION – vs. USF
Returning
home for two games at Beasley this weekend, the Cougars begin their final
homestand Thursday against San Francisco. WSU has dominated the series against
the Dons winning the last six matchups in eight all-time meetings. Last season,
WSU picked up its first win of the year at San Francisco, 74-70, while the year
prior the Cougars protected their home court cruising to a 73-35 victory. The
35 points were the second fewest allowed in nearly 40 years for the Cougars.
This season, the Dons enter the week having lost their last two games and are
2-3 overall with wins over San Jose State and Cal Poly. Shannon Powell runs the
offense with 14.2 ppg and 4.4 apg while Julia Nielacna also averages 14.2 ppg
off the bench.
In two
career games against the Dons, Borislava Hristova is averaging 15.5 ppg
including scoring 20 last season.
LAST TIME
OUT
The
Cougars went 1-1 at the Warner Center Marriott Thanksgiving Basketball Classic
in Northridge falling to host CSUN before rebounding against Jacksonville
State. Junior Chanelle Molina was named to the all-tournament team for her play
during the weekend as she averaged 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.5 assists
per game in two contests. In addition to Molina, the Cougars saw star Borislava
Hristova nab her first-career double-double against Jacksonville State as she
scored 18 points while grabbing a career-best 11 rebounds.
HRISTOVA
AT IT AGAIN
One of the
best scorers in the nation, redshirt-junior Borislava Hristova is at it again
leading the Cougars with a 21.0 points per game average. Hristova ranks third
in the Pac-12 and 25th in the nation in scoring.
:::::::::::
Washington
State men’s basketball tops 100 points in win over CSUN (Cal State Northridge)
UPDATED:
Tue., Nov. 27, 2018, 11:03 p.m. Spokane S-R
PULLMAN –
Freshman CJ Elleby scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds with
four assists as Washington State beat Cal State Northridge 103-94 in
nonconference men’s basketball on Tuesday night.
Robert
Franks added 22 points and seven rebounds for Washington State (4-1). Viont’e
Daniels had 14 points, going 4 for 8 from 3-point range.
Ahmed
Ali’s layup in the closing seconds put Washington State over the century mark
for the first time in regulation since March 2, 2002, against Centenary.
Lamine
Diane had a double-double in the first half and finished with 32 points and 18
rebounds for Cal State Northridge (1-4). Darius Brown II scored 25 points with
six assists and Rodney Henderson Jr. added 16 points. Diane played with four
fouls for most of the second half and fouled out in the final minutes.
WSU went
on an 8-2 run to end the first half on a fast-break dunk from Elleby and two
3s, one from Daniels and another from Elleby at the buzzer. It gave the Cougars
a 54-36 lead at the half.
The
Matadors played well through the early minutes of the second half and cut their
deficit to 13 points several times. The Cougars reasserted control and led
79-57 at the midway point of the half.
The
Cougars led 97-80 near the 2-minute mark before the Matadors cut into the lead
once more.
CSUN cut
the lead to nine in the last minute on a 3-pointer by Brown. Ali hit two free
throws on the next possession for the Cougars and Brown followed with a steal
and an easy layup to close the game.
Elleby, a
freshman from Seattle’s Cleveland High, had a previous high of 12 points in
each of the Cougars’ first two games.
Diane, a
6-foot-7 redshirt freshman from Dakar, Senegal, averaged 24.8 points and 9.8
rebounds per game through CSUN’s first four games. He had a high of 29 points
in a victory over Tennessee State last week.
Franks
entered the game third in the nation in scoring at 28.3 points per game.
The
Cougars have won all four matchups between the teams.
Washington
State plays at New Mexico State at 6 p.m. Saturday and returns home for a home
game against Idaho on Dec. 5, also at 6 p.m.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Football: Washington
State’s Gardner Minshew one of five finalists for prestigious Walter Camp award
Wed., Nov.
28, 2018, 12:44 p.m.
Spokane Spokesman-Review/By
Theo Lawson
PULLMAN –
Gardner Minshew’s historic season for the Washington State football team
continues to receive national recognition.
On
Wednesday morning, the fifth-year graduate transfer quarterback was named one
of five finalists for the Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award –
widely considered the second-most prestigious award in college football, behind
the Heisman Trophy.
Three
other quarterbacks were named finalists – Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oklahoma’s
Kyler Murray and West Virginia’s Will Grier – along with one linebacker,
Kentucky’s Josh Allen.
