coachingthis cycle✓ factnew
Kirby Moore took over as Washington State's head coach, replacing Jimmy Rogers.
the contextreplaces 4-year head coach Jake Dickert (23-20)
our readfront page
Washington State
1-2Latest
Pac-12 · Kirby Moore, year 1 (1-2) · Gesa Field · 32,952 · 28,288 avg in 2026
The nationunrankedAP / Coaches
The model#49 CFB ZeitgeistSP+ #88 (-5.6) · FPI #97
The marketArizona by 10vs Arizona · our model 41% Washington State · a number, not a pick
LastW 48–7 vs Duquesne · Sat Sep 19 · Caden Pinnick 196 pass yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Nextvs Arizona · Sat Sep 26 · 7:30 pm ET · Gesa Field · Arizona by 10 · series 19-28, last win 2022 · Game preview
Updated Tue Sep 22 · through week 3
Washington State · 2026 schedule & results1-2
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 6 | #43 | #26 | +23.5✓ | @Washington | L 10–24 120 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 12 | #41 | #33 | +17.5✗ | @Kansas State | L 7–34 124 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 19 | #42 | #207 | -38.5✓ | Duquesne | W 48–7 115 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 26 | #48 | #28 | +10 | Arizona | |||
| 5 | Oct 4 | #49 | #53 | Fresno State | ||||
| 6 | Oct 10 | @Utah State | ||||||
| 7 | Oct 17 | @Oregon State | ||||||
| 8 | Oct 24 | Boise State | ||||||
| 9 | Oct 31 | @San Diego State | ||||||
| 11 | Nov 15 | Colorado State | ||||||
| 12 | Nov 21 | @Texas State |
Advanced box score (EPA, success rate, explosiveness)▼
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19 | Duquesne | W 48–7 | 512 | 1 | 28:16 | +0.330 | 54.7% | 128.6% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Sep 12 | @Kansas State | L 7–34 | 166 | 1 | 25:40 | -0.276 | 25.0% | 117.6% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Sep 6 | @Washington | L 10–24 | 242 | 3 | 30:44 | -0.023 | 31.6% | 102.6% | |
| Season average (3 games) | 307 | 1.7 | +0.010 | 37.1% | 116.3% | ||||
Verdict Begins·Live
Washington State is the program realignment left for dead — when the Pac-12 collapsed, Pullman got abandoned with Oregon State, and the Cougars spent two years as a conference of two before rebuilding the league themselves.
Title DroughtSince 2003 · 23 yrs
Cougar fans watched the bigger schools sprint to richer leagues and leave the loyal ones behind, and they have not forgotten which neighbor pulled the ladder up. They say the ones who ran abandoned…
low signal
The season in chapters
Ahead
What fans said
Washington State fans
r/CFB
▲ 61 · 2d ago
Washington State fans
r/CFB
▲ 146 · 1w ago
Kansas State fans on Washington State
Real posts from the day of the game, chosen by community score · usernames not shown
What it is like to watch them2025 · 7-6 · last season
Game feel43even gamescombined pts / game2nd highest-scoring of 2 in the Pac-12
Heart rate1-4some dramain one-score games (5 of 13)1st most one-score games of 2 in the Pac-12
Margin+2.3competitiveavg scoring margin1st best margin of 2 in the Pac-12
Tempo63average paceoffensive plays / game2nd fastest of 2 in the Pac-12
Big plays1.11some popexplosiveness (IsoPPP)1st most explosive of 2 in the Pac-12
Home crowd26,527avg attendance2nd biggest crowds of 2 in the Pac-12
✓ measured from 13 games · ranks are among Pac-12 teams the same season
Recent form · last 10 games · incl. 2025
Washington State has won three of its last five.
Mixed. 5-5 over the last 10, and won the last one.
Streak W1Last 5 · 3-2Last 10 · 5-5
It’s really just me trusting the process and whatever happens, happens. It happened to be in my favor, so it’s like, keep getting my head up, go back to work
The forecast
Next Sep 26
vs Arizona · at home
PoorRun-heavy, ground-controlStrong
~ our read on style
Market outlook
Season expectations
CFP championship#82 in field+100000
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-09-22
Washington State · the story right now
9 storylines developing
What Washington State's coaching hire is really about
the open questioncan a new staff change the trajectory?
portal2025-05-13~readnew
Jimmy Rogers' top-43 portal class, headlined by Caden Pinnick, is a survival play for Washington State's Air Raid legacy in Pullman.
