tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74763127788872688362024-02-20T00:11:10.661-08:00Zzu FootballAll things WAZZU Cougar Football, Inside EditionMatthew Zimmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07721322176772017128noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-39985414731621453772013-12-09T16:41:00.002-08:002013-12-09T16:43:27.223-08:00Top Moments in Apple Cup History.Even though the Cougars couldn't pull out the victory this year, let's take a look at some of the prouder moments in our 106 game history with the University of Washington. Please visit the following Dio link to see what I think are the top moments in Apple Cup history - from a Cougar prospective of course.<br />
<br />
-Matt Cramer <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dio.com/album/2804-top-moments-in-apple-cup-history/photo/52a572890f085632c00004c8">https://www.dio.com/album/2804-top-moments-in-apple-cup-history/photo/52a572890f085632c00004c8</a>Matt Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987571736180415452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-7009992246004671842013-12-09T16:37:00.002-08:002013-12-09T16:37:19.533-08:00After 10 Years, Your Cougs Are Going Bowling!This is an inside look at the Cougars upcoming bowl game vs. Colorado State.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I was 10 years old at the time and just warming up to the thought of one day becoming a Cougar. This was the year 2003, and the last time WSU has been to a bowl game. All has been the same in the last decade, losing seasons, team discrepancies, and lack of bowl invites from the BCS Committee. All of that has been constant, until now.<br />
<br />
The last decade has brought good moments, good players, and a few Apple Cup wins, but all in all, forgetting about the last 10 years of WSU's football seasons is what is really on everyone's minds. Although we may not ever fully forget the horrible drought our team faced in those years, a 6-6 season and a bowl bid to the New Mexico Bowl to take on Colorado State can add on a nice memory for all WSU fans to hold onto, as we begin to progress through the positive changes our football team is adhering to.<br />
<br />
Since this is a blog post centered toward the outlook of the game, I'll pan away from the mushy stuff above. WSU comes in at a four point favorite vs. the Rams of Colorado State. I expected that line to be a little higher in regards to their conference power (Mountain West) vs. our conference power (Pac-12). There's no comparison, but hey, we'll just wait and see what the score says once the clock hits 0:00 in that 4th quarter.<br />
<br />
The game should be very high scoring. The Rams have put up more than 50 points four times throughout the season, and WSU has also had their share of high scoring games in this Air-Raid potent offense by Mike Leach. The Rams also come into the game nearly dead last in passing defense in all of the FBS. I wonder if they've seen film on Halliday and his 80 pass attempts a game?<br />
<br />
All in all, I'm very excited to have our school called and invited to partake in our first bowl game in 10 years. Although it's against a very substandard opponent, I'd love to start out our new "Mike Leach Era" with a win under our belts from our first bowl game with him under the helm. Make sure to check in on the action December 21st on ESPN.<br />
<br />
AND REMEMBER,<br />
<br />
GO COUGS!<br />
<br />
-Brandan Eckhardt<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485539727748037402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-27032922835001416042013-12-09T15:26:00.000-08:002013-12-09T15:26:32.351-08:00Inside the game with #33 Tana Pritchard and #41 Max Hersey<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
are some changes this season that Leach made to benefit Cougar football?</span></b></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pritchard:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “Leach assigns every incoming freshman a “big
brother” who is an upperclassman on the team. This really helps the freshman
get acclimated to not living at home anymore. Our practices start during the
summer so these incoming freshmen are thrown into the mix of a very different
lifestyle right away. We lift early in the morning and have practice a few
times a day over the summer. I really enjoy being a big brother; I want to make
their transition as easy as possible.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hersey:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “I see the changes in how we play now; one of my
favorite memories is at University of South Carolina. No one thought we would
win that game, and we came out and won against the odds.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How
do you feel about the upcoming bowl game? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pritchard:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “The whole team is pretty excited to get on the
road and play in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl, we just found out yesterday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hersey:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “I’m pretty excited. It’s great for the seniors who
have seen some pretty rough times while at WSU, I’m defiantly focusing a lot of
my energy on playing for them. The seniors have experienced bad seasons, loses,
and coaching changes that really affected the team as a whole. This is pretty
big for them.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do
you think Colorado State’s competition will be comparable to other schools you’ve
played this season? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pritchard:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “Colorado State has a pretty great run game; run