The Walter
Camp award is voted on by all 130 Football Subdivision coaches and sports
information directors throughout the country. The winner will be announced Dec.
6 on ESPN’s SportsCenter segment, and receive the trophy at the Walter Camp
Foundation’s 52nd annual national awards banquet, on Jan. 12 at Yale
University.
Minshew,
the nation’s leading passer, has thrown for 4,477 yards this season. His 433
completions and 613 passing attempts are also tops in the nation, while his 36
touchdowns are tied for fourth in the country. Minshew’s only thrown nine
interceptions in 12 games, or one for every 68 pass attempts.
He needs
120 yards in WSU’s bowl game to break the Cougars’ single-season passing mark,
held by Connor Halliday (4,597 in 2013) and 238 to break Jared Goff’s Pac-12
record of 4,714, set in 2015 at Cal.
“I can’t
say enough about Gardner,” wide receiver Kyle Sweet said last Friday after
WSU’s 28-15 loss in the Apple Cup. “He’s a helluva quarterback, but the thing
people don’t see is the intangibles. He just rallies us and makes us want to
play for him and makes us love the game of football.”
Minshew, a
Brandon, Mississippi, native, came to WSU after playing two seasons at East
Carolina, where he was a part-time starter in 2017. The former junior college
champion at Northwest Mississippi had orally committed to Alabama after
deciding to leave ECU, with hopes of becoming a graduate assistant for Nick
Saban and the Crimson Tide after spending his final year of eligibility.
But
Minshew swiftly changed his mind when he received a phone call from WSU coach
Mike Leach in the spring and opted to spend his last college season in Pullman.
Minshew beat out redshirt juniors Trey Tinsley and Anthony Gordon for the
starting job and has since become something a cult hero for the 10-2 Cougars.
“It was
tough for him to come in with the unfortunate circumstances that happened
earlier this year, but it didn’t seem like it fazed him at all,” Sweet said,
referring to the tragic suicide death of Tyler Hilinski, who was supposed to be
Luke Falk’s successor this season. “He was just there for us whatever we needed
and he’s just a great friend and a guy to lean on. He’ll always pick you up,
it’s always you over him. He’s the most selfless person I’ve ever met in my
life and I can’t say enough, how thankful we are as a program to have him.”
Former
Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield was the recipient of the 2017 Walter Camp
award.
:::::::::::
Ohio
football running back Jamir Thomas
orally commits to Washington State
Tue., Nov.
27, 2018, 9:50 p.m.
By Theo
Lawson of the S-R of Spokane
‘
PULLMAN –
Jamir Thomas, a highly-touted running back/inside linebacker prospect out of
the Akron, Ohio, area, orally committed to the Washington State football
program Tuesday afternoon.
Per
247Sports.com, Thomas, a 6-1, 215-pound senior from Washington High in
Massillion, Ohio, has 10 other Power Five offers, from Michigan, Michigan
State, West Virginia, Ole Miss, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kentucky,
Minnesota and Pittsburgh.
Thomas is
a three-star inside linebacker according to 247Sports.com, and a four-star
backer per ESPN’s recruiting services, but the Cougars intend to use him as a
running back.
Before
suffering an ankle injury in a state semifinal game against Cincinnati Winton
Woods last Friday – one that will prevent him from playing in the Ohio Division
II championship against Archbishop Hoban on Thursday – Thomas was having a
record rushing season for the program at Washington High, also known as
Washington Massillon.
Prior to
the injury, he’d carried the ball 261 times for 1,918 yards and 24 touchdowns
for the unbeaten Tigers (14-0). According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Thomas
would’ve needed just 58 more rushing yards to match the single-season record.
The new
WSU commit already has plenty of school records, though. In four years as
Washington’s starter, he set the career mark for rushing yards (4,025 yards),
rushing touchdowns (56), rushing attempts (773) and scoring (344 points),
according to the Beacon Journal.
The
Cougars return both of their rotation running backs next season, freshman Max
Borghi and junior James Williams, but lose a depth piece in senior Keith
Harrington.
::::::::::::::
Washington
State football falls to #13 in College Football Playoff rankings
UPDATED:
Tue., Nov. 27, 2018, 8:33 p.m.
By Theo
Lawson of Spokane’s S-R
PULLMAN –
The Cougars fell five spots to No. 13 in the latest edition of the College
Football Playoff rankings and appear to be on the outside looking as it relates
to securing a New Year’s Six bowl berth.
