A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s about – insert your adjective here – time. Maybe well past time. The most anticipated college football season since 1906 or 1936. The biggest changes since the liberalization of the rules or invention of the polls. A weekend packed with games starting with a Thursday night filled with them.
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• What are we excited about? Simply put, everything. Well, not being able to experience the traditional Pac-12 schedule, but even in that regard we can’t wait to see how long before this whole Power 4 fraternity falls apart and another new iteration of the game off the field is born. It will happen. In the near future.
But that’s for then. Today?
College football begins again. In earnest. Even here.
Eastern Washington kicks off the local schedule on the red turf, hosting Monmouth in a game you can actually watch on Comcast in Spokane. Yep, no carriage issues (see below) with SWX, who will have the FCS matchup starting at 6 p.m. (It’s also available on ESPN+ for those of you who have embraced the 21st century.)
Besides the Eagles trying to right the ship after two consecutive losing seasons, there are four ranked FBS teams in action, all of whom are at least 32-point favorites. Ranked teams hosting overmatched foes so alums and boosters can celebrate properly. Is college football back or what?
• What games today interest us? Thanks for asking. How about North Dakota State at Colorado. It’s a no-lose situation for perennial FCS power NDSU, which enters the season ranked second. A massive risk for Deion Sanders and his second rebuilt Colorado squad. And a matchup featuring Bison vs. Buffalo. What’s not to like?
We’re also sort of intrigued by North Carolina’s visit to Minnesota (5 p.m., Fox). Even though neither team is ranked, this could be a potential Big Ten matchup someday if Florida State and Clemson succeed in their court battle to tear the ACC apart. That is if Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State don’t throw Minnesota out of the conference. The Tar Heels are favored by two points but we’re more inclined to be on the Gophers’ side.
If watching future Washington State (or Oregon State) opponents from the Mountain West is on your agenda this weekend, there is one opportunity. But it’s late. At least for us. San Jose State, which visits Pullman Sept. 20, hosts Sacramento State at 7 on truTV (and Max). The Spartans, with a new coaching staff, are favored by 3.5 points but Sac State, ranked eighth in the FCS, is a good bet for the Big Sky’s second win over a MWC school already this season.
• As far as we can tell, there has been no movement on the Comcast vs. The Big Ten Network battle. Big Cable vs. Big College Football. The winners? Lawyers`. Media consultants. Arbiters. The losers. The rest of us.
If you want to watch Washington (vs. Weber State, 8 p.m.) and Oregon (vs. Idaho, 4:30) play Saturday, Comcast probably won’t be the way to go.
• One last game on our radar tonight. Not because it will be close. Utah is a 38.5-point favorite over visiting Southern Utah. That’s immaterial. What is material is the return of oft-injured Cam Rising, the Utah quarterback. Kyle Whittingham’s team was good enough to compete in the Pac-12 last season without him. And the year before that. But if it wants to reach another conference title game, this time in the Big 12, and a possible playoff berth, he will need to stay healthy.
And be as successful as he’s ever been. The 25-year-old may never be an NFL quarterback. But he’s older than a few starters in that league and may be paid as much, or more, than quite a few backups. He has to be the Utes’ guy. All year.
• How old is Rising? He’s three years older than Chicago Bears’ savior Caleb Williams. C.J. Stroud, the league’s offensive rookie of the year. And Colts’ starter Anthony Richardson. Heck, he’s two years older than Bryce Young and has a year on Trevor Lawrence. The same age as Justin Fields and Zach Wilson.
The Hawks’ backup, Sam Howell? Yep, Rising is older. By two years.
Will he get through this season unscathed? It’s just one of a multitude of questions that will be answered. Starting in earnest tonight.
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College football: We are breaking protocol here a bit today. It’s called for. Really. The stories from the S-R’s football section appeared on the website this morning. Stories about Washington State. The Vandals. Eastern Washington. The Huskies. Whitworth. Even more. We know you are interested, but linking every story would overpower us. And probably you too. But we have a solution. Everyone one of them, from how college football’s new world order impacts FCS schools to a Mountain West preview, are contained on this one, handy-dandy link. Bookmark it. Read the stories in your leisure time (if you have any after the first kickoff tonight). Read what interests you. We’ll do the same. We’ve already been through a bunch and have links to key pieces in the school sections below. But that’s not a perfect list, nor is it comprehensive. Make your own. Just follow the link.
