WSU vs Eastern Washington: Cougs going for first season-opening win under Mike Leach
Sep 2, 2016, 9:44 AM | Updated: 9:46 am
Washington State's Mike Leach announced the promotion of a new assistant Tuesday. (AP)
(AP)
Washington State opens its season Saturday at 5 p.m. against Eastern Washington, and my kids are fired up, preparing to be front and center when we turn on the Pac-12 Network’s broadcast on our flat screen.
I have season tickets and could be going to the game at Martin Stadium. But we’re staying home for one good reason – we’re going to the Boise State game in Boise next weekend (if I can find tickets) and I can’t afford two football weekends in a row, simple as that.
This figures to be an exciting Cougar football season featuring an Air-Raid offense with several key components returning such as quarterback Luke Falk and receivers Gabe Marks and River Cracraft. We might even contend for the Pac-12 North championship with Washington, Stanford and Oregon. Our defense will be the key to that, and with defensive end Hercules Mata’afa, linebacker Peyton Pelluer and newcomer Jalen Thompson at safety, there are enough rising stars to think everything’s possible this season.
The biggest question: Will safety Shalom Luani play Saturday? He hasn’t practiced this week and his status is in doubt after getting into a scuffle at a Domino’s Pizza joint on College Hill last week. I’ll guess that he sits this game out because it’s against Eastern and that be eligible to play against a tougher opponent in Boise State next week.
Falk could throw for 500 yards against an Eagles defense that allowed an average of 476 yards per game last year. But I’m nervous about this game for several reasons. Eastern Washington nearly beat the Huskies in Seattle two years ago. Eastern has a potent pass-and-catch combination with quarterback Jordan West and receiver Cooper Kupp, who will be drafted next year.
Plus the Cougs have not won a season opener in Mike Leach’s first four years in Pullman, and we all remember what happened last year when Portland State pulled off the stunner of stunners at Martin Stadium. That can’t happened again, can it? Washington State is a 23.5-point favorite. But since Eastern figures to be the more motivated team, I’ll take the Cougs to win and the Eagles to cover the spread.
Prediction: WSU 44, EWU 27
The Go 2 Guy also writes for SeattlePI.com and KitsapSun.com. You can reach Jim at jimmoorethego2guy@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @cougsgo.