offense, as a defensive player that can be comparable to any great defensive
teams we played this season like Arizona or Stanford. I think there are definitely
better teams that we have played during conference and in our off season that
are better than Colorado State.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hersey:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “I haven’t got a chance to watch Colorado State on
film yet so I can’t say for sure what they will be like, but I know we will
come out and give it our all.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gildan
is your sponsor for the Bowl game, what are some of the events they have
planned for the team? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pritchard:
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“They have a lot planned. We will have a dinner with
our team and the opposing team and then we will get to see some of Albakerky,
New Mexico. It will be cool to see New Mexico University’s campus including its
facilities because that is where the game will be held." </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612853762893555411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-53957478155246476122013-12-06T19:37:00.002-08:002013-12-06T19:37:27.893-08:00Apple Cup Reactions<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Cougar football team rolled in to Seattle last weekend
with the intentions of beating our in-state rivals and ensuring themselves a
spot in a bowl game. The previous week, the Cougs beat the Utah Utes to become
bowl eligible for the first time since 2006. A win against the Huskies would
have guaranteed the team a place in college football’s postseason.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The game got off to a slower start than many imagined it
would. Both offenses came in to the game riding hot streaks and scoring points
at an impressive rate. But at the end of the first quarter, only three points
were on the board thanks to an opening drive field goal from the Huskies.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Both defenses came to play early, and neither offense could
get going in the opening quarter. In the second quarter, Washington State
finally started to find some rhythm. After kicking a field goal to tie the
game, the Cougs put together an impressive drive that ended with a Connor
Halliday touchdown pass to Rickey Galvin. This gave the Cougs a seven point
lead, and a little momentum heading to the half.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second half was a whole different story. The Cougar
offense looked sloppy, and the defense couldn’t get off the field on third down
like they did in the first half. Sophomore student Charles Hyland says the
third quarter is where the game was lost. “The third quarter is what killed
us,” said Hyland. “Our offense couldn’t move the ball, and the defense couldn’t
stop the run.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Huskies scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter,
and headed to the final quarter with a 20 to 10 lead. All the Huskies needed to
do was hand it to their red-hot running back Bishop Sankey. The Cougs couldn’t
find an answer for Sankey, and he continued to run the ball right down our
throat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thomas Breckenridge, a junior at Washington State, says that
Sankey is to blame for the Cougs tough loss. “We had no answer for Bishop
Sankey,” said Breckenridge. “We couldn’t stop him, and he kept picking up key
first downs in the fourth quarter.” Sankey finished the game with 200 yards on
34 carries and one touchdown.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The final score was 27 to 17 and the Cougs left Seattle
disappointed once again. It was a very winnable game for Washington State, but
the team just came out to flat after halftime and couldn’t get things going in
the second half. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now the Cougar football team will play the waiting game, as
they hope to learn soon that they have finally made it back to a bowl game. The
decision will be made by a committee within the next couple of weeks. Hopefully
the Cougs have done enough to earn a spot in the postseason, but a win over the
Huskies certainly would have helped.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> - </span><!--[endif]-->Flash Hodges<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11093501227375337851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-13110709043389215832013-12-06T18:10:00.003-08:002013-12-06T18:13:36.250-08:00Bowl Eligible Cougars Await the Call to Play<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Washington State
University has a football team to be proud of again. For the first time since
2006, the Cougars are bowl eligible. The only obstacle left for WSU is being
chosen for a bowl game.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Back in 2006, the
Cougars were skipped over for postseason play. The team’s last bowl appearance
was in 2003 against the University of Texas in the Holiday Bowl. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“For some of the
smaller bowl games, they look for teams that can score 50-plus points to get
fans to want to tune in,” said KUGR.org radio host, Justin Rice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
One aspect of the
bowl selection process is making sure both team’s have fans that will want to
travel and fill up the stadium. Money, specifically ticket sales, helps teams
sell a bowl on picking their team. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I don’t think the
Cougars will have any trouble filling a stadium, they’re fans have been waiting
