WSU (No. 13) will play in Alamo Bowl after missing New Year’s 6 cut
Dec 2, 2018, 12:24 PM | Updated: 12:41 pm
Mike Leach's WSU Cougars are heading to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl. (AP)
(AP)
The WSU Cougars will not be playing on New Year’s Day despite an 11-2 season that saw them challenge for the Pac-12 North crown.
View the full CFP, AP and Coaches’ Polls
Washington State (10-2) is ranked 13th in the final College Football Playoff poll, leaving the Cougs one spot away from playing in one of the New Year’s Six bowl games on Jan. 1. It was the same ranking WSU in the previous poll, a five-spot drop following a loss in the Apple Cup.
Instead, WSU is headed to San Antonio to play No. 24 Iowa State (8-4) in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28. It will be Washington State’s second Alamo Bowl appearance, the other being in 1994 in a 10-3 win over Baylor.
It's official! We'll see @CycloneFB and @WSUCougFB in the Alamodome on December 28 in the #ValeroAlamoBowl! pic.twitter.com/nFRpBloLgP
— Valero Alamo Bowl (@valeroalamobowl) December 2, 2018
WSU had a strong possibility of playing in one of the New Year’s Six bowl had it won the Apple Cup to clinch the Pac-12 North over rival Washington (10-3) and earn a spot in the Pac-12 Championship game against Utah, but the Washington loss coupled with a previous loss to USC and lack of any ranked non-conference opponents ultimately prevented the Cougars from getting a spot in one of the marquee games.
Washington is ranked No. 9 in the final CFP poll and by virtue of being Pac-12 champion is headed to its first Rose Bowl in 18 years to meet Big Ten champion Ohio State (12-1), which is ranked No. 6.
For more information on the final CFP poll, click here.