what happenedWashington State signed a top-43 transfer-portal class — 34 additions headlined by Julian Dugger (QB) from Pittsburgh and Ajani Sheppard (QB) from Rutgers. ✓ fact
the contexta top-2 portal class in the Pac-12 this cycle
our readdeveloping
coaching2025 cycle~readnew
Jimmy Rogers begins his first season at Washington State with just 25% production returning — a steep rebuild for a program defined by Air Raid legacy and Pullman resilience.
what happenedJimmy Rogers took over as Washington State's head coach, replacing Pete Kaligis. ✓ fact
the contextthe program's third head coach in five seasons
our readdeveloping
coordinatorsthis cycle~readnew
Jimmy Rogers begins his first season at Washington State with a 7-6 record and a program still defined by its post-conference survival, raising questions about sustaining momentum in a volatile Pac-12.
what happenedWashington State: coordinator change reshaping a unit. ✓ fact
our readdeveloping
identitythis cycle~readnew
Jimmy Rogers begins his tenure at Washington State with a 7-6 record, anchoring a program defined by its Pac-12-collapse holdout identity and remote Pullman legacy.
what happenedWashington State: the fanbase's identity shifting. ✓ fact
our readfront page
money down2025 cycle✓ factnew
Tony Freeman is a legitimate money-down target -- his 3rd-down conversion rate ranks among the position's best, and his per-target value holds up in that spot too.
our readdeveloping
coordinators2025 cycle~readnew
Kirby Moore inherits a 7-6 record at Washington State, where the Air Raid legacy and conference collapse tensions test whether a coordinator-driven rebuild can reverse a lower-tier program's trajectory.
what happenedWashington State: coordinator change reshaping a unit. ✓ fact
our readbackground
market_swing2026-06-25~readnew
Jimmy Rogers begins his tenure with a 7-6 record and a #95 talent rank, raising questions about whether the program's Pac-12-collapse holdout identity can align with a modest win total increase.
what happenedWashington State win total rose from 5 to 5.5 (+0.5 wins) between Jun 24 and Jun 25, 2026 (tier C). ✓ fact
the contextwin total up 0.5 from 5.0 to 5.5
our readdeveloping
closer2025 cycle~attributednew
Angel Johnson: a closer signal screened this season.
our readbackground
How past storylines here turned out
ReplacedWashington State moved on from that hire — a new coaching change began the following season. See who's next →
Died downWashington State's defensive coordinator change has died down — no clear next chapter yet.
ReplacedWashington State's offensive coordinator spot turned over again the following season. See who's next →
Outcome band · Washington State · 2026
Outcome band · Washington State · 2026Washington State's most likely season is 8-5 — a bowl game. The floor is 5-7; the ceiling is 10-3.
Floor 5-7Ceiling 10-3Base 8-5
0 wins13 wins
Floor5-7No postseason.
Base8-5A bowl game.
Ceiling10-3A bowl game, 2 more wins.
Floor, base and ceiling come from the season-path projection, which plays out conference title games and the CFP — so a ceiling can run past 12 games.
How the room reacted
Developing · Washington State · Coaching Confidence
The Jimmy Rogers era at Washington State: where it actually stands.
Jimmy Rogers took over as Washington State's head coach, replacing Pete Kaligis. It is the program's third head coach in five seasons. The doubters have gotten specific over time — a different level of counter than first-week heat. The skeptics have pulled ahead — the expectations and the returns aren't lining up.
Developing4 new this week
todayWin total — no reprice yet on "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury"
yesterdayWin total (line at 4.5) — no reprice yet on "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury"
3 days agoWin total (line at 4.5) holding steady right after "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury"
last weekTony Freeman out for season with ACL injury — Reported
2 weeks agoWashington State transfers share what's beneath Jimmy Rogers' tough exterior — KCCI
The cast who's driving the story · latest headline on each, attributed
Jimmy Rogers Head coach
“Washington State transfers share what's beneath Jimmy Rogers' tough exterior” — KCCI · 2026-09-05
Pete Kaligis Out
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
Jimmy Rogers begins his first season at Washington State with just 25% production returning — a steep rebuild for a program defined by Air Raid legacy and Pullman resilience.
Next · what to watch
The obvious story is the marquee name; the non-obvious one is roster churn — a coaching change keeps a portal and decommit window open long after the introductory presser. Watch decommitments and portal moves in the next window — that's where this is actually won or lost, not at the podium. The boards are already there — one thread raises exactly this.
Source of record: Jimmy Rogers took over as Washington State's head coach, replacing Pete Kaligis — the program's third head coach in five seasons.
