Who will WSU face in 2023?
WSU offensive lineman Konner Gomness tackles the ball to quarterback Cameron Ward during an NCAA football game against Arizona State, November 12.
January 26, 2023
residence:
Wisconsin
WSU beat then #19 ranked Wisconsin during the 2022 season. Wisconsin recently hired a new head coach, Luke Fickel. They will be looking for revenge on the Cougs at the Palouse in 2023. It should be a tough first competition for WSU as they play September 9 in Week 2.
Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado hasn’t been successful the past few seasons. They have a recent history of losing. They went 3-8 last season. This will be WSU’s third game of the season on September 16th.
Oregon
Oregon State is on the rise, a program that went 10-3 in 2022. They finished the season ranked No. 17, according to AP Poll. Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei recently transferred to Oregon State from Clemson. This will be WSU’s first Pac-12 contest when they play September 23 in Week 4.
Arizona
Arizona finished 5-7 in 2022. They are ranked under WSU in the Pac-12 standings at 8th in the conference. They still have ex-Cough Jayden De Laura in the quarterback role, so coming to Martin Stadium would be a hellish atmosphere for him. They will play on October 14th in the sixth week.
Stanford
Stanford was one of the worst teams in the Pac-12 this past season, right behind Colorado. They finished with a record of 3-9. WSU blew them away in 2022, managing to beat Stanford 52-14. They also lost their starting quarterback to the NFL Draft. They will face off November 4 in week nine.
Colorado
In the past, Colorado has been a laughing stock in the Pac-12. This turned around in just one season as they hired Deon Sanders as their head coach. Their transition class is now ranked #1 in the country. They will have a completely different look next season. WSU will play Colorado on November 15 in their last home game.
Away:
Colorado State
Colorado State is one of the worst football programs in the country. They have a history of despair over the past few years. They finished 3-9 near the bottom of their conference. WSU beat them in 2022 38-7. This will be the season opener for both teams when they play September 2 in Week 11.
University of California
UCLA played well in 2022, bringing relevance back to the football program. They ended up at No. 21 in the AP Poll. Chip Kelly and his pervasive collegiate system are perfect for the team. They will miss starting quarterback Dorian Thompson Robinson, but will still be fine. They play WSU on October 7 in the fifth week of the season.
Oregon
Oregon State is considered one of the top talents in the Pac-12. They are stacked head to toe in talent on the field, both defensively and offensively. They finished 2022 in 15th place. Coach Dan Lanning was also a revelation for them, leading them to a 10-3 record in his first year as head coach. Bo Nix will also be in the conversation for the Heisman nomination. WSU will face Oregon on October 21 in Week 7.
Arizona
The Arizona State program somewhat crumbled last season when they fired their head coach, Herm Edwards, mid-season. They finished their season 3-9 and 10th in the Pac-12. It will be Kelly Dillingham in his first season as head coach. WSU will play ASU on October 28 in Week 8.
California
Cal is not a good team, they finished 4-8. Head coach Justin Wilcox is trying to completely rebuild the program. They have a star running back Jayden Ott who is going into his sophomore year. Other than him, they don’t have many bright spots. WSU will play Cal on November 11 in the week 10.
Washington
The Apple Cup wasn’t very competitive in 2022 as the University of Washington blew WSU 51-33. UW is ranked #8 in the AP Poll in 2022. One of the top Heisman candidates will be Michael Bennix Jr. and he is expected to have a huge production season. UW will be very competitive in the AP Poll rankings as it will attempt to make a playoff push. WSU will play UW November 25 in Week 12.