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There’s something quite familiar about 2017 when it comes to the Washington State Cougars. Lets run down the list from 2016, shall we?
- 8-2 after 10 games: Check.
- Control their own destiny to win Pac-12 North: Check
- On the road before the Apple Cup against a recently added Pac-12 school: Check
- Headed to the Holiday Bowl: Maybe?
Yes, following their upset (by the rankings, not by Vegas) win over the Stanford Cardinal, the Cougs are somewhat on track to make another appearance in the Holiday Bowl this postseason, though the picture, despite just three weeks being left in the regular season, remains quite murky.
- Alamo Bowl: Dec. 28th, 6:00 p.m. on ESPN vs. Big 12
- Holiday Bowl: Dec. 28th, 6:00 p.m. on FS1 vs. Big Ten
- Foster Farms Bowl: Dec. 27th, 5:30 p.m. on FOX vs. Big Ten
- Sun Bowl: Dec. 29th, 12:00 p.m. on CBS vs. ACC/Notre Dame
- Las Vegas Bowl: Dec. 16th, 12:30 p.m. on ABC vs. Mountain West
- Cactus Bowl: Dec. 26th, 6:00 p.m. on ESPN vs. Big 12
(Note: The Rose Bowl is a CFP Semifinal game this season so the Pac-12 champion is not automatically eligible for a spot in the game.)
SB Nation: Foster Farms Bowl
I don’t know what it is about this game that’s remarkably unappealing to me but ... man, this game is remarkably unappealing. Add in a match-up with the Northwestern Wildcats as the mothership projects and I get the distinct notion that FOX wouldn’t be too happy with this one.
ESPN: Alamo Bowl
For what seems like the first time in a while, both Kyle Bonagura and David Hale are in complete agreement on this one. Both have Washington State in the Alamo Bowl; both have the Oklahoma State Cowboys as their opponent. OSU and the Oklahoma Sooners just combined for a 100 burger in Bedlam last Saturday so what I’m saying is this one will end up like 10-6.
CBS: Holiday Bowl
I would say the odds of good late winter weather are highest in San Diego so, from that respect, this is good! Facing a pretty decent Michigan State Spartans team, though, would be less good.
Sports Illustrated: Holiday Bowl
A carbon copy of Jerry Palm’s CBS projection here.
College Football News: Alamo Bowl
One of just two services we can find that likes the Cougs this high and I know most folks would greatly prefer spending time in San Antonio to El Paso, or at least that’s been the general consensus I’ve heard.
Sporting News: Texas Bowl
Okay ... this one I really, really don’t get. In order for WSU to get into this game, there would have to be less appealing than at least six bowl eligible Pac-12 teams which seems a stretch. Five, including WSU, are already at six wins and once you get past the Foster Farms Bowl, the committees can’t just reach down and take whoever they like. Though the one thing that does make some sense: the SEC likely won’t be able to fill that commitment because ho boy, they are hot garbage in the lower half off each division.