Washington
State came into the Apple Cup ranked No. 8 in the CFP poll, but the Cougars
absorbed a 28-15 loss to Washington Friday at Martin Stadium and dropped out of
the top 10 of the rankings, revealed Tuesday on ESPN’s College Football Playoff
show.
UW’s sixth
consecutive win over WSU in the rivalry series moved the Huskies up five spots
to No. 11 in the rankings.
To earn a
spot in one of the prestigious New Year’s Six bowl games – the Peach, the
Orange, the Fiesta, the Cotton, the Sugar or the Rose – a team must be ranked
inside the top 12 of the CFP poll. All five Power Five conference champions
receive automatic bids, leaving seven more openings.
WSU (10-2,
7-2) dropped below four teams with three losses – Florida, LSU, Washington and
Penn State – and may require Memphis to beat UCF in the AAC championship game
to climb back into the top 12.
:::::::::::::::::::
Bowl
projections: Washington to the Rose, Utah to the Sun, and why the committee
walloped Washington State
By JON
WILNER Pac-12 Hotline/San Jose Merc News
PUBLISHED:
November 28, 2018 at 8:11 am | UPDATED: November 28, 2018 at 11:37 am
The Pac-12
has experienced some bad days over the past 15 months. Tuesday was one of the
worst.
It started
with news that AT&T has dropped the Pac-12 Networks from its U-verse
service and ended with the news that the selection committee had dropped Washington
State five spots in the playoff rankings.
The
Cougars (10-2) are behind one-two-three-FOUR teams with three losses and are
now on the outside looking in at the New Year’s Six bowls.
What
happened?
Slotting
the Cougars behind Washington makes sense after the Apple Cup. But why place
WSU behind Penn State, Florida and LSU (all 9-3)?
Please
allow the Hotline to dish a little truth, with the help of a few facts.
Truth:
Washington State’s non-conference resume is terrible, especially when compared
to the three-loss teams in its general vicinity.
Penn State
beat Pitt (7-5), which won the ACC Coastal. LSU beat Miami (7-5), and Florida
beat Florida State (5-7).
All three
had non-conference wins over Power Five opponents.
WSU’s best
non-conference victory was over Wyoming, a non-Power Five with a non-winning
record that didn’t beat a single FBS team with a winning record.
The
committee, during its detailed examination of WSU, Penn State, Florida and LSU,
undoubtedly knocked the Cougars down a rung for the weak SOS and lack of a
Power Five test outside of conference play.
Those
subtle differences matter.
Truth:
Washington State’s case was undermined by the conference.
I’m not
referring to the controversial loss at USC (although I could be, because had
targeting been called on Porter Gustin, and had WSU converted on first down
from the 10, the Cougars would be headed to the conference title game).
Instead,
let’s look at the results that impact the evaluation process.
The Pac-12
was 0-6 in non-conference games against teams in the committee’s latest
rankings. And in just one of those games was the Pac-12 even within a touchdown
at the whistle:
No. 3
Notre Dame 38, Stanford 17
No. 3
Notre Dame 24, USC 17
No. 5
Oklahoma 49, UCLA 21
No. 6 Ohio
State 77, Oregon State 31
No. 14
Texas 37, USC 14
No. 25
Fresno State 38, UCLA 14
The
Cougars weren’t directly involved, but the losses undermine the credibility of
the teams they beat in the resume-building process.
Truth: In
addition to the results noted above, do not forget:
The Pac-12
North champion lost to a team that finished fifth in the SEC West.
Auburn did
the Pac-12 no favors by falling apart after beating UW in Week One. Then again,
UW did the Pac-12 no favors by losing to a team that would win three out of
eight games against SEC competition.
Either
way, that result tilts the scale toward the three-loss SEC teams relative to
two-loss WSU.
WSU lost
to UW, which lost to Auburn, which lost to LSU, which lost to Florida.
So yes,
the Huskies effectively delivered two knockout blows to the Cougars, the direct
hit on Nov. 23 and the indirect, unintentional shot on Sept. 1.
Truth: The
SEC deserves its lofty status in the committee rankings … or most of it.
Again,
it’s the results.
The
Pac-12, for example, went 3-6 in non-conference play against Power Five
opponents.
The SEC
went 9-4.