10 years to go to a bowl. If given the opportunity, Cougar fans will find a way
to the stadium one way or another,” said KUGR.org radio host Kyle Nishida.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Rice and Nishida
disagree on the Cougars offensive needs, but on defense they both think the
linebackers need to step up and make plays.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“They just seemed
to disappear in the Apple Cup. You need to be able to stop the run, and the
linebackers are the key to halting a good running game,” said Rice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Even if the
Cougars aren’t chosen for a bowl, Nishida will be waiting and watching the
quarterback battle going into next season.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“After his
performance against Arizona and Utah, Connor Halliday may be the favorite for
the job, but I think the Cougars best chance is going with Redshirt Freshman
Tyler Bruggman,” said Nishida.<span style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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With an offense
that can score and fans that will cram the stands it will be tough for a bowl
sponsor to overlook this WSU team. <o:p></o:p></div>
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-Matthew Zimmer</div>
Matthew Zimmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07721322176772017128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-57432471776824373742013-11-18T14:54:00.001-08:002013-11-18T14:56:27.926-08:00Cougar Football TalkBrandan Eckhardt & Flash Hodges caught up with WSU students, Cameron Kalahar and Thomas Breckenridge as they gave us their take on their expectations of the football team this season.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ojYcn3kJYoM" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485539727748037402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-89279135852266902013-11-18T04:45:00.000-08:002013-11-18T04:45:04.975-08:00Late season interviews with Matt Cramer and Catherine NelsonIn the following video you'll find interviews with Matthew Bock, a senior defensive linemen, and Thomas Emerson, a member of the football team's film crew. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lvl8N4AFYIs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Matt Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987571736180415452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-59733019709490722662013-11-17T23:19:00.001-08:002013-11-17T23:21:47.247-08:00Thoughts on the Last Three GamesI caught up with KUGR.org broadcasters, Justin Rice and Kyle Nishida, to ask them about the Cougars' games against Arizona, Utah and Washington.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Uvl5asyM6uI" width="480"></iframe>Matthew Zimmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07721322176772017128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-54917710456929457312013-10-28T14:23:00.002-07:002013-10-28T14:23:50.754-07:00The History of Martin StadiumMartin Stadium was first built in 1972 after a deadly fire of former named "Rogers Field". Check out the history of the renovations throughout the next few decades. Story by Brandan Eckhardt & Flash Hodges.<br /><br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="https://www.dio.com/places/cougar-football-project/scene/5268402fd2f8f91635000106">https://www.dio.com/places/cougar-football-project/scene/5268402fd2f8f91635000106</a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485539727748037402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-63606008829354645502013-10-28T01:25:00.001-07:002013-10-28T01:25:13.432-07:00The Greatest Cougar QuarterbacksWashington State has had its fair share of quality passers, but these young men stood out from the rest and set numerous records, as well as netting our beloved Cougars plenty of victories. <br />
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https://www.dio.com/places/the-greatest-cougar-quarterbacks/scene/526ddd24d2f8f9161a0004a3Matt Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987571736180415452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-21872643425394978162013-10-27T21:17:00.004-07:002013-10-27T21:17:56.903-07:00Apple Cup HistoryCheck out Matthew Zimmer and Catherine Nelson's look into some famous highlights in Cougar history in the Apple Cup...<br />
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<a href="https://www.dio.com/places/washington-state-univ-the-apple-cup/scene/526d7b91651bff3b4e0003ec">https://www.dio.com/places/washington-state-univ-the-apple-cup/scene/526d7b91651bff3b4e0003ec</a>Matthew Zimmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07721322176772017128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-87673552846387053482013-10-07T17:06:00.001-07:002013-10-21T14:16:56.188-07:00Seattle Game: Fan OpinionWe caught up with two Seattle resident Coug fans at the game vs. Stanford and got their take on the game.<br />
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Story by Brandan Eckhardt & Flash Hodges<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F114308798" width="100%"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485539727748037402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-5079735769886179362013-10-07T15:15:00.000-07:002013-10-21T14:17:19.275-07:00WSU Alumni Thoughts on Cougar FootballAlumni of WSU on Cougar Football:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F114295841" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Catherine NelsonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612853762893555411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-39215534922960672102013-10-07T02:37:00.001-07:002013-10-07T14:11:37.289-07:00Washington State Film Crew Interviews by Matt CramerI recently caught up with two cameramen who film for the Washington State Football team, and asked them what they had seen in practice, as well as their thoughts on the season.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F114200856" width="100%"></iframe>
