Pac-12
70 stories filed under Pac-12 on Wazzu. The newest of them: “CBS Gets a Palouse Throwback as Arizona Visits Pullman”, “Fresno State on the Palouse as Cougs Kick Off New Pac-12 Era”, and “Cougs Start Pac-12 Right: Clean Sweep Over Fresno State”. Arizona's trip to Pullman this weekend means CBS is getting a real Palouse throwback, and frankly, it's about time the national folks remember what a Saturday in November looks like out here. Fresno State is coming to Pullman, and that feels like the right way to kick this thing off. The unofficial read for people who left Pullman and stayed Cougs. The list below is every Pac-12 story on Wazzu, newest first.
CBS Gets a Palouse Throwback as Arizona Visits Pullman
Arizona's trip to Pullman this weekend means CBS is getting a real Palouse throwback, and frankly, it's about time the national folks remember what a Saturday in November looks like out here. The Wildcats roll into Martin Stadium for a game that doesn't need a fancy storyline, it's two programs that have been through the wringer, still scrapping, still showing up. That's the kind of football that built this place. You don't come to Pullman for the bright lights. You come because the wind's cold, the grass is beat up, and the Cougs are going to make you earn every yard. This Cougar team has been close. If you caught our piece on the Oregon State loss, you know they took the Beavers to the edge but couldn't close it out. That one stung. But this group doesn't quit, and a home game against a conference rival is exactly the kind of stage where they can flip the script. Arizona's no pushover, but neither is a team that's been grinding in the Palouse all fall. So CBS gets to see what we see every week: a town that packs a stadium in the middle of nowhere, a team that fights, and a whole lot of Cougs who never left. Tune in. It'll be worth it. Go Cougs.
Fresno State on the Palouse as Cougs Kick Off New Pac-12 Era
Fresno State is coming to Pullman, and that feels like the right way to kick this thing off. The new Pac-12 era starts with a familiar kind of game: a Mountain West team rolling into Martin Stadium, a bunch of Cougs in the stands, and a chance to remind everyone what this place sounds like when it matters. Fresno State has been a pain in the past. They play hard, they travel well, and they won't be intimidated by the flag or the flagpole. Good. That is exactly the kind of opponent you want for a debut that means something. This isn't just another non-conference tune-up. This is the first real marker of what the conference looks like now, and it starts on the Palouse. No neutral site. No dome. Just cold air, late kickoff buzz, and a team that has been waiting for a chance to prove the rebuild is real. If you want the full picture of what the Cougs are walking into, Kirby Moore broke down the Fresno State tape on this week's *Cougar Football Hour*, and it is worth your time. He sees things most of us miss, and he does not waste words. For now, get ready. The schedule is set. The van is pointed toward Eugene for a Duck Invite. And Fresno State is on its way here. That is a lot of reasons to show up. Go Cougs.
Cougs Start Pac-12 Right: Clean Sweep Over Fresno State
Fresno State came to Pullman, and the Cougs sent them home with a clean sweep. That is how you start a new Pac-12 era. No drama, no letdowns, just a weekend where Washington State took care of business from the first pitch to the final out. It was the kind of performance that makes you think this team might be something different this year. Baseball is a grind, and opening conference play on the right foot matters more than most fans want to admit. The Cougs didn't just win. They controlled the series. That is the difference between a team that hopes to hang around and one that plans to make noise. If you missed any of the action, we have you covered. Our piece on how Fresno State couldn't slow the Cougs in a clean road win gives you the nuts and bolts of the weekend. It is worth the read if you want the details without the fluff. Now we know who is on the schedule for the rest of Pac-12 play. The path is clear. The question is whether the Cougs can keep this momentum rolling. Early signs say yes. But baseball has a way of humbling you fast. For now, enjoy the sweep. It is a good feeling. Go Cougs.