WSU: The Cougar coaching staff is balancing some things throughout their roster. Greg Woods delves into one today. The balance between building depth and playing inexperienced guys. Giving many of them a chance to learn multiple positions. It’s not easy. But it’s important. … The Times has Cougar stories as well today, including one on the team overall and one on the starting tight end. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, the season actually began last week with a huge upset. That is part of the reason we are excited to see how everything will turn out. … Jon Wilner will add a feature this season. A look at the media and college football. He has his first installment today. Sanders features prominently. Maybe these guys will show up later. … The NCAA is doing NCAA things once more. … Oregon State has a new look offense. But the identity is similar. The Beavers open their season by hosting Idaho State. … The final three. We’re talking about the Oregonian’s numbers stories. We have No. 3 on Oregon State and Oregon for you today. … There are many challenges facing Washington right now, most notably the financial pressure from a discounted Big Ten membership. … Oregon seems to be facing the challenge of injuries as it gets ready to start its season vs. Idaho. … With all the noise out of Boulder, we can’t forget Colorado has a superlative quarterback. … UCLA opens a new era in Hawaii on Saturday. … Everyone else is playing checkers. USC’s leaders are playing chess. … Arizona State hopes to have some surprises for those who watch them open against Wyoming. … Arizona’s surprise? Fewer pep rallies. … In the Mountain West, Hawaii has a legacy player on its roster. … The Boise State punter is kicking for charity. … San Diego State has a tradition of great punters. … Do not sleep on Air Force’s opponent this week. … Is there any way Colorado State can upset Texas? … In basketball news, Gonzaga Prep graduate Liam Lloyd has transferred to Arizona, where his dad is the head coach. Liam became a father in the spring and now may be the first player to ever suit up for three Arizona Division I basketball schools. … Utah is building a new baseball field on campus.
EWU: The Eagles’ defense will have a new look this season. And only one option, according to sixth-year defensive end Brock Harrison. “Our motto going in is, there’s no other option,” he told Dan Thompson. “The only option is to win.” That quote and many others are part of Dan’s preview of tonight’s game. … Eagles’ head coach Aaron Best has been in his position for eight years. The past two have been hard. What is he doing to fix it? Dave Boling asked. The answer? Well, you’ll have to read Dave’s story to find out. … Rodney Stuckey is one of six Eastern athletes in the 20th class of Hall of Fame inductees by the school’s athletic department. That news leads off the S-R’s latest local briefs column. … Former Eastern star Kendrick Bourne will start the NFL season in the injured list. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Dan also has a look at the conference race, with some predictions. … UC Davis will open its highly anticipated season at California. … Northern Arizona will open the Brian Wright era against Lincoln. … Is this a season of opportunity for Portland State?
Idaho: The key to the Vandals’ success this season will probably come on the defensive side of the football. Idaho has to rebuild the offense but the defense is more of a known entity. Peter Harriman has that and more in this story.
Whitworth: Rod Sandberg has it going north of Spokane. The Pirates were undefeated last regular season. Won the Northwest Conference. Won their NCAA Division III playoff opening game. Now an experienced group is ready for its star turn. Greg Lee has a look at the Pirates as well as a story on Sandberg.
Indians: Spokane broke a tie with a four run eighth inning, highlighted by Dyan Jorge’s bases-loaded double. The 9-5 win over Tri-City at Avista, covered in depth by Dave Nichols, allowed the Indians to keep its distance from Vancouver, who defeated host Hillsboro 10-5.… Elsewhere in the Northwest League, Everett scored late to top host Eugene 7-5.
Chiefs: Spokane opens training camp today with an eye not only on this season but next. Dave explains that in this preview.
Seahawks: How healthy are the Hawks? We can pass along an update. Better than thought, maybe. Abe Lucas should be able to play this season. … How about Geno Smith and his contract? … The practice squad (and entire roster) is under construction still. … The schedule features a decent amount of decent quarterbacks.
Mariners: The M’s capped off their homestand with a 6-2 win over Tampa Bay, powered by three home runs. … How good are the M’s starting pitchers? Well, they have two of the top six in these ratings. And three of the top 13. All of them are in the top 34. … The offense may just be coming to life as we get ready to enter September. Too late? Right on time? … J.P. Crawford is back.
Storm: Jewel Lloyd drained a key 3-pointer late and Seattle topped Atlanta 85-81 in a must-win home game.
Sounders: Semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup enough? It has to be. Seattle lost 1-0 at Starfire last night to, you guessed it, LAFC. That’s a team the Sounders just can’t overcome right now.
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• Yes, we intended to be done early today. Didn’t happen. We had no idea all the college football stories would drop on us. Though we arose long before the sun, we were overpowered. Sort of like a Colorado left tackle against Utah. Until later …