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Music: "Give Me Your Hand" by Mr. Sybrotech. For the whole song, visit <a href="http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1042134/give-me-your-hand">http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1042134/give-me-your-hand</a><br />
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<br />Matt Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987571736180415452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-16395699623615621842013-10-06T15:57:00.000-07:002013-10-07T14:11:27.990-07:00Audio Story ZimmerHere is the audio story from Matthew Zimmer:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F114144406" width="100%"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The clip is a story of the Washington State University football team's record reaching 4-2, how they beat Cal with good quarterback and defensive play. Also, Sports Sound-Off co-hosts, Kyle Nishida and Justin Rice, lend their opinions to the clip about the Cougars play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, thank you to Jono Bacon for the sound "Free Softward Song 2 (Instrumental)". Check out his sound here: </span><a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jono_Bacon/Free_Software_Song/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">freemusicarchive.org/music/Jono_Bac…Software_Song/</span></a></div>
Matthew Zimmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07721322176772017128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-44123102070358982532013-09-11T14:47:00.002-07:002013-09-11T14:53:00.742-07:00Cougar Pride <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
After years of disappointment, a Seattle native still chooses to be a loyal cougar football supporter.</div>
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Standing tall in her handmade cougar football spirit dress, Courtney K. Wieck, a 19-year-old sophomore at WSU, said she can’t wait for Saturday. Wieck has had season tickets to WSU football games for ten years; she is the definition of an undefeated fan.<br />
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“Ever since I could remember I’ve loved coming to games with my dad, it was our thing,” she said. “Sitting in the stands was kind of scary because I was so afraid of Butch when I was little.”<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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She said attending school at WSU and meeting some players has only made her passion for being a cougar stronger. Wieck said it all started when her dad was at Whitman College. His college wasn’t big on football and he loved coming to games at WSU. Wieck said: “I completely understand why my dad wanted to come here for games. Something about hearing “Go Cougs” at eight in the morning through a megaphone screams school spirit. This year is so exciting because I feel like we are on the brink of greatness. Out of all the coaches I’ve seen lead the cougs Mike Leach doesn’t put up with any attitudes from players. I love Leach.” Wieck now goes to the games with her sorority sisters, keeping tabs on her favorite players. Wieck met Matthew Bock, a senior for the cougs at the dining hall last year. She said she had always dreamed of one day meeting one of the players from the team to get some real insight on cougar football.<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Wieck said: “I know I will be a cougar fan all my life. I am going to bring my future family to football games. It won’t matter where I end up living, I’ll make it work!”<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Wieck’s best friend Kirsten Peterson, also a student at WSU has recently started to pay closer attention to cougar football. Peterson said: “I can’t believe how well our team is doing so far. I haven’t always paid attention to WSU football because of all the negativity surrounding the team. This year there is such a positive vibe around campus, the game this weekend is all people can talk about.”<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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One of the difficulties for other schools is not being able to get Martin Stadium to cheer on their team Wieck said. She said the team is at an advantage because the stadium fills up in the student section and is unbelievably loud. <span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17612853762893555411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-58713785438472155942013-09-11T14:42:00.001-07:002013-09-11T14:46:53.069-07:002013 Season Worst Case Scenario<div class="MsoNormal">
Talk around town is that this 2013 Cougar football season
may be one of the most promising we have seen in years. Another year under Mike
Leach, means another year for everyone to learn the offense, including
Quarterback Connor Halliday. But before we get too excited, we need to remember
how the last few years have gone when the Cougar football team gets our hopes
up.<o:p></o:p><br />
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We are going to break down the schedule and talk a little
bit about each conference game, focusing on where things could go wrong for the
Cougs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Following the difficult loss at Auburn to open up the
season, the team bounced back in a big way. They went down to Southern
California and shocked the Trojans of USC in the Coliseum. The Trojans were
ranked in the top 25 going in to this game, making the upset feel even sweeter.