Dvorak gets the Pac-12 nod, and Pullman nods right back
Dvorak gets the Pac-12 nod, and Pullman nods right back. That's the kind of recognition that lands different when you've spent a Saturday in Beasley, watching a kid grind through a doubleheader while the wind is doing things to the flags that physics shouldn't allow. The conference saw what we saw. Good. This isn't a participation ribbon, and nobody in this town hands those out anyway. The Cougs are building something, and the conference schedule is where it shows. We already covered the start of that run in "Cougs Start Pac-12 Right: Clean Sweep Over Fresno State", a weekend that reminded everyone what clean baseball looks like when the Palouse lets you have a nice day. The sweep is worth reliving before the next pitch. Pullman notices the small things. The guy who shags foul balls with his kid. The postgame handshake that lasts a beat too long. Dvorak getting a conference nod is a reminder that the people grinding in the background are the ones who keep this thing real. No flash. No hype. Just work. So tip your cap to the kid. Then get ready for the next series. Go Cougs.
For the Leaupepetele brothers, Sunday dinner looks a lot different now
Jirah Leaupepetele called his brother Jonah this week, not to talk trash for once, but to fish for intel. Jonah, Fresno State's starting right guard, wasn't giving anything up. Fair enough. The problem? Jonah's listed as questionable and isn't expected to play Saturday when the Cougs host the Bulldogs. So the first-ever on-field matchup between these two brothers will have to wait. That doesn't mean this weekend is meaningless. Far from it. Their parents, Tony and Rhonda, are driving up from Apple Valley with the other five kids and a whole mess of grandparents, nieces, and nephews. Jirah made it clear what colors they better be wearing. The Leaupepetele family has earned this moment. Jirah transferred in from Eastern Washington and has become a force on the interior of WSU's defensive line, notching his first sack as a Coug last week against Arizona. Jonah earned the starting job at Fresno State as a redshirt freshman before the injury. Even if they don't line up across from each other, they'll share the same field. That's enough for a family that watched these boys grow up sharing a bedroom, one yelling at video games, the other trying to sleep. This is the kind of story that reminds you why Cougar football matters beyond the score. For more on how this weekend is shaping up, check out our piece on how the Cougs stared down the Dawgs and didn't flinch. Go Cougs.
Jaylen Thomas gets the Pac-12 nod, and nobody who watched is surprised
Jaylen Thomas got the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week nod, and if you were in Beasley or watching on the stream, you saw it coming before the final whistle. The kid was everywhere. Not the flashy kind of everywhere, the kind that makes offensive coordinators start chewing their headsets. Thomas earned this one. We do not hand out "Coug of the Week" trophies in this space, but if we did, this would be the week to dust one off. The conference noticed. Pullman noticed. And if you missed our piece on Dvorak getting his own Pac-12 nod, go find it. Same vibe. Different position. Both guys showing that the Cougar defense is not just holding its own, it's taking names. Thomas has been building toward this. Anyone who watched him work in fall camp knew the motor was different. Now the rest of the conference has the tape. Good luck game-planning around him. That is the kind of week where you just nod at the TV and say, "Yeah. That tracks." No surprise. No need to gush. Just respect. Go Cougs.
We finally know who the Cougs will chase in Pac-12 play next season
The Pac-12 schedule is out, and we finally know who the Cougs will chase next season. No more guessing. No more waiting by the mailbox. The league gave us the road map, and it looks like a grind. WSU opens conference play at home against Utah, which is about as friendly a welcome as a Palouse wind in November. Then you get Oregon State on the road, followed by a trip to Los Angeles to face USC. That stretch will tell us everything about this team. The home slate includes a late-season date with Washington, which is always the one you circle. Pullman will be loud for that one. The schedule is what it is. You play who they put in front of you. But looking at this thing, there is no soft landing. Every week brings a team that can beat you if you are not ready. That is the Pac-12. That is why we watch. The Cougs will have to earn every win, and that is exactly how it should be. No shortcuts. No gimmes. Just football in the fall, and a chance to prove something. Go Cougs.