Hot Cougar Action: Welcome to Championship Saturday!

Every Power Five conference -- except for the One True Champion ™ Big XII -- will be holding their championship games today. Man, seasons go by way too quickly. We'll give you game times and channels of each match-up.

The only result that can (most likely) directly impact WSU happens in the PAC-12 Championship. Multiple journalists with ties to PAC-12 bowl committees are reporting if Stanford wins, the Cougs are a favorite for the Holiday Bowl. If USC wins, Wazzu likely drops to the Sun Bowl in El Paso.

Unless it's a committee bowl, resumes don't really matter. Holiday loves Wazzu. https://t.co/uCAFKhGjDY

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 1, 2015

Holiday Bowl remains split on WSU/USC (if Stanford wins), per source. Whichever team Holiday doesn't take likely headed for Sun.

— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) December 3, 2015

With that, Go Trees.

9 AM PST ESPN: Texas (4-7) at No. 12 Baylor (9-2)

Not a championship game, that occurred de facto last week in Stillwater, where Oklahoma trounced Oklahoma State. There's not even a bowl on the line for Texas, but stakes do exists with Baylor playing for a Sugar Bowl invite. They're also favored by 21 points.

9 AM PST ABC: No. 22 Temple (10-2) at No. 19 Houston (11-1)

The AAC championship is probably the better option for the early shift. Two ranked teams, two coaches that everyone assumed would be poached by a Power 5 program who might actually be staying. The Coogs (that's how Houston does it) are favored by 5.5 in what should be a great finale for a mid-major conference that had a banner year.

1 PM PST CBS: No. 18 Florida (10-2) at No. 2 Alabama (11-1)

The Crimson Tide -- who, after a loss to Ole Miss, had their dynasty declared legally dead and burnt in effigy by hot takes all across the internet -- are playing for an entry into the CFB Playoffs against a Gator team that floated to the top of a decrepit SEC East. Bama is favored by 17.5. Stanford likely needs a total chaos to find it's way into the playoffs and this game is the first on the docket of weird stuff that needs to happen. Go Gators.

4:45 PM PST ESPN: No. 7 Stanford (10-2) at No. 20 USC (8-4)

The Cougs need Stanford to win, and hopefully win convincingly. With Stanford in the Playoffs, the Rose Bowl would need to be filled and that effectively slides everyone in the conference up one selection spot. This brings the Alamo in play for Wazzu. Even if Stanford doesn't make the Playoffs, a #beatemdown of USC could be what sways the Holiday Bowl committee in Washington State's favor.

5 PM PST ABC: No. 10 North Carolina (11-1) at No. 1 Clemson (12-0)

Keep your eyes on this one. We'll have the result of the SEC Championship by now and -- if by some obscene grievance of the Football Gods -- Florida was allowed to win, an upset of Clemson could be the last domino needed for Stanford. This would be peak chaos and you should root for this. Clemson is coming off a lackluster effort in their rivalry game against a bad South Carolina team (who was, coincidentally, UNC's only loss this season) and is favored by 4.5 in the game with the highest Over/Under on our slate (67.5).

5:17 PM PST FOX: No. 5 Michigan State (11-1) at No. 4 Iowa (12-0)

The Prime Time slot belongs to the Big Ten Championship. Iowa has consistently managed to win games without leaving a trace of statistical evidence that implicates them as being very good. Michigan State is another team in the Big Ten that is not Ohio State. Whoever wins is likely in the Playoffs and neither outcome would seemingly do much for Stanford either way. Root for your heart in this one. Are you ready for an undefeated Iowa? I am. Go Hawkeyes.

7:30 PM PST ROOT: Gonzaga Prep (13-0) vs. Skyline (12-1) 4A WA State Championship

Eric Weaver, a WSU target and current Cal commit, plays for G-Prep. Here's more on him from the Tacoma News Tribune.

On to the links, after an exceptionally hot cougar.

Football

Spokesman-Review: WSU bowl destination rest with outcome of Saturday's Pac-12 title game
The Washington State Cougars, like nine other Pac-12 teams, will watch the conference championship game from their homes. But while only Stanford and USC will compete for a Pac-12 crown in Santa Clara on Saturday, the game's result will have just as much impact on WSU's postseason destination as that of the participants.

Spokesman-Review: Transcription of Thorpe's weekly chat

The Olympian: Huskies assistant Jeff Choate hired as Montana State's head coach
In case you were curios about the one-time WSU linebackers coach.

UWdawgpound: Updated PAC 12 Bowl Projections (12/4)
Quality stuff from our neighbors who are going to a game in Shreveport; "Sun Bowl - WSU. A bowl game played in a remote, desolate location where Applebee's is the premiere dining experience and would-be travelers will be buying cockroach insurance as part of their hotel reservations. It's like home away from home for the Pullman boys. Perfect".

Basketball

Women's hoops - Cougars wrap up road trip at San Diego
The Washington State women's basketball team (6-1) concludes a nine-day road trip Sunday with a 1 p.m. matchup against the San Diego Toreros (7-0).

Men's hoops - Cougars look to bounce back against Vikings
Washington State University men's basketball (4-1) will play its final game of its season-opening six-game homestand as it hosts Portland State (3-3), Sunday, Dec. 6 at Beasley Coliseum.

Soccer

Four Cougars Named to All-Pacific Teams
Washington State soccer placed four student-athletes on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Pacific Region teams, the organization announced.