How each room reacted — tap to expand
📣Believers0 bullish/hire items -- the case it's working.›
The 'this hire changes everything' takes -- new-era believers making the case early.
“Washington State transfers share what's beneath Jimmy Rogers' tough exterior”
KCCI · 2026-09-05 · read ↗
“PETERSON: The ties that bind Iowa State’s Jimmy Rogers and Jim Walden”
Cyclone Fanatic · 2026-08-31 · read ↗
“Media day takeaways from Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers”
The Des Moines Register · 2026-08-19 · read ↗
🧐Skeptics“Jimmy Rogers follows Iowa State’s greatest football era and…” — the real counter.›
The 'show me the body of work' counter -- resume gaps, scheme fits, and 'not that guy' reads.
“Jimmy Rogers follows Iowa State’s greatest football era and seeks to avoid return to bad old days”
Washington Times · 2026-08-19 · read ↗
💬The boards3 board mentions — too thin to call a stance. Board mood this week: negative overall · anger notable (76%).›
Only 3 of 2629 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
"I think I'm just particularly disappointed at how this is effectively the exact opposite of what Kirby Moore sold fans on. At least Jimmy Rogers was upfront about caring about defe"
r/CFB ~ fan take
"Anyone know what tools are necessary to raise a bed up in Rogers Hall? Trying to figure out what we need to bring with us this weekend."
r/wsu ~ fan take
Board health this week (108 posts): 18% positive · 32% neutral · 50% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
🔗The dominoes12 downstream moves — the hire's knock-on effects.›
Following now · Washington State · Transfer portal Confidence
Washington State went deep in the portal this cycle. Portal volume is the start of the story, not the verdict.
Washington State signed a top-43 transfer-portal class — 34 additions headlined by Julian Dugger (QB) from Pittsburgh and Ajani Sheppard (QB) from Rutgers. It is a top-2 portal class in the Pac-12 this cycle. Portal pickups are proven college players — the split isn't about development, it's about whether they fit the scheme and win their position battles. Coverage is split on whether volume or positional fit is the bigger story.
bullish — but with real dissent
where the takes land · dot = how loud
DOUBTBELIEF
Skeptics2 doubt takes
Believers4 bull takes
💬 fans: 2% volume · negative overall
Developing4 new this week
todayWin total — no reprice yet on "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury"
yesterdayWin total (line at 4.5) — no reprice yet on "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury"
3 days agoWin total (line at 4.5) holding steady right after "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury"
last weekTony Freeman out for season with ACL injury — Reported
last weekNevada transfer Tayshawn Comer commits to Washington — news
The cast who's driving the story · latest headline on each, attributed
Julian Dugger QB · Pittsburgh
“WSU notebook: QB Julian Dugger posts scrimmage to remember, TE depth in question and other notes - The Spokesman-Review” — news · 2026-08-17
Ajani Sheppard QB · Rutgers
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
Jimmy Rogers' top-43 portal class, headlined by Caden Pinnick, is a survival play for Washington State's Air Raid legacy in Pullman.
Next · what to watch
The non-obvious question after any portal class isn't who signed — it's who just lost their job. Depth-chart displacement is the untold second chapter: one starter-level arrival means a returning contributor is now competing or transferring out. Watch depth-chart competition in fall camp — that's where portal classes win or lose their billing. The boards are already there — one thread raises exactly this.
Source of record: Washington State signed a top-43 transfer-portal class — 34 additions headlined by Julian Dugger (QB) from Pittsburgh and Ajani Sheppard (QB) from Rutgers — a top-2 portal class in the Pac-12 this cycle.
How each room is reacting — tap to expand
📣Believers4 bullish/portal items -- the case it's working.›
The 'portal class fills the gaps' believers -- upgrades at real positions of need.
“Washington State transfers share what's beneath Jimmy Rogers' tough exterior”
KCCI · 2026-09-05 · read ↗
“Nevada transfer Tayshawn Comer commits to Washington”
On3 CFB · 2026-09-11 · read ↗
“WSU scrimmage recap: Julian Dugger delivers best day of fall camp”
247Sports · 2026-08-16 · read ↗
🧐Skeptics“WSU notebook: QB Julian Dugger posts scrimmage to remember, TE…” — the real counter.›
The 'portal is a gamble' counter -- departure losses and the 'plug-and-play doesn't work' read.
