WSU Cougars land in CFP rankings for 1st time since 2018

Nov 5, 2024, 4:18 PM | Updated: 4:49 pm

WSU Cougars Boise State Broncos preview John Mateer...

WSU Cougars quarterback John Mateer runs for a TD against the UW Huskies in the 2024 Apple Cup. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

(Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

BY CAMERON VAN TIL

Seattle Sports

The WSU Cougars debuted at No. 21 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season on Tuesday night.

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It marks the first time the Cougars have landed in the CFP rankings since 2018, when they were ranked as high as No. 8 and finished No. 13.

Washington State is off to a 7-1 start, highlighted by a 37-16 rout of Texas Tech and a 24-19 Apple Cup win over archrival Washington. The Cougars’ lone blemish was a 45-24 road loss to Heisman Trophy-contending running back Ashton Jeanty and Boise State, which is No. 12 in the CFP rankings.

This is the first of six weekly editions of the CFP rankings. The final rankings on Dec. 8 will determine the field for the new 12-team playoff, which will consist of the five highest-ranked conference champions and the seven highest-ranked at-large teams.

As one of just two remaining teams in the Pac-12 following the conference’s demise, Washington State’s only path to the playoff would be as an at-large selection. The two-team Pac-12 doesn’t meet the CFP’s eight-team minimum to be considered for an automatic bid.

If the Cougars win out and finish 11-1, they may have an outside shot at earning an at-large spot. But due to a weaker schedule that features just two opponents from the Power Four conferences, Washington State would probably need a lot of chaos elsewhere. The at-large spots are sure to fill up quickly with teams from the SEC and Big Ten, who combined for seven of the top eight spots in Tuesday’s initial rankings. At the moment, the lowest at-large team would be No. 11 Alabama.

Washington State closes its regular season against Utah State (2-6), at New Mexico (3-6), at Oregon State (4-4) and against Wyoming (2-7). According to ESPN Analytics, the Cougars have a greater than 67% win probability in all four matchups: Utah State (94%), New Mexico (84.8%), Oregon State (67.2%) and Wyoming (93.3%).

Washington State is playing eight Mountain West opponents this season as part of a scheduling agreement that helped the Cougars fill out their schedule in the wake of the Pac-12’s collapse.

The CFP rankings are compiled by a 13-person selection committee that includes current athletic directors and school administrators, along with former coaches and players.

The CFP expanded to 12 teams this season after featuring a four-team format from 2014 through 2023.