USC had high expectations this year, so this win for the Cougars should really
help boost the teams’ confidence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For the first conference home game of the season, the team will
host Stanford in the Seattle Game. Mattias Dilling, a junior here at Washington
State, thinks Stanford is the team to beat in the PAC-12 this year. “Stanford
brings back too many starters from last season, including one of the country’s
top defenses,” says Dilling. Stanford started off the year ranked in the top 10
of most polls around the country. Worst case scenario for this game is a
lopsided loss for the Cougars. Hopefully Leach has this team ready to play and
will look to pull off another upset, but this will be one tough game.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After their game in Seattle, the Cougs travel south to take
on the California Bears in Berkeley. This should be a winnable game for the
team, even though the Bears have another solid squad this year. If the Cougs
aren’t too beat up from the previous week against Stanford, I believe they can
find a way to pull off this victory on the road. Worst case scenario I see the
Cougars playing a great first half and then letting go of the lead at the end,
making for a long flight home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next on the schedule are the two schools from Oregon. The
Cougars will play host to the Oregon State Beavers, before heading down to
Eugene to take on the Oregon Ducks. The Cougs really need to find a way to take
care of business against the Beavers at home, because beating the Ducks on the
road is going to be nearly impossible. Worst case scenario the Cougs drop a
tough one at home against the Beavers then head to Oregon and get wacked by the
Ducks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next up for the Cougars are the two teams stationed in
Arizona. They will start off with the highly anticipated game against the
Arizona State Sun Devils on Halloween. This will be a huge game for the Cougs,
as they go up against one of the top teams in the conference on national
television. Then after a bye week, the team travels down to Tucson to battle
the Arizona Wildcats. Each of these teams are improved from last year, and have
high expectations heading in to this season. A win over both these teams would
be a lot to ask of the Cougs, but it is definitely possible. Worst case
scenario the team loses in a couple of nail-biters that come down to the wire.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the final home game of the year, the Cougars welcome in
the Utah Utes. Utah is also a much improved team from last year, and will look
to knock of the Cougs for the third straight year. This is another big game for
the team, because they will want to head in to the Apple Cup the following week
with as much momentum and confidence as possible. I believe the Cougs take care
of business at home against the Utes, but worst case scenario they lose in
another close one before heading to Seattle for their final game of the regular
season.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A lot of people are looking forward to the Apple Cup,
including C.J. Hyland, a junior here at Washington State. “We are really going
to see what the Cougars are made of when they make the trip up to Seattle at
the end of November,” says Hyland. The Huskies are going to be out for blood
after the Cougars upset them in last year’s Apple Cup. Just like the rest of
the conference, the Huskies are much improved from last season. That was very
evident in their season opener, when they dominated a highly ranked Boise State
team. Worst case scenario, the Huskies get their revenge and send the Cougs
home unhappy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Obviously I hope these scenarios do not happen and the Cougs
can figure out a way to win a few conference games this year. I do believe the
team will be much improved from last year, and they can find a way to get to
six or seven wins and become bowl eligible. It has been 10 years since the team
has gone to a bowl game, so any postseason appearance would be a huge step for
this improving football team.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11093501227375337851noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-78011540515660685522013-09-10T19:54:00.000-07:002013-09-11T13:43:39.370-07:00Interview with Robin Dich of "Cougar Sports Spotlight" and "Cougnation"<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hello, my name is Matt
Cramer and I will be one of the contributors to ZzuFootball this year. For my