“WSU notebook: QB Julian Dugger posts scrimmage to remember, TE depth in question and other notes - The Spokesman-Review”
news · 2026-08-17 · read ↗
💬The boards2% of recent board volume — quieter than the headlines. Board mood this week: negative overall · anger notable (76%).›
This event was in 40 of 2629 board posts (2%) over the last 60 days — engaged but not consumed. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
"Dude you nailed it here. College football as a whole is killing smaller state schools with the transfer portal, the NIL craziness. How can schools like WSU keep up? Just sickening,"
r/CFB ~ fan take
"Three coaches in three years in this NIL/portal/new PAC-12 era was bound to catch up with us eventually. Team looks completely outclassed at basically every position."
r/CFB ~ fan take
Board health this week (108 posts): 18% positive · 32% neutral · 50% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Belief EKG
WinLoss · hover for scorePrior seasons
Rival pulse
Washington
Uneasy-9
Apple Cup
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
More in this tab
Game day
The experience
Washington State is the Pac-12-collapse holdout — Mike Leach Air Raid legacy + Pullman remoteness + 2024 partnership-with-Oregon-State survival defined the post-conference era.
Offense: PoorRun/Pass: Run-heavy, ground-controlDefense: Strong
Open questions
The story
Program ledger
The program ledger
since 2025- 2026Hired Kirby Moore
- 2025Jesse Bobbit departs (interim)
- 2025Jimmy Rogers departs
- 2025Hired Jesse Bobbit (interim)
- 2025Hired Jimmy Rogers
Roster
Roster Reload - Washington State
2026 snapshot - 2026-09-22Returning Production91%High continuity
Talent Composite#81 nationally247 composite 630.3
Portal Additions28Primary repair: EDGE
Portal Losses41Primary pressure: LB
Draft Loss0No NFL Draft departures recorded
Recruiting Reload#128Depth class
DLin 5 - Damarjhe Lewisout 7 - Bryson LambStarter Risk
current room: 289 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Nose Anchor2024 profilecontrols the point of attack and doesn't move
EDGEin 5 - Linus Zunkout 3 - Isaac TerrellNeed Filled
current room: 251 lbs avg (2025 roster)
3-Tech Penetrator2025 profiledisrupts the pocket from the interior
Homegrown
CBin 4 - Jalil Tuckerout 4 - Tyrone Cotton IIIEven
current room: 178 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Centerfielder2025 profileerases the deep middle of the field
Former four-star
Sin 3 - Jshawn Frausto-Ramosout 4 - Damarius RussellDowngrade
current room: 187 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Hybrid Nickel2024 profilemoves between deep coverage and the slot
LBin 1 - Nylan Brownout 4 - Sullivan SchlimgenStarter Risk
current room: 217 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Balanced Linebacker2025 profileis steady in every phase without a signature trait
Full roster (147 players)
CBAJ Davis, CJ Solis-Lumar, Colby Humphrey, David Kuku, Elmo Wartson, Ishmael Gibbs, Jamarey Smith, Jamorri Colson, Kai Rapolla, Khamari Terrell, Nick Norrah
DEBen Beatty, Buddha Peleti, DJ Warner, Fernando Lecuona, Jack Procter, Josh Wedel, Luke Webb, Malachi Wrice, Michael Hughes, Raam Stevenson
DLAkio Martinson, Eduwa Okundaye, Ike Okafor, JaVon Joseph, Linus Zunk, Paul Hutson III, Titus Miller
LBCaleb Francl, Carsten Reynolds, Erimus Wright, Gage Jones, Gavin Barthiel, Gavin Fugate, Isaiah Hung, Jack Ellison, Keith Brown, Lance McGee, Nylan Brown, Parker McKenna
OLAJ Olerich, AJ Vaipulu, Arion Williams, Ashton Tripp, Barry Morrissette, Brock Dieu, Chris Lino, Christian Hilborn, Dylan Hildebrand, Gabe Miller, Gauge Machado, Grayson Campbell, Jaylin Caldwell, Jonny Lester, Jorden Cunningham, Kalolo Ta'aga, Kyle Martin, Maximus McCree, Nick Bakken, Noah Dunham, Sone Falealo, Turner Bertrand, Xavier Thorpe
QBCaden Pinnick, Dalton Anderson, Gavin Gray, Jake Tiryakioglu, Jaxon Potter, Julian Dugger, Owen Eshelman, Zevi Eckhaus
RBAngel Johnson, CJ Toney, Carl Watson III, Dylan Paine, Kirby Vorhees, Leo Pulalasi, Marquez Wimberly, Maxwell Woods, Ryan Salcedo, Travon Pankey, Tre Hill Jr.
