WASHINGTON STATE STARTS THE YEAR RANKED #100 AND PICKED TO FINISH LAST IN PAC-10
The Coach Dodge Era will start out without high expectations in Pullman. Once a Pac-10 powerhouse, the Cougars have fallen on tough times and this isn't going to change overnight. After going 0-9 in the Pac-10 last year, WSU finds themselves picked to finish last once again.
Pac-10 Coach "It's not that WSU is really that horrible, it's that the rest of the Conference is just that much better. Hopefully Coach Dodge can turn around their losing mindset and get the school heading in the right direction, I think it would be better for all of the Pac-10 teams"
(ORDER OF PROJECTED FINISH)
OREGON
USC
OREGON STATE
UTAH
STANFORD
WASHINGTON
UCLA
CAL
COLORADO
WASHINGTON STATE
2011 PRESEASON TOP-25 POLL
#1 OHIO STATE
#2 OKLAHOMA
#3 NEBRASKA
#4 OREGON
#5 BOISE STATE
#6 ALABAMA
#7 WISCONSIN
#8 TCU
#9 VIRGINIA TECH
#10 FLORIDA STATE
#11 IOWA
#12 MIAMI FL
#13 STANFORD
#14 AUBURN
#15 MICHIGAN
#16 TEXAS
#17 GEORGIA TECH
#18 SOUTH CAROLINA
#19 PENN STATE
#20 WEST VIRGINIA
#21 OREGON STATE
#22 ARKANSAS
#23 CINCINNATI
#24 GEORGIA
#25 ARIZONA
(NORTH TEXAS WAS RANKED #55)
Coach Dodge "I think it's great to see the Pac-10 start with 3 teams in the Top-25, it shows recruits that we are on par with the Big Ten, SEC, and Big 12. I really love seeing BSU in the Top-5. I have always been a big fan and look forward to our matchup with them in Week 1."
WASHINGTON STATE ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE
Last year Coach Dodge led the North Texas Mean Green over #3 Texas in Week 1. This year will be no different as the WSU Cougars will Battle #5 Boise State on "The Blue" Week 1.
1-@ #5
2-VS
"Rivalary Game- Battle of the Palouse"
3-VS #4
4- BYE WEEK
5-@ #13
6- VS
7-@
8- VS
10- BYE WEEK
10- VS
11- @ #21
12- @
13- VS
14- VS
"Rivalary Week- Apple Cup"
WSU Schedule gets a Overall grade of "A" as they take on #5 BSU, Idaho and San Diego along with a very tough Pac-10 schedule.
On paper, Idaho and SDSU look like wins and WSU did have a close game with Colorado last year, which again looks like their only chance for a Pac-10 win. Coach Dodge finished the year 9-4 in his Head Coaching debut. This year he will be lucking just to finish 4-9.