One of
those losses was to Clemson by two points (Texas A&M).
Another
was to Notre Dame by five points (Vanderbilt).
Put
another way: The SEC went 9-2 in non-conference play against Power Five
opponents that are not currently undefeated.
Each win
help the victorious team’s resume, which in turn bolsters the SOS of other
teams in the conference.
Alabama
pummeled Missouri, which beat Purdue, which dismantled Ohio State — and the
ripple effect is felt all the way to the committee room.
Truth:
Washington State has no reasonable path into the NY6.
Hard to
imagine that the idle Cougars will overtake the idle Tigers or the idle Nittany
Lions or the idle Gators and climb into the top 12.
But for
that scenario to materialize, it seems, Utah must beat Washington. That would
propel the Utes into the top 12-14 range and add heft to WSU’s head-to-head
victory.
The
Cougars also need Oklahoma and Ohio State to win, just to have a fleck of a
speck of a shot.
Here’s the
list of bowl-eligible teams in order of current conference record, which
dictates selections for the Sun, Las Vegas and Cactus bowls.
Washington
7-2
WSU 7-2
Utah 6-3
Stanford
5-3
Oregon 5-4
ASU 5-4
Cal 4-4
Not
eligible: Arizona, Colorado, Oregon State, UCLA and USC.
Rose Bowl:
Washington (9-3/7-2)
Comment:
Projecting a victory Friday evening in Santa Clara and the first trip to the
Rose since the 2000 season, likely against Michigan. One could argue that’s
better than getting smacked around by Bama in the semis.
Alamo
Bowl: Washington State (10-2/7-2)
Comment:
Assuming no NY6 miracle, the Cougars are almost certainly headed to San Antonio
at 10-2, compared to the 9-4 loser of the title game.
Holiday
Bowl: Oregon (8-4/5-4)
Comment:
Bowl officials could be in a tricky spot: They would love to have the Ducks and
Justin Herbert, but will he play or sit? And is Oregon without Herbert a better
draw than Utah, which would be coming off a title game loss?
Redbox
Bowl: Stanford (7-4/5-3)
Comment:
Utah doesn’t work for Levi’s Stadium a mere month after playing the FCG. If
Oregon’s gone, then it’s either ASU or the Bay Area schools. Cal would be ideal
if the Bears win Big Game. If Stanford wins, the Redbox would have its pick of
the Cardinal or ASU. Leaning local might be the safer play. If the Holiday
takes Utah, Oregon would be a no-brainer for the Redbox.
Sun Bowl:
Utah (9-3/6-3)
Comment:
Significant fall for the Utes if they lose the title game and the Holiday takes
Oregon. They would be guaranteed a spot here, however, because the Sun must
select the available team with the best conference record.
Las Vegas
Bowl: Arizona State (7-5/5-4)
Comment:
If the selections unfold in this manner (and Stanford wins Big Game), the
Devils would head to Vegas by virtue of conference record.
Cheez-It
Bowl: Cal (7-4/4-4)
Comment:
Seven bowl-eligible teams for seven bowls makes a nice fit. If somehow, some
way, WSU jumps into the NY6, then everyone moves up and the Cactus goes hunting
for an at-large from other regions.
:::::::::::::::::
Cougars
See 11 Named to the Pac-12 All-Academic Teams
Little,
Teigen, and King-Shaw lead WSU as top selections.
From WSU
Sports Info
SAN
FRANCISCO -- Six women and five men from the Washington State University cross
country programs were named to the 2018 Pac-12 Conference Cross Country
All-Academic teams, Commissioner Larry Scott announced Wed., Nov. 28.
The
Washington State women were led by Second Team selection Samantha King-Shaw, a
sophomore from Sparks, Nevada, who is currently a pre-veterinary zoology major
at WSU with a 3.96 overall grade point average.
The
Cougars saw five overall Honorable Mention selections as well, including Marie
Gaudin (junior, Arlington, Wash., sport science major, 3.13 GPA), Melissa
Hruska (junior, Snoqualmie, Wash., political science major, 3.40 GPA), Vallery
Korir (senior, Iten, Kenya, social sciences major, 3.26 GPA), Pia Richards
(sophomore, Sammamish, Wash., sport science major, 3.40 GPA), and Desi Stinger
(junior, Temecula, Calif., sport management major, 3.66 GPA).
Kyler
Little and Chandler Teigen were each named to the men's 10-member First Team.