TEAdemola Faleye, Beau Baker, Cash Landau, Hudson Cedarland, Jack Pedersen, Jesiah Cornwell, Luke Leighton, Peyton Read, Trey Leckner
WRBranden Ganashamoorthy, Caleb Northcroft, Cameron Weir, Daniel Blood, Darrius Clemons, Devin Ellison, Ethan Masteller, Isaiah Docken, Jay Porter, Jeremiah Noga, Jevon Walker, Jordan Dees, Josh Meredith, Kaden Harken, Leon Neal Jr., Leyton Smithson, Noah Westbrook, Oliver Bender, Ryan McKendry, Tank Hawkins, Tony Freeman, Tristian Drummond
Offseason moves
The Offseason Ledger · Washington State
6 verified updates · portal · recruiting · staff · news- News
Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury
Already sitting at class rank #128 with LB depth circled as the pressure point — losing Freeman to an ACL tears a hole in a linebacker room that couldn't afford attrition before week one.
- News
Caden Pinnick named WSU starting QB
Moore names his guy before fall camp ends — Pinnick earning 'commander' status in a Jimmy Rogers rebuild running on class #128 depth and a win total that can't make up its mind.
- News
WSU to name starting QB by Monday
After a rocky scrimmage that had Miller calling out the offense publicly, naming a starter by Monday stops the depth-chart ambiguity from becoming its own story — Cougs can't afford that noise at #128 nationally.
- News
WSU TE Peyton Read out for Apple Cup
Losing your starting TE for the Apple Cup while Finau's eligibility is still unresolved — Moore's offense is walking into the rivalry game with two question marks it can't afford heading into a Rogers-era reset.
- News
WSU explores bringing back two players
LB depth is already the pressure point at #128 nationally — if Moore can squeeze extra eligibility out of two returners, that's roster math that matters more than a portal add right now.
- News
Win total — no reprice yet on "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury"
It's been 7d since "Tony Freeman out for season with ACL injury" and the line hasn't moved. Worth checking again in a few days to see if the books are just slow.
Who's moved
Transfer portal snapshot
-0.8 net portal points
(raw ledger: -34.1 — unweighted, no position adjustment)DL-9.5
starter risk
LB-9.1
starter risk
OT+7.0
need filled
RB-6.5
starter risk
EDGE+5.6
need filled
K-5.3
starter risk
QB-4.4
starter risk
WR-4.4
starter risk
IOL-3.5
low confidence
S-3.3
TE-0.9
CB+0.1
P+0.0
Top commits
Top 3 commits
2026 class
★★★☆☆
Nathaniel Salmon
#731 national
Profiles like a typical incoming tight end — 18 of his 25 closest recruiting profiles since 2018 shared the Complete TE archetype.~our read · projection from recruiting profile — no college snaps yet
★★★☆☆
Lance McGee
#884 national
★★★☆☆
Ryan McKendry
#30 national
Profiles like a typical incoming wide receiver — 16 of his 25 closest recruiting profiles since 2018 shared the Possession Receiver archetype.~our read · projection from recruiting profile — no college snaps yet
Where they're from
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
16
CA · 7TX · 3WA · 3NV · 1PA · 1TN · 1
CA leads the 2026 class with 7 commits. National footprint reaching 6 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
122 signees across 24 states, 2023-2026. CA leads the pull.
Miles from home
Miles from home · 2026 roster
The median Washington State player grew up 883 miles from campus.
Half this roster came from closer than that; half came from farther.
5th-farthest from home in FBS
of 135 ranked →
Closest to homeFarthest from home
Middle 50%383–1,451 miquartile spread
Within 100 mi6%8 of 139 players
Farthest2,857 miSione Pasi · Hauula, HI
Closest1 miCaleb Northcroft · Pullman, WA
Straight-line distance from each player's listed hometown to Gesa Field. Hometowns are placed at city-centroid precision, not street address — fine at this scale, but a player's true door-to-door number can differ by a few miles. 139 of 147 listed players have a geocoded hometown. Source: CFBD roster hometowns.
Recruiting buzz
r/cfb this year
2027 4* IOL Rashaun Lavata'i commits to Washington State
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
How it turned out
Belief history
→
Fan confidence in a typical range for this program right now
39th percentile among FBS programs
Fans vs. market
Fan vs. market↑
39th
Fan percentile
(FBS mood rank)
(FBS mood rank)
4.5
Vegas O/U wins
(12th among FBS)
(12th among FBS)
Fans 27pp more bullish than market implies
Win total consensus · 1 book
Penalties
Penalty battle
20 penalties committed, 23 drawn on opponents — netting a 42-yard field-position edge.
171 penalty yards committed vs. 213 drawn on opponents, 2026 season total.
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