Washington State Cougars Land At #72 in The Athletic's Preseason Rankings

Oct 21, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Washington State Cougars head coach Jake Dickert reacts on the sidelines during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports | Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

In anticipation of the 2024 college football season, Chris Vannini of The Athletic released his comprehensive preseason rankings of each team in FBS college football on Monday.

Vannini ranks the Washington State Cougars at #72, just behind Pac-12 conference mate Oregon State at #71.

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At the end of the 2023 season, the Cougars were the #70 team in the nation in The Athletic's postseason rankings. It's not a huge drop to two spots back, but the loss of starting quarterback Cam Ward to the Miami Hurricanes in the transfer portal likely played a role in the shift in expectations. The Cougars do return 56% of last season's production, however.

After a 5-7 campaign in 2023, Jake Dickert hopes to lead his team back to the postseason thanks to a fairly favorable schedule comprised mostly of Mountain West opponents. WSU and OSU reached a scheduling agreement with the league in order to make that happen.

WSU will open the 2024 season on August 31, hosting Portland State.