Both Little and Teigen have now earned three consecutive selections to the
Pac-12 All-Academic teams as well. Little, a senior from Coeur d'Alene,
currently holds a 4.0 grade point average while majoring in computer science
and mathematics. Teigen, a senior from Anatone, Wash., is a biological
engineering major with a 3.91 GPA throughout his WSU academic career.
Paul Ryan,
a senior from Moscow, Idaho, also earned his third overall All-Academic
selection as a Honorable Mention with a 3.30 GPA, majoring in accounting.
Cameron Dean, a junior from Spokane, Wash. And Nathan Wadhwani, a senior from
Maple Ridge, B.C., Canada each received All-Academic Honorable Mention honors
for the second consecutive year as well. Dean is currently a biology major with
a 3.50 GPA, and Wadhwani is a finance-economic sciences major, currently with a
3.44 overall grade point average.
:::::::::::::
Links to
columns from the Portland Oregonian and
columnist John Canzano
Part 1 –
Left out:
How Larry Scott and the Pac-12 continue to lose ground in the college football
arms race
Updated
7:17 AM; Posted Nov 27, 6:58 AM
https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2018/11/pac-12-larry-scott-leftout-part1.html
Part 2 –
A look
inside the beleaguered Pac-12 instant-replay command center, where Woodie Dixon
is still a central figure
:::::::::::
Moore:
This Coug is sick of saying ‘oh well’ after the Apple Cup
Share
By Jim
Moore 710ESPNSeattle
Nov 26,
2018 AT 10:42 AM
How much
did I not enjoy the Apple Cup? Explained in a run-on sentence – I paid $600 for
four tickets, lost $170 in three bets with Husky fans, froze my rear end off
for nearly four hours, then spent three hours on snowy and icy US 95 during a
white-knuckle 85-mile drive from Moscow to Couer d’Alene, drenched to the bone.
Explained
in a shorter way – I did not enjoy the Apple Cup at all.
Funny
thing is, most of the night I thought the Cougars were going to end their
five-game losing streak to Washington. I really did. When we were down 20-15
and had the ball, I thought, OK, this is where we take control. When we were
down 28-15, I thought we would win 29-28.
I kept the
faith because I thought it was going to be 1992 all over again. That was the
first Snow Bowl, and Drew Bledsoe and Philip Bobo led the Cougars to a shocking
win at Martin Stadium that night. This time around, the Cougars wore the same
crimson-colored uniforms and even wore throwback gray helmets with the Cougar
script on the sides that they wore in the 1992 Apple Cup.
The snow
came down all game long like it did in ’92. The only thing different was the
outcome. I still don’t get what happened. But then, I admit to being
delusional. I’m always amused when someone prefaces something by saying: “I
don’t want to use this as an excuse” or “no excuses” and proceeds to use the
excuse anyway.
So I won’t
do that. I’ll be up front with it and tell you that I am going to use an
excuse. The weather had a major impact on the Washington State offense. Now if
you told me a passing team should have an advantage since the receivers know
where they’re going, and the slip-sliding defensive backs don’t, I would think
you’d be right about that. And that part of it makes me wonder why the Cougs
weren’t more effective with their passing game. But you saw it – the Air Raid
never got any traction in the snow.
I will
always wonder how that game would have played out in better conditions. In my
mind, in that scenario, if you played the game 100 times, the Cougs would win
80, maybe even 85 of them. That’s probably not the number you would come up
with, but it’s my number, and I’m biased – I’m viewing it through
crimson-and-gray glasses, OK? Besides, oddsmakers thought we’d win too.
I’m pretty
much sick of saying “oh well” after the Apple Cup. I’ve officially reached the
point of feeling like we will never beat the Huskies again. If it didn’t happen
this year with a folk hero at quarterback, it will never happen. Folk heroes
aren’t beaten in their final regular-season game. Storybook seasons don’t have
sad endings. The guy on the white horse never rides off into the sunset as a
loser. Gardner Minshew was supposed to wipe his mustache all over the Dawgs and
all over the Utes and take it triumphantly to the Rose Bowl.
Can you
somehow call a 10-2 season unsuccessful? No, not really, but losing to the
Huskies certainly tarnished the masterpiece. I don’t know how you would vote on
a Twitter poll I threw out there, but if you gave me a choice between a 10-2
season and losing to Washington and an 8-4 season and beating Washington, I’d
take the second choice – gimme 8-4 and a win over the Dawgs every single time.
