AP Top 25 Extra Points: Washington State's season debut in poll at No. 22 point of pride for Pac-12
Washington State quarterback John Mateer (10) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against San Diego State Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in San Diego. Credit: AP/Gregory Bull
Washington State is the pride of the Pac-12 this week.
There really hasn't been much to celebrate in the old “Conference of Champions” since mass defections left just WSU and Oregon State. Those two are hanging together until five recently announced schools — and hopefully a sixth — join what will be a reconstituted football league in 2026.
Until then, the Pac-12 will take whatever glory it can get. Right now, that's Washington State's season debut in The Associated Press poll.
The Cougars are No. 22 following their 29-26 win at San Diego State and 7-1 for the first time since the 2018 Mike Leach-Gardner Minshew team started 10-1 and finished 11-2.
Jack Dickert's team is led by sophomore quarterback John Mateer, who brought the Cougars back from a 26-14 deficit with 13 minutes left against the Aztecs and also led fourth-quarter comebacks to beat San Jose State and Fresno State.
“That's why they give you 60 minutes. It's the Cardiac Cougs," Dickert said. "There's no quit in our football team. There's a lot of grit, a lot of heart, a lot of passion. That comes from within, that comes from the team, that comes from the leaders. There's no die. It was what, 14-26, right? And they came back, kept believing. We've done it before, we do it again.”
Washington State is playing eight opponents from the Mountain West and Oregon State is playing seven as part of a one-year scheduling agreement with that conference. Oregon State has lost three straight and is 4-4. The Cougars and Beavers were left to cobble together schedules for 2025 and will play each other twice next November.
Washington State wide receiver Kris Hutson (1) dances with teammate wide receiver Josh Meredith (18) before the first half of an NCAA college football game against San Diego State Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in San Diego. Credit: AP/Gregory Bull
Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State and San Diego State will leave the MWC to join the Pac-12 the following season. Gonzaga of the West Coast Conference will join as a non-football member. In the meantime, the Pac-12 is looking to add an eighth football member so it can regain its status as a Football Bowl Subdivision league.
Dickert said his program can build for its future in the new-look Pac-12 by stacking wins this season and next.
“It just means for recruiting that Wazzu is here to stay,” he said. “We've got a strong brand on the West Coast. It's resonated throughout this whole class. Obviously, we let five of those (2026) teams in as equals, and that's different. So you've got to stay ahead of them. To stay ahead or them you have to invest more than they do. That's the biggest thing we have to continue to do as Cougs.”
Checking in on five of the Top 25:
Washington State head coach Jake Dickert looks on during the second half of an NCAA college football game against San Diego State Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in San Diego. Credit: AP/Gregory Bull
No. 3 Penn State
With the Nittany Lions' top-five matchup with No. 4 Ohio State sure to be the talk of the week in college football, the status of quarterback Drew Allar will get much of the attention. Allar was sacked on Penn State's final series of the first half and did not play in second half of the road win at Wisconsin. He wore a brace on his left knee. If Allar can't go, it'll be Beau Pribula's show.
No. 6 Texas
The Longhorns have an open date before they host Florida. That begins a three-game stretch against unranked opponents before the regular-season finale against Texas A&M on the road. Texas is giving its fans cause for concern. Some of the problems it had against Georgia cropped up in the 27-24 win at Vanderbilt. Quinn Ewers had his two interceptions converted into touchdowns, and the Longhorns had 10 penalties.
No. 15 Boise State
The Broncos solidified themselves as the favorite to earn the Group of Five spot in the College Football Playoff with their 29-24 win at UNLV. National rushing leader Ashton Jeanty ran for a season-low 128 yards and the winning touchdown. The defense shined with six sacks, the third time in four games they've had at least that many. The last sack, by Ahmed Hassanein and Herbert Gums, forced UNLV to punt with just over 8 minutes left, and the Rebels never got the ball back.
No. 20 SMU
The Mustangs go into their home showdown with No. 18 Pittsburgh off a quirky win at Duke. They won 28-27 in overtime but not before they blocked Duke's field-goal try for the win at the end of regulation and forced an incompletion on the Blue Devils' 2-point pass for the win in OT. They also committed six turnovers with no takeaways.
No. 23 Colorado
The Buffaloes are bowl eligible for the first time since 2020 and back in the Top 25 for the first time since they were ranked three weeks early last season. They've come a long way since their 28-10 loss at Nebraska in Week 2. The defense is giving up about 13 points and 90 yards less per game than a year ago, Shedeur Sanders has thrown for a Big 12-leading 21 TDs and two-way star Travis Hunter is a Heisman Trophy contender.
Extra Points
Ohio State and Penn State have both been ranked each of the last seven times they've met. Saturday's meeting will be the first since 1996 that both are in the top five. ... Pittsburgh and SMU will meet for the seventh time and the second in a Top 25 matchup. The first was in 1983, when No. 4 SMU beat No. 6 Pitt 7-3. ... Missouri stayed in the rankings, falling from No. 21 to No. 25, despite losing 34-0 at Alabama and appearing on only 18 ballots. Vanderbilt appeared on 23 ballots but went from No. 25 to the team receiving the most votes among the unranked. Only three points separate the two, largely because five voters had the Tigers 21st or 22nd.
