The NFL season opens this week, and Washington State will be part of the action right away.
Two former Cougars are set for the first game of the year, a Super Bowl rematch between the Seahawks and Patriots in Seattle on Wednesday at 5:20 p.m. on NBC. Wide receiver Kyle Williams will be on one sideline for New England, while right tackle Abraham Lucas will be on the other for Seattle.
Williams enters his second season after catching 21 passes for 209 hashes and three touchdowns a year ago. He added two catches for 14 yards in the playoffs, including one in the Super Bowl. With the Patriots having reshuffled their receiver room, he is projected to serve as a deep threat again.
Lucas has been a steady piece for Seattle since 2022, and last season he finally stayed healthy for the full year. He started every game on the way to his first Super Bowl victory and played a major role on the Seahawks’ offensive line. This season will be his first under the contract extension he signed last September.
Before the usual Sunday slate even gets going, another Coug will already be in uniform. The Rams and 49ers meet at 5:35 p.m. in Australia on Netflix, and that game will mark cornerback Jaylen Watson’s debut with Los Angeles.
Watson spent four years with the Chiefs, won two Super Bowls, and then signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Rams. He is expected to start for what should be one of the NFL’s top defenses. His first matchup could come against former Coug receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, a rookie for the 49ers.
Sunday brings five more Washington State alums into the mix. At 10 a.m., Chau Smith-Wade and the Panthers host Chicago. Smith-Wade is expected to start at nickel for Carolina in 2026 after starting six games and appearing in 16 last season.
In the later games at 1:25, Gardner Minshew and the Cardinals face Daiyan Henley and the Chargers in Los Angeles. Minshew is backing up Jacoby Brissett, while Henley is positioned as a key part of the Chargers’ defense after his breakout 2025 season.
At the same time, Frankie Luvu begins his third season in Washington when the Commanders visit the Eagles in Philadelphia. Luvu wasn’t as productive last year as he was in 2024, but he remains an important piece of the Washington defense as he approaches his 30th birthday next week.
Sunday night also brings another Cougar debut. Safety Jalen Thompson is set to start at strong safety for the Cowboys after seven seasons with the Cardinals and a three-year, $33 million deal with Dallas. The Cowboys open against the Giants at 5:20 p.m. on NBC, meaning Cougar fans may hear “Jalen Thompson, Washington State,” during the introductions.
The Cougars will have one more player on the schedule Monday night. Safety Jaden Hicks is projected to back up at strong safety for the Chiefs in his third season, though he could still make some starts like he has the past two years. He’ll be chasing his first Super Bowl after Kansas City’s dynasty ended during his first two seasons, and the Chiefs open against Denver on Monday Night Football at 5:15 on ESPN.
Beyond the nine active players, several other former Cougs are on the move or sidelined. Esa Pole was a surprising preseason cut by the Chiefs before the Commanders claimed him.
Cornerback Cam Lampkin is in his third year with the Rams after appearing in four games in 2024. Linebacker Brennan Jackson is on injured reserve with the Raiders, and safety Tucker Large is on the Eagles’ reserve/non-football injury list.
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Washington State Golf Showed An Early Sign Fans Will Want To See
Washington States mens golf team left the Bombs Darts Birds Collegiate with a result that offered a useful early glimpse of what this group can be when it starts to find its rhythm. After a steadying final day, the Cougars finished 10th in the field, with Santa Clara taking the team title and Arkansas States Jake Lile winning the individual crown.
The more encouraging part for Washington State came from the way it closed. Sophomore Dylan Boenning paced the Cougars in the last round and finished tied for 11th overall, giving the program a strong performance to point to as the season gets going. For a team looking to build momentum, that kind of finish is the sort of sign fans will be watching for as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]
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The offense never found a rhythm, though, and the special teams problems only added to the frustration. Missed field goals and a punt return game hit by injury made an already shaky afternoon even more difficult, leaving WSU with plenty to sort through after a rivalry game that exposed as much as it revealed. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Momentum Gets A Bigger Test Than Fans Might Think
Saturdays trip to Manhattan, Kansas, gives Washington State an early chance to measure itself against a Kansas State team that already looks comfortable under new leadership. Both programs are being guided by first-year head coaches with SEC offensive-coordinator pedigrees, and both Collin Klein and Kirby Moore spent part of the week talking through what their teams showed in Week 1 and what still needs cleaning up before they meet.
Kansas States opener was so lopsided it hardly revealed much about the Wildcats, while Washington State is coming off a rivalry loss that left plenty of room for correction. The Cougars also may have to navigate the game without Tony Freeman, whose knee injury adds another layer to an already tricky road assignment, and the challenge now is whether Washington State can respond quickly enough to keep Kansas States early momentum from turning into something more convincing. [Read more 🡒]