I even put a third choice on the poll, and I understand why some Cougs voted
for a 1-11 season and beating the Dawgs as the only win. That’s how tired most
of us are of losing to the Dawgs.
AP Top 25:
UW up to No. 10, WSU down to No. 12 after Apple Cup
And here’s
something else that bothers me – this Jimmy Lake guy. Lake is the Huskies’
defensive coordinator who said after the game that the Cougs were predictable
and easy to defend. He went into more detail than that, but I don’t feel like
going back and seeing exactly what he said; I got the gist of it. Talk about
having no class. Now I’ve heard some Cougs and many Huskies say he was simply
speaking the truth, but I don’t care, even if he thinks that was the case, keep
it to yourself. Laugh about it with your fellow coaches over beers. Whatever,
just don’t publicize how smart you think you were and how stupid the Cougs were
for being “predictable,” in your opinion.
What I’d
also say to Jimmy Lake is this – if you think you’re so brilliant, I wonder how
you’d do in Corvallis with the Beavers’ defense. Or how good would you be if
you didn’t have a bunch of NFL prospects in your secondary? I have sources who
have told me that Lake’s ego is so big, he’s thinking about changing his name
to Ocean.
Listen,
I’m lacking in class too, I know that, but I’m just watching these games, I’m
not involved in them like he is. Lake needs to take a page out of his head
coach’s playbook and show some humility and respect for his opponents.
I’m
venting, and in many ways, I’m being as unprofessional as Lake in this column.
But it doesn’t seem like the old rules in journalism apply anymore so what the
heck – this was a poor loser’s perspective. When you’re a poor loser, you’re
not thinking clearly. You ramble on and don’t make a whole lot of sense.
But this
is what it’s come to with the Apple Cup from this Coug’s point of view. Do me a
favor, I know this hopeless feeling of never thinking we’ll beat the Dawgs
again will fade over time. We’ll go into the 2019 Apple Cup and something will
make me think this is the year we’ll beat the Dawgs, and I’ll forget that I
said that the last six years. Shake me, smack me, remind me that I don’t want
to eat my words again.
:::::::::::::
Campus
eats: Washington State University
Wed., Nov.
28, 2018, 8:22 a.m.
By Adriana
Janovich Spokane S-R
Craving
comfort food?
Birch and
Barley offers an approachable, modern American menu with familiar dishes,
including an array of burgers and hearty mains. Cougar Gold Cheese is a popular
ingredient. Find it in the Cougar Burger and Cougar Lobster Mac. To start,
there are steamed mussels, crab cakes, roasted red pepper hummus, spinach and
artichoke dip, and Pullman poutine with house-made Guinness gravy, and green
onions, bacon and, of course, Cougar Gold cheese. A variety of steaks and
seafood dishes – blackened salmon, Creole paella, etouffee, fried catfish and
cod, gumbo – round out the menu, which includes Creole and Cajun influences.
1360 Bishop Blvd. (509) 332-0108. http://birchbarley.com
Pullman,
tucked into the rolling hills of the Palouse, is a quintessential college town.
In fact,
Sunset magazine ranked it among its 10 Best College Towns in the West last year
for its low crime and general livability, including a vibrant food scene.
Pullman is
not only home to Washington State University but a number of great spots to grab
some grub – from burgers and beers at the iconic Coug to the casually elegant
Black Cypress, which offers some of the region’s best fine dining.
This is
where to eat and drink in Pullman.
Cheap
Eats: Cougar Country Drive-In
This
no-frills burger joint has been around for 45 years and is a long-time Coug
favorite. It offers an array of burgers, fries, onion rings, sandwiches, hot
dogs, corn dogs, chicken strips, slushies and Cyclones, similar to Dairy Queen
Blizzards. The Cougar Super Basket features two 1/4-pound patties with special
sauce, mayo, lettuce, onions, toasted sesame seed bun and fries. The Cougar
Special features 1/4-pound patty with ham and cheese, special sauce, mayo,
lettuce, onions and toasted sesame seed bun. Look, also, for a bacon burger,
cheeseburger, hot ham-and-cheese sandwich, hoagie dip and chicken, fish,
halibut, shrimp, clam and steak-bite baskets. 760 N. Grand Ave. (509) 332-7829.
https://thecougarcountry.com/
Sweet
Treats: Ferdinand’s Ice Cream Shoppe
It can
become crazy busy at this on-campus ice cream shop, which features separate
doors for entering and exiting – and keeping traffic moving. Hours are limited.
