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WSU bowl projections: Holidays in the desert

Despite a 3-0 start to the season, bowl prognosticators are still pegging the Cougs for an early bowl appearance.

By Michael Preston
NCAA Football: Oregon State at Washington State James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

As starts to seasons go, this one has had it all: a comfy win over a non-conference opponent that wasn’t flashy but wasn’t overly impressive, a turn-coal-into-a-diamond butt-clenching come from behind win, and a thorough victory to open conference play.

In fewer words, they’re 3-0 for the first time since 2005 and find themselves in the teens if the top-25 for the first time since 2003. Football life has been pretty good on the Palouse.

We checked in before the season with how the Cougs were stacking up in preseason bowl projections. So are things getting any better after their fast start?

The quick answer: no. The longer answer: we really hope at this juncture that you enjoy deserts around the holidays.

As a reminder, the Pac-12’s bowl tie-ins for this coming season:

  1. Alamo Bowl: Dec. 28th, 6:00 p.m. on ESPN vs. Big 12
  2. Holiday Bowl: Dec. 28th, 6:00 p.m. on FS1 vs. Big Ten
  3. Foster Farms Bowl: Dec. 27th, 5:30 p.m. on FOX vs. Big Ten
  4. Sun Bowl: Dec. 29th, 12:00 p.m. on CBS vs. ACC/Notre Dame
  5. Las Vegas Bowl: Dec. 16th, 12:30 p.m. on ABC vs. Mountain West
  6. 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: Las Vegas Bowl

Consistent with where the mothership landed before the 2017 campaign began, their expected opponent actually got a little tougher (in my mind) with the San Diego State Aztecs.

CBS: Cactus Bowl

Football at Chase Field isn’t exactly ideal, nor is playing Brigham Young. Though we could finally settle the score over who gets to use “Go Cougs” (it’s us and only us you salutation stealing jerks).

Sporting News: Alamo Bowl

WSU would like be at a substantial fan disadvantage assuming they meet the TCU Horned Frogs in San Antonio but I’m not sure I’d care because, yanno, Alamo Bowl.

ESPN: Cactus Bowl

Given where the Cactus Bowl sits and where the USC Trojans and Washington Huskies will probably be headed this postseason (an at-large birth in a NY6 game), I’m a little disappointed so many writers have us so low on the totem pole when it co—-

/sees opponent

Oh man, I am very, very here for the Mike Leach sovereign immunity tweet storms leading up to this game and breaking every scoreboard available in the Phoenix metro area.

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