"Washington State is bowl-eligible again after smashing Oregon State in the regular-season finale. The sixth victory secured a 2-for-2 record for the Cougars: Two seasons in Pac-12 purgatory, following the demise of the former conference and before the rise of the rebuilt version, and two bowl bids. The accomplishment is both impressive and unsurprising. Coaching changes, quarterback turnover, brutal schedules, tight budgets none of it has successfully derailed WSU's drives for the postseason."
"They are bowling for the ninth time in the past 10 non-COVID seasons. That equals the success rate in Seattle, Eugene and Salt Lake City. And it's more postseason appearances in that span than USC, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, Stanford, Cal, Arizona State and Oregon State can claim. The Cougars' streak began in 2015, Mike Leach's fourth year on the Palouse, with a trip to the Sun Bowl."
"The 2020s brought massive chaos. But they were bowl-eligible in 2021 despite firing Nick Rolovich in October for failing to comply with the vaccine mandate for state employees. Interim coach Jake Dickert led them to an Apple Cup win and the Sun Bowl. He was given the permanent job and took the Cougars back to the postseason in 2022. They missed by one game in 2023, the result of three three-point losses in November (to Stanford, Cal and Washington)"
Washington State secured bowl eligibility with a decisive win over Oregon State, earning a sixth victory and maintaining a two-bowl-bid record across two seasons outside the Pac-12. The program has reached postseason play nine times in the past 10 non-COVID seasons, matching several regional programs and surpassing numerous traditional Pac-12 teams. The streak began with Mike Leach's 2015 Sun Bowl appearance and persisted through the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the firing of Nick Rolovich, interim Jake Dickert's Apple Cup and Sun Bowl success, Dickert's departure, Jimmy Rogers' hiring, a quarterback loss to Oklahoma, and a demanding schedule of bowl-eligible opponents.
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