So is parking. But the ice cream and cheese are totally worth it. Ice cream is
made daily using milk from WSU’s own dairy cows and proceeds help support the
herd as well as WSU students. Prices won’t break a college kid’s or adjunct
professor’s bank. A single scoop on a waffle cone is $2.80. Signature flavors
include Apple Cup Crisp and Cougar Tracks. Milkshakes, malts, sundaes, banana
splits, cake and sugar cones, and hand-packed pints, quarts and 3-gallon tubs
are also available. So are espresso drinks and WSU’s signature ice cream
sandwiches called Grabbers. Dairy lovers can also pick up 30-ounce cans of
cheese from WSU’s own creamery, including the ever-popular Cougar Gold. That’s
right: cheese and ice cream at the same shop. It doesn’t get much better than
that. 2035 NE Ferdindand’s Lane in Pullman. (509) 335-2141.
https://creamery.wsu.edu/ferdinands-ice-cream-shoppe.
Coffee:
Roost Coffee and Market
This cozy
little shop serves regionally roasted coffee in an intimate but light- and
plant-filled atmosphere. The menu is written in chalk. Light bulbs are Edison.
The espresso roast comes from Landgrove Coffee in nearby Troy, Idaho. And good
luck walking by the pastry case without ordering anything. Look for sea salt
chocolate chunk and frosted sugar cookies, orange-poppy seed scones, cream
cheese and plum bread, chocolate-cranberry bars and more. Come here to study,
meet a friend or a first date. If coffee goes well, head to the restaurant next
door. Roost shares a building with the Foundry. 125 SE Spring St. (509)
332-8534. www.landgrovecoffee.com.
Date
Night: The Foundry Kitchen and Cocktails
Start with
the Cask and Iron cocktail, a wood-smoked Old-Fashioned with orange and
Angostura bitters, rye, maple, vermouth and hard-carved ice. It’s rich and
balanced and reminiscent of enjoying the classic rye cocktail around a
campfire. There is a large fire feature on the expansive patio outside. Inside,
the decor is modern but rustic with clean lines and antique touches, such as
old windmill blades adorning a wall in the main dining area, vintage window
panes separating that area from the bar, and an animal skull keeping watch over
patrons in the bar. The floor is concrete. The wood is dark. The wine list is
well curated. And the menu is contemporary American. Appetizers include Cougar
Gold cheese curds served with a house dipping sauce, wild mushroom poutine and
mozzarella-stuffed meat balls. Entrees include rosemary lamb lollipops with
mashed potatoes and a balsamic glaze, a bone-in Washington Hills pork chop with
a wild mushroom demi-glace, chicken pot pie, and basil pesto tortellini. On
date night, share a slice of carrot-lentil cake. 125 SE Spring St. (509)
339-7727. www.facebook.com/foundrypullman.
Breakfast:
The Old European
Start with
the Danish aebelskivers, which come in original, blueberry or sausage and
Havarti, or a combination, and are based on a family recipe that Grandma Marie
brought to America from the Old Country in 1908. On the sweeter side, there’s
coconut macademia nut French toast with bananas, whipped cream and coconut
syrup. On the savory side, opt for steak and eggs, Hungarian goulash or German
potato pancakes with sausage, applesauce and sour cream. Look, also, for
Swedish crepes, Dutch babies and stuffed French toast or hot cakes with
sausage, bacon or ham and scrambled eggs. There are also no fewer than seven
kinds of eggs Benedict and 11 omelets. 455 S. Grand Ave. (509) 334-6381.
https://oldeuropean-restaurant.com.
Burgers
and Beer: Paradise Creek Brewery
This
brewpub is located in Pullman’s old downtown post office and features a
spacious tap room with pub grub and plenty of beer to sample. There’s a Greek-inspired
lamb burger, curried lentil burger, spicy bleu burger and PCB burger. Add
pepperjack or cheddar and peppered bacon. And get a beer sampler. Look for the
Kugar Kolsch, Huckleberry Sour, Over the Hop IPA, Postal Porter, Palouse Wit
and rotating seasonals. 245 SE Paradise St. (509) 338-9463.
http://paradisecreekbrewery.com/. Note: PCB also has a taproom. The Trailside
Taproom is at 505 SE Riverview St. Call (509) 339-6894.
