Cougar Football Thursday has arrived

It's been 12 days since WSU played a football game, but we're now down to a matter of hours before the Cougars take the field.

The two biggest story lines heading into the game seem to be based around the weather and the date on the calendar. It will in fact be cold -- likely in the upper 30s at kickoff -- and after checking again, I can indeed verify it is Halloween. People will be in costumes and the announcers will likely question how a team from Arizona will adjust to playing in sub 40 temperatures. Then the game will start and we will find out if the Cougars can steal a game and inch closer to bowl eligibility.

With so much time until kickoff, you're going to need a way to keep busy. You could focus on work, or maybe go trick or treating with the kids. Yeah, you could do that. Or, you could discuss the following over/unders for tonight's game.

O/U 1.5 separate highlights from WSU's 37-27 win against ASU in 2011.

Klay Thompson scored a career-high 38 points last night. O/U 38 points for WSU against the Sun Devils.

O/U 2.5 uses of the word gunslinger by ESPN announcers.

O/U 5.5 crowd shots focused on women dressed as sexy _______.

O/U 3.5 references to Mike Leach dressing like/acting like/being a pirate for Halloween.

Football:

ASU vs. WSU: Haber's Hunches - House of Sparky
Washington State needs to pull off tricks that turn into Halloween treats, otherwise Arizona State will prevail easily.

Deone Bucannon finishing WSU career in style | Cougar Football | The Seattle Times
t was back in the sweaty days of July when Deone Bucannon mulled questions about the Washington State football program. Were the painful days of adjustment to new coaches behind the Cougars? Had they turned a corner?

ASU vs. Washington State: Behind enemy lines with CougCenter - House of Sparky
To learn more about what to expect from those kooky Cougars from Pullman, we brought in CougCenter's Mark Sandritter. Sadly, we still couldn't help but ask him about the cold because anything under 75 degrees is a frightening proposition to a Tempe native:

Arizona State-Washington State Preview Capsule | WSU Cougars | The Bellingham Herald
Arizona State needs one win to become bowl eligible and Washington State needs two. Washington State is seeking to post a third Pac-12 win for the first time since 2007. Arizona State is looking for its first road win of season.

Cougars attempt to cool off Sun Devils' Kelly - Spokesman.com - Oct. 29, 2013
The Washington State football team won’t have to deal with the Pac-12 passing leader this week, nor with a pundit-projected first-round NFL draft pick at quarterback. No the Cougars face a far more fearsome opponent at quarterback this week: Arizona State’s Taylor Kelly.

Basketball:

Cougars to Host Wildcats in Exhibition Friday - Washington State University Official Athletic Site
The Washington State University men’s basketball team will host Central Washington in its only exhibition game of the season, Friday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. at Beasley Coliseum’s Friel Court, in its final push before the 2013-14 season officially begins.