conference play
Wazzu keeps conference play in one place: 5 stories so far. The section currently leads with “Cougs Take the Fight to Logan for a Friday Night Tilt”, “Cougs Hit the Road for a Pair of Midweek Ballgames in Texas”, and “Schroeder on the mic: WSU volleyball preps for Rams and Bobcats”. Friday night in Logan. Baseball is heading south. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every conference play story on Wazzu, newest first.
Cougs Take the Fight to Logan for a Friday Night Tilt
Friday night in Logan. That's the kind of trip that separates the curious from the committed, and the Cougs are packing their bags for it. A short hop over the border, a hostile crowd, and a chance to do something loud on the road. This is exactly the kind of tilt that used to define these programs, and it's good to see it back on the schedule. You don't take a Friday night game lightly, especially not in that building. The Cougs know what they're walking into. We've spent plenty of time this season trying to make sense of the postseason picture, and if you haven't checked out our breakdown of the Pac-12 bowl math, you should. It's still a mess, but at least it's our mess. This game, though, is about the here and now. It's about showing up, playing physical, and leaving Logan with a win instead of excuses. The details matter, but the vibe is simple: Cougs on the road, under the lights, with something to prove. Nobody is pretending this is a marquee matchup for the neutral fan. But for us? This is the whole point of being a Coug. You show up for the ones that don't look glamorous on paper. You take the fight to their place and you see what you're made of. Pullman travels well, and Friday night should be no different. Go Cougs.
Cougs Hit the Road for a Pair of Midweek Ballgames in Texas
Baseball is heading south. Washington State is in Texas this week for a pair of midweek ballgames, and if you are stuck in a February gray sky, this is the kind of trip you envy. Two games. Warm weather. No conference pressure yet. Just Cougs swinging bats somewhere that does not smell like fertilizer and wet gravel. That is the whole point of these midweek trips. Get out of Pullman. See some sun. Tighten up the bullpen before the Pac-12 schedule starts grinding. Texas baseball is not a joke, but neither is a lineup that has been putting in work since January. If Wazzu can take one of these, that is a good trip. Take both, and you start feeling like something is cooking. For more on how Coug sports are stacking up this week, check out our piece on volleyball, "Schroeder on the mic: WSU volleyball preps for Rams and Bobcats", because that program is also on the road and also worth your time. But back to the diamond. Two games. No excuses. Go get a couple Ws, then get back on the bus. Go Cougs.
Schroeder on the mic: WSU volleyball preps for Rams and Bobcats
Jenny Schroeder is back on the mic for WSU volleyball, and that alone is reason to pay attention. The Cougs are getting ready for the Rams and the Bobcats, and if you've been to Bohler Gym for a match, you know the voice makes the difference. Schroeder calls it like she sees it, and she sees it better than most. This team has been grinding, and the nonconference slate is where you figure out what you've actually got before Pac-12 play starts eating your lunch. If you're the type who likes your sports wrapped in math you can't explain to your friends, we've got you covered. Our piece on Pac-12 bowl math is still the most honest thing you'll read about how the conference treats its own history. But that's a football problem for later. Right now, it's volleyball season, and the only numbers that matter are kills and blocks. Pullman is cold already, and the Palouse wind is doing its thing. That means it's indoor season. Schroeder on the mic, the Cougs on the floor, and a couple of tune-up matches before things get real. That's the kind of Saturday you don't skip. Go Cougs.
WSU and Gonzaga close league play with a Wednesday night showdown
The Cougs and the Zags will close out the new Pac-12 women's basketball regular season against each other on March 6, and it will be in Spokane at McCarthey Athletic Center. That's a Wednesday night showdown with some history behind it. The full conference schedule dropped Friday, and it's a clean 16-game slate for the eight-team league. Every team plays everyone home and away. Washington State opens league play at home against Texas State on Jan. 9. Gonzaga starts earlier, hosting Oregon State on Jan. 6. Times and TV are still TBD, which is the standard dance this time of year. The head-to-head numbers are what they are. Gonzaga leads the all-time series 14-7, and they swept all four meetings when these two shared the West Coast Conference the last two seasons. That stings. But this is a new league and a new chapter. The Cougs get one more shot at the Zags to close things out, and there's something fitting about that. For more on what's happening around the program, check out the update on Trey Leckner healing up fast and maybe finally seeing the field. Tight end room could use the help. Go Cougs.
The Ball is the Boss: Moore's First Pac-12 Test is About Holdin' On
Saturday night in Pullman, the Cougs finally get to play a game that counts in the Pac-12 standings. It's been nearly three years. Problem is, Fresno State is coming to town, and they take the ball away for a living. Plus-seven turnover margin. Sixth-best in the country. Meanwhile, Caden Pinnick has lost five turnovers in four games. That math doesn't add up. Kirby Moore is walking a tightrope. He has to tell his quarterback to protect the ball without making him afraid to throw it. That's a fine line, and Moore knows it. He's been saying all week that every play has a life of its own. That's coach-speak for "don't force it, but don't freeze up either." The ground game might not help. Kirby Vorhees is a gametime decision with an upper-body injury, and the running backs haven't cracked 100 yards against an FBS team all year. The good news? Trey Leckner could finally debut at tight end. That's a weapon they haven't had yet. Defensively, they have to slow down Jayden Mandal and Rayshon Luke, who just put up 167 yards on 11 carries. That's a problem. This game won't decide the season, but it'll tell you a lot. Lose, and you're staring at 1-4 with Utah State and Oregon State on the road. The bowl streak starts looking shaky. Win, and you're 1-0 in conference play with a pulse. If you want the deeper numbers, check out our piece on Pinnick's five turnovers.