Pub Grub:
South Fork Public House
This
modern American bar and grill offers elevated pub grub. Expect burgers,
sandwiches, soups, salads and starters, such as Scorpion tails. These jalapeño
poppers are stuffed with Crimson Fire cheese, wrapped with prosciutto and
served with chipotle ranch and sour cream. Wings, nachos, lettuce wraps and
sliders round out the appetizers. Look, also, for a pulled pork sandwich,
chicken gyro, street tacos, barbecue burger, black bean burger and guacamole
chicken burger. Entrees include mac and cheese, fish and chips, shrimp pasta,
ribs, ribeye steak and cilantro pesto pasta. For dessert, there’s deep-fried
cookie dough, creme brulee, cobbler, cheesecake and a brownie. 1680 S. Grand
Ave. (509) 332-3675. www.southforkpublichouse.com.
Pizza:
Porch Light Pizza
Crisp,
charred crusts are a hallmark of this hip and cozy brick-lined pizza parlor in
downtown Pullman. The streamlined menu features eight signature pizzas, plus
salads and beer. Consider the Ben, which comes with red sauce, pepperoni,
mushrooms, tomato, artichoke hearts, fresh basil and mozzarella. The Porch,
another signature pie, comes with barbecue sauce, pulled pork, onions, cilantro
and a blend of cheeses. Or, guests can build their own. Choose from red, white,
pesto, barbecue, peanut and Buffalo sauces or olive oil. Cheese options are
mozzarella, mozzarella pearls, soy, goat, blue, feta, Parmesan or a cheese
blend. Proteins are pepperoni, prosciutto, Canadian bacon, sausage, pulled
pork, grilled chicken, anchovies, bacon and eggs. Veggies are spinach, tomato,
onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, jalapeños, artichoke hearts,
pineapple, kalamata olives, pepperoncinis, sundried tomato, cilantro, basil and
arugula. 200 NE Kamiaken St. (509) 334-7437. http://porchlightpizza.com.
Game day:
The Coug
This place
is a Wazzu institution. The Coug, or the Cougar Cottage, has been a WSU hangout
since 1932. You can write on the walls at this iconic Greek Row landmark, and
it’s perfectly acceptable. In fact, it’s tradition. Longtime ESPN
“SportsCenter” anchor and “College GameDay” host Rece Davis did so when he was
here in October. He signed both a wall and a table, to be precise. The Coug is
a college bar so expect college students, sometimes raucous college students.
It’s a no-frills kind of place, with burgers, fries, tots, onion rings and, of
course, beer. 900 NE Colorado St. (509) 332-1265. https://thecougarcottage.com.
When the
parents come to visit: The Black Cypress
Be sure to
make reservations for this casually elegant downtown Pullman restaurant, which
offers some of the best fine dining in the region. The menu is Greek and
Italian influenced. Start with the signature appetizer: pork souvlakia with
pita bread and tzatziki sauce. Or, consider the clams with bacon, greens,
garlic, chile flakes and grilled bread. The trio of dips – tzatziki, skordalia
and tirokafteri – served with pita bread is another popular starter. Mains
include a streamlined selection of pastas, including the often-ordered
carbonara with bacon, garlic and onion confit, cream, egg and
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Lamb chops, steak, grilled portobello, a pork chop,
a seasonal vegetable plate and moqueca, a traditional Brazilian seafood stew,
round out the entrees. Highly recommended is the roasted chicken on a bed of
mashed potatoes with bread salad, roasted kale and fresh herb pan jus. Black
Cypress is also known for its craft cocktails, including its house punch with
bourbon, fresh orange, clove, cinnamon and vanilla. Also highly recommended is
the Surgeon General’s Warning with bourbon, smoked maple cordial, smoke bitters
and orange bitters. 215 E. Main St. (509) 334-5800. www.theblackcypress.com.
Note: For a night cap, consider making a stop upstairs. Etsi Bravo is a lounge
and nightclub on the second floor of the same building as Black Cypress. Craft
cocktails are the specialty here, but there’s a full bar, including absinthe
service – a rarity for this region. The ambiance is sophisticated but relaxed.
Lighting is dim. The mezzanine level can be reserved for private parties. 215 E.
Main St. (509) 715-1037. www.etsibravo.com and www.facebook.com/etsibravo.
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