first piece, I caught up with my friend Robin Dich, host of “Cougar Sports
Spotlight” on KUGR and of Cable 8’s “Cougnation”. We talked about his thoughts for
the upcoming season, his thoughts from practice, and how the team has evolved
over the course of the year.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: Who do you think
will be a breakout star for the Cougars on both sides of the ball?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“On defense, I would
say that freshman cornerback Daquawn Brown is someone who is making a name for
himself. The other guys on the team have nicknamed him the “Cheetah” which
tells you just about all you need to know; pure speed. On offense, wide
receiver Vince Mayle (6’3” 240 Ibs.) is a massive target for Connor Halliday.
He’s got good hands and good speed; he just needs more playing time.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: What’s been the
general mood surrounding the players for the upcoming season?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Everyone is excited
about the things they can accomplish as a football team this season. The best
way to describe their attitude would be confident but not cocky. The defense
has a tenacious attitude and the offense knows what it is capable of. They’ll
be some growing pains, but they just need time.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: What is the biggest
change that you’ve noticed this season as opposed to last year?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“There’s more
leadership on both sides of the ball. On defense, linebacker Darryl Monroe is
very vocal, while safety Deone Buchanon is more reserved, but he leads by
example. And even though quarterback Connor Halliday receives some criticism
for his play, he is established as the leader of this offense. There’s tons of
competition at every position and nobody’s job is safe.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: Have you noticed a
change in Mike Leach?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Not really, he’s a
real straight shooter, everyone knows what his mission is and he won’t change
his philosophy for anyone. He’s actually a lot closer to the players than a lot
of people think, and the bond between the coaching staff and the players is strong.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: What’re your
thoughts on UW’s Football team this year?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“It hurts me to say this,
but that team looks more talented than any other Husky team of the past ten
years. They’ve got weapons on both sides of the ball, they just need to
execute. After three straight 7-6 seasons, Sarkisian is on the hot seat and I’m
sure he can feel the pressure.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Q: Finally Robin, what’s
your season prediction?”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Beating USC was a big
stepping stone, I believe we will make it to a bowl game with a record of 6-6.
There are a lot of winnable games on the schedule, but I’m sure we will still
see some growing pains. Last year we fell away late, but this season we will be
a lot more competitive.”</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I'd like to thank Robin for his time, and expect more interviews over the course of the season! </span></div>
Matt Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16987571736180415452noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-63368808755022834612013-09-09T21:36:00.000-07:002013-09-09T21:38:39.238-07:00Pulse of the Fans: Bowl Contenders?<div class="MsoNormal">
Washington State University
football is a tradition, an obsession, and for the fans a lifestyle. If you have
ever been to Pullman then you know how electric the atmosphere is at a game. The
student section is always hopping, the alumni get loud and the student athletes
get pumped.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a>WSU fans are some of the most
passionate fans in college football. Win or lose the WSU faithful have their
team’s back. The last decade has not been kind to the Palouse. But the last two
years have brought cautious optimism to Pullman.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Defense is playing with effort
which we never saw at all last year, so I think we can be a bowl contender,”
said WSU junior, Justin Rice.<o:p></o:p><br />
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After two games this season, the
Cougs have just given up 38 points. The defense only allowed seven points last
week against #25 ranked University of Southern California (USC) as they won their first game of the season 10-7.
