AP Top 25 bonus points: Washington State’s season debut in poll at No. 22 a source of pride for Pac-12

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 only WSU and Oregon State. Those two stay together until five recently announced schools (and hopefully a sixth) join what will be a Football league reconstituted in 2026.

Until then, the Pac-12 will take all the glory it can get. Right now, that’s Washington State’s season debut in The Associated Press poll.

The Cougars are ranked 22nd after their 29-26 victory 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 rallied the Cougars 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. They are the heart Cougs,” Dickert said. “In our football team there is no resignation. There is a lot of courage, a lot of heart, a lot of passion. That comes from within, that comes from the team, that comes from the leaders. There is no death. It was what, 14-26, right? And they returned, they continued believing. “We’ve done it before, we’ll do it again.”

Washington State will play eight Mountain West opponents and Oregon State will play 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 had to improvise schedules for 2025 and will meet twice next November.

Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State and San Diego State will leave the MWC to join the Pac-12 next season. Gonzaga of the West Coast Conference will join as a non-football member. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 is looking to add an eighth football member in order to regain its status as a Football Bowl subdivision league.

Dickert said his program can build its future in the new Pac-12 by racking up wins this season and next.

“It just means that, for recruiting, Wazzu is here to stay,” he said. “We have a strong brand on the West Coast. It has resonated throughout this class. Obviously, we let five of those teams in (2026) on equal terms, and that’s different. So you have to get ahead of them. To stay ahead of them, you have to invest more than them. “That’s the most important thing we have to continue to do as Cougs.”

Reviewing five of the top 25:

No. 3 Penn State

With the Nittany Lions’ top-five matchup against No. 4 Ohio State sure to be the talk of the week in college football, quarterback Drew Allar’s status will receive much of the attention. Allar was sacked on Penn State’s final drive of the first half and did not play in the second half. road win at Wisconsin. He was wearing a brace on his left knee. If Allar can’t go, it’ll be the Beau Pribula show.

No. 6 Texas

The Longhorns have an open date before hosting 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 he had against Georgia arose in the 27-24 victory at Vanderbilt. Quinn Ewers turned both of his interceptions into touchdowns and the Longhorns had 10 penalties.

No. 15 Boise State

The Broncos solidified themselves as favorites to earn the Group of Five spot in the College Football Playoff with their 29-24 victory at UNLV. National rushing leader Ashton Jeanty rushed for a season-low 128 yards and the winning touchdown. The defense shined with six sacks, the third time in four games they have had at least that many. The final 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.

UME No. 20

The Mustangs come into their home matchup with No. 18 Pittsburgh off a rare win at Duke. They won 28-27 in overtime but not before blocking Duke’s winning field goal attempt at the end of regulation and forcing a 2-point incomplete pass by the Blue Devils to win in overtime. They also committed six turnovers without taking anything.

No. 23 Colorado

The Buffaloes are bowl eligible for the first time since 2020 and return to the Top 25 for the first time since being ranked three weeks before last season. They’ve come a long way since their 28-10 loss at Nebraska in Week 2. The defense is allowing about 13 points and 90 fewer yards per game than a year ago, Shedeur Sanders has thrown for a Big 12-leading 21 touchdowns. and two-way star Travis Hunter is a Heisman Trophy contender.

Extra points

Ohio State and Penn State have been ranked each of the last seven times they have met. Saturday’s match will be the first since 1996 in which both have finished in the top five. … Pittsburgh and SMU will meet for the seventh time and the second time in a Top 25 matchup. The first was in 1983, when No. 4 SMU beat No. 6 Pitt 7-3. …Missouri remained in the rankings, falling from 21st to 25th, despite losing 34-0 at Alabama and appearing on only 18 ballots. Vanderbilt appeared on 23 ballots, but moved from 25th to the team that received the most votes among the unranked. Only three points separate the two, largely because five voters ranked the Tigers 21st or 22nd.

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