What are you most looking forward to this college football season?

Good morning Coug fans. There are now eight Saturdays until Cougar football returns, counting today and Sept. 1. That’s plenty of time to mentally prepare for a season filled with lots of unknowns.

ESPN had some decent offseason #content this week when it asked 50 people in and around college football what they looked forward to this upcoming season. Some of the responses were pretty canned (hello, Nick Saban, Khalil Tate and Tom Herman, among other contenders).

I chuckled at P.J. Fleck’s thoughts, as he enters year no. 2 with Minnesota:

“Our young players playing. I’m really excited about this 2018 class. They’re a special group of young people. They’re people who have bought a vision, bought the ‘Row the Boat’ culture, bought the vision of winning the Big Ten West championship, starting with that, and then the Big Ten championship, getting into the playoff. That’s why they came here. They gave up a lot of opportunities elsewhere, maybe more recent, modern, traditional programs than us to make it that traditional program again, to connect the bridges between the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s to the 2000 teens and ‘20s and ‘30s, because we’ve had a gap in there, a 51-year championship drought. That group bought that and they gave up a lot of opportunities that most people sat there and thought, ‘Why would you pick Minnesota?’ I’m excited to watch them play. I’m excited to get them in camp and see what they can do.”

Are guys really giving up opportunities to play at, “more recent, modern, traditional programs” to come to Minnesota? Seriously, I’m too lazy to look that up.

Anyway, this stuff got me thinking about what I’m looking forward to this college football season:

1. Buying drink tickets in the fieldhouse and getting an extra one for free by someone who has one left over but has to jet. It’s weirdly satisfying.
2. College GameDay.
3. Thursday and Friday night games on TV. It’s so nice to have some appetizers before the flood of games on Saturday.
4. Speaking of Saturdays, we have it nice here on the west coast. We have college football games from 9 a.m. until midnight every Saturday.
5. Driving through Colfax. Hear me out: Coming from Spokane, the drive is nice enough but once you hit Colfax and then drive the bend out of Colfax, the juices start flowing and YOU KNOW you are about to hit Pullman. And major props to those driving from the west side. That’s commitment.
6. The SEC Game of the Week on CBS.
7. Watching the recaps WSU Athletics puts together the day after wins. Those are always a joy.
8. Turning onto Stadium Way. Once I make that turn, GET OUT OF MY WAY.
9. Tailgating. It’s never not fun.
10. Oh yeah, Cougar football games.

What are you most looking forward to?

Ike Iroegbu signs with German team

Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Former Cougar basketball player Ike Iroegbu signed yesterday with a German team that calls itself Science City Jena. Jena is the city, “Science City” is presumably the team name. It’s the same team former Coug Kyle Weaver plays for.

Good for Iroegbu and Weaver. Go Cougs.

Ike Iroegbu becomes second former Washington State player to join German-based club Jena | The Spokesman-Review
Former Washington State basketball players aren’t necessarily an abundant species in Europe, but now two of them will be playing for the same German Bundesliga team.

Volleyball

Senior-to-be Taylor Mims was named the 2018 Global Challenge MVP. Mims, along with WSU teammate Alexis Dirige are playing for the U.S. Collegiate National Team-Europe at the Global Challenge in Croatia.

By the way, how cool would it be to be in Croatia during its World Cup run right now?

Mims Named Global Challenge MVP - Washington State University
The soon-to-be senior proved the top competitor at the international tournament.

Non-WSU news that is still interesting

College football countdown 50 days start season | ESPN.com
College football starts in 50 days. We asked the nation's top players, coaches and experts what they can't wait to see.

Last Chance U Season 3 review: A refreshing new era begins - SBNation.com
The hit JUCO football show moves from a Mississippi dynasty to a Kansas team just now putting itself on the map. Also: 2018 signee Calvin Jackson was on the Independence Community College team Last Chance U will feature.

College football vs. NFL: For fans of fun, the choice is clear | SI.com
College football and NFL are separate products, and that’s probably a good thing. One is just much more fun.

Proposed weekly national college football injury report faces significant roadblocks - CBSSports.com
The idea is great in theory, but it's going to be tough to execute.

The Right Fit: An Oral History of How Utah Joined the Pac-12
This is the story of how Utah was invited to the Pac-12 conference, as remembered by those who made it happen.