Rice has a point; over the last three seasons (not including the current one)
the Cougs have given up a combined average of 33.6 points a game. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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With optimism comes the expected pessimism.
Cougars QB Connor Halliday has been up and down so far to start the year. He
has given up three turnovers in each game, five INTs and one fumble. <o:p></o:p><br />
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“The Cougars will live and die by
Halliday this year,” said WSU junior Kyle Nishida. “He plays erratically and I
don’t trust him to throw the deep ball, because he hasn’t been successful yet
this year.”<o:p></o:p><br />
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As you can see there are at least
two opinions on the Cougs success going forward. Will they continue to
disappoint? Or is this the year that the Cougs reach a bowl game? We will just
have to wait and see, but one thing is for sure: these players are entertaining
and can really put on a show.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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After the strong win against USC,
you can expect Martin Stadium to be packed for the home opener against Southern
Utah on September 14, 2013. The 2013 team is a different brand of Washington
State football than people are used to. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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Look out, PAC-12. As Glenn
Johnson would say, HERE COME THE COOOUUUUGGGSSSSS!<o:p></o:p></div>
Matthew Zimmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07721322176772017128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476312778887268836.post-78859880157976380632013-09-09T18:15:00.000-07:002013-09-11T14:27:52.855-07:002013 Season Best Case ScenarioThis is our best case scenario looking at a potential dream season for the 2013 Cougar football team. Note: These are highly fictional predictions and scenarios.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a> Washington State's current run of incompetence is reaching historic proportions. The Cougars have lost at least eight games in each of the past five seasons, a stretch spanning Paul Wulff's entire career at the helm with the program and former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach's debut, a 3-9 opening complete with a last-place finish in the Pac-12 North and a rather embarrassing loss to Colorado. With the only highlight of last season being a dramatic finale win over cross state rival, Washington Huskies in the Apple Cup, momentum has seemed to finally find itself into the beginning of the 2013 season. "I was there in Pullman for the Apple Cup last year and it was the most exciting game I have ever seen. I am real excited to be a part of the Cougar family this year and to finally sit with the students at the games," said freshman Katie Wiley.<br />
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College
football seasons are not the easiest to predict, especially when the majority
of the fans do not see their team for the first time until their regular season
opener. With that said, this is a
different circumstance. With the kickoff of the 2013 college football season
already underway, we have a 2013 outlook of the best-case scenario for the
Cougs this season. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The offense
welcomes back seven starters from a unit that put up just 20.4 points per game
last year. Leach’s Air Raid offense didn’t take flight in its first season, but
it should be much more efficient in the second year of the new system. QB
Connor Halliday returns along with four starters along the offensive line and
five of the top six receivers. Most offensive starters should have a much
better grasp on the system now, which should lead to a more successful season
offensively. “As long as we stay confident and keep our heads up, do not get
down on ourselves at any point during the season and finish out our games
strong, there is no doubt in my mind that we will have a strong season this
year,” said WSU student Cameron Kalahar when asked about his outlook of the
season. I have been watching Cougar football ever since I was a little kid and
this is one of the most exciting seasons I have ever looked forward to, he
adds. <o:p></o:p></div>
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On the
other side of the ball, the defense allowed 33.7 points per game last season and
must improve. That should not be a problem considering nine starters and six of
the top seven tacklers are back. However, the Cougars lose arguably their best
player on this side of the ball in Travis Long due to the NFL, but leading the
way for the team will be FS Deone Bucannon (106 tackles, 4 INT) and LB Darryl
Monroe (80 tackles, 8.5 for loss).<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Cougars
opened up with a tough game on the road in SEC environment at Auburn. Although
they may be at the very bottom of the pack in the SEC, do not fall asleep on
this newly revamped team under new head coach Gus Malzahn. If I were to make a
pick before the season began, I would have taken the Cougs over the Tigers in a
tough match that came down to the Cougar defense frustrating new QB Nick
Marshall all night. Cougars win 27-17. Leach and company will have fire in
their eyes as they head to “The Coliseum” for the Cougs’ second week matchup.
