Latest Bowl Projections Send Washington State To Hawaii For Christmas Eve

Sep 6, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars running back Angel Johnson (1) carries the ball against the San Diego State Aztecs in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

With five games of the 2025 season in their rear-view mirror, the Washington State Cougars are 3-2 and on the right track in terms of qualifying for a postseason game.

For Cougar fans in Pullman and other areas that will likely see wintry weather in the month of December, the opportunity to see their team play a game in warmer weather may be a welcome opportunity. If ESPN's latest bowl projections come to fruition, they'll get that chance.

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ESPN's Kyle Bonagura projects the Cougars to face the New Mexico Lobos in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl at the end of the season. That bowl game is scheduled for Wednesday, December 24 with an 8 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN from the campus of the University of Hawaii.

Washington State have been to 19 bowl games, with a record of 8-11 in those contests dating back to the 1916 Tournament East-West football game, the contest that became known as the Rose Bowl. Only one of those bowl appearances for Washington State happened in the state of Hawaii. Head Coach Dennis Erickson led WSU to a 24-22 win over Houston on Christmas Day, 1988 in the Aloha Bowl at the old Aloha Stadium.

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More recently, WSU have played in nine bowl games dating back to 2013. However, WSU have not won a bowl game since the 2018 Alamo Bowl, which capped an 11-2 campaign under head coach Mike Leach.

If Jimmy Rogers does secure a postseason spot for the Cougars, he would be the third Washington State head coach to lead the program to a bowl game in their first full season at the helm (Jake Dickert - 2022, Bill Doba - 2003).

As for Washington State's history with the New Mexico Lobos, The Cougars lead the all-time series 2-1. While WSU beat UNM in both 2003 and 2004, New Mexico beat WSU 38-35 in 2024 behind three rushing touchdowns from current Utah quarterback three touchdowns. For the Cougs, John Mateer threw four touchdown passes, three of them to current New England Patriot Kyle Williams.

Currently, the Cougars enter a bye week. They'll return to action on October 11 with a contest against the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, a morning kickoff for fans back on the West Coast on the SEC Network.

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