The Cougars have put together three straight winning seasons under Mike Leach and while they very well may finish over .500 in 2018, the question here is whether they will win eight games. Washington State has won eight or more games in each of the past three seasons, the first time the Cougars have reached that number since winning 10 games in each season from 2001-2003. However, the 2018 season will be a bit different as Leach has to replace some key contributors, most notably quarterback Luke Falk.
Washington State 2018 regular season win total
Over 7.5 (-115)
Under 7.5 (-115)
Odds courtesy of BetDSI Sportsbook.
What Happened Last Year
The Cougars got off to a fast start in 2017, going 6-0 right out of the gate including a triple-overtime win against Boise State and a Friday night upset against USC. However, all that momentum came crashing down in a 37-3 loss to Cal, which started a downward spiral for the Cougars.
Leach’s bunch lost three of its final six games of the regular season, then was routed by Michigan State in the Holiday Bowl. The end of the year may have been a disappointment, but a nine-win season at Washington State, is nothing to scoff at.
What Will Change This Year
College football teams undergo changes every season, but some are obviously bigger than others. This year the Cougars have a few major holes to fill, most notably the quarterback and the defensive coordinator.
Falk threw for at least 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons and although Leach has had success with a number of different quarterbacks in college, replacing that kind of production isn’t easy. Redshirt junior Trey Tinsley appears to be the front runner for the job right now, but that could change once Gardner Minshew enters the competition. Minshew, a grad transfer from East Carolina, threw for 2,140 yards with 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions last year, but it remains to be seen how quickly he can absorb the Cougars’ offense.
Alex Grinch did wonders with the Cougars’ defense, which ranked 16th in total defense in 2017. But now, Grinch has moved on to Ohio State and Tracy Claeys, who was previously the head coach at Minnesota, will take over. Claeys has been a defensive coordinator before and his defense may ultimately become good in Pullman, however the first year under a new scheme is always a bit tricky as players learn the new system and coaches wait for the players they recruited to arrive.
Click Here to Start Betting Today!
Outlook & Prediction
Washington State’s non-conference schedule becomes a bit easier in 2018 as Montana, Boise State and Nevada turn into Wyoming, San Jose State and Eastern Washington. However, the Cougars went 3-0 in non-conference in 2017 so the easier opponents won’t translate to more wins. From that point on, the Cougars schedule gets tough. Washington state has to travel to USC in 2018 and has a rough stretch of Oregon, at Stanford, Cal and at Colorado after the bye week. The Cougars do get a home game against the Huskies this season, but Washington is incredibly talented and the location of that game may not matter. Washington State has a lot of question marks and a tough schedule, making the under look like the smart play here.