There is no doubt that the Cougs will be focused and ready to go coming off
that tough loss. This is a much-improved team that has shown they have the
potential to matchup with the Trojans. If you are like me and watched the
Trojans last week versus Hawaii, then you definitely have to think upset alert.
If our defense can contain Trojan star WR Marqise Lee and Halliday can find his
rhythm early, this game has potential to go in the favor of the Cougs. Cougs
win 21-17. Heading back home to Pullman, the Cougars take on Southern Utah and
fellow neighbor Idaho Vandals to round out the non-conference schedule. Cougs
take out both those teams easily in an orderly fashion and start the season hot
with a 4-0 record. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Week 5’s
matchup takes place in Seattle for all the Coug fans on the west side of the
state. The Cougs battle powerhouse Stanford that comes into Washington highly
ranked in the BCS top 25 poll. This one gets away from the Cougs early and the
Cardinal send them back to Pullman with a grueling 37-17 loss. The Cougs bounce
back from a tough loss and travel down to California for an interesting matchup
the following week. In a breakout game by sophomore WR Gabe Marks who goes for
over 125 yards and 2 touchdowns, the Cougs whip California 28-14. Week 7 goes
back to Pullman for a competitive and entertaining game versus Oregon State for
Dad’s Weekend. It’s a back and forth game all night with senior kicker Andrew
Furney nailing a deep field goal for the win at the closing seconds. The Cougs
win a thriller 31-28. On the road once again for week 8, this time in Autzen
Stadium versus the high powered offense of the Oregon Ducks. Speed and
quickness kill the Cougs defense early and Oregon runs away with an easy win
behind Heisman hopeful RB De’Anthony Thomas who goes for over 150 yards on the
ground and 3 touchdowns including a punt return for a score. Cougs fall 42-21. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Week 9
brings a real quiet but talented Arizona State team into the Palouse. Keys to
this game will certainly be how our defense handles QB Tyler Kelly. I predict
that our defense plays exceptionally well with the help of the hometown crowd
and bounces back to limit the Sun Devil offense to only a few scores and some
huge stops late. Cougs win this one 28-21. Week 10 is the trip to Arizona to
take on the Wildcats. This is another challenging game for the Cougs because of
Arizona’s All-American RB Ka’deem Carey. The Cougs’ struggle to stop the run
all season shows in this game as the Wildcats pounce the Cougars 28-10. Going
back home for the Cougs’ arguably easiest conference game of the season, facing
the Utes of Utah. This game comes easy for Connor Halliday as he finds numerous
downfield strikes versus the weak Utes secondary. Cougs prevail 34-17.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Apple
Cup, the last game of the regular season versus cross-state rival Washington
Huskies. Remember what happened last year against this squad? Of course you
remember. The game this year is going to have the same outcome. With the game
taking place in Seattle, plenty of Cougar fans will still be there to cheer on
a consecutive Coug win over UW. Connor Halliday leads this 8-3 WSU team strong
throughout the whole game throwing for over 300 yards and multiple TD’s with
zero interceptions. UW hangs close alongside talented QB Keith Price but can’t
get it done in the closing minutes of the game. The most thrilling game of
every season ends in the Cougars favor, 28-24. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Finishing
the regular season with an astonishing 9-3 record and placing third in the
Pac-12 standings leads us into the post season Holiday Bowl game versus our own
Coach Leach’s former team, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Two high-powered passing
attacks go head to head with high scores being posted on the board. I have the
Cougs winning 35-28. The first bowl game won since 2003! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This is our
season best-case scenario season preview for the Cougs this year. Stay tuned
for more stories regarding the WSU Football team and remember, GO COUGS! <o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04485539727748037402noreply@blogger.com0