The College Football Playoff’s move to 24 teams changes the board for Washington State in a hurry, and not all of it points in the Cougars’ favor.
Beginning next season, the playoff will open up more spots, but it also brings a new set of rules and ripple effects that could reshape who WSU plays, how it schedules, and what kind of path it has toward the postseason. For a program now classified as part of the Group of 6, the biggest issue is simple: the Cougars may have a harder time finding the kind of nonconference games that can strengthen a playoff case.
WSU’s schedule next season already includes a home game against Washington, a home game against Kansas and a road trip to Arizona. Under the new playoff setup, Power 4 teams will be required to play 10 Power 4 games each season, which could put those matchups in danger. But there is one important wrinkle for the Cougars.
For 2027, CBS Sports reported that legacy Pac-12 members Washington State and Oregon State will be treated as Power 4 programs. That means WSU’s Power 4 games for next season are expected to stay intact, and there should be no need for last-minute reshuffling.
The uncertainty starts after that. What happens in 2028 and beyond is still unclear, and if WSU and Oregon State are no longer viewed as Power 4 programs, several future games could be at risk. That list includes a 2028 road game at Kansas, a 2029 home game against Kansas State, a 2031 home game against Virginia and a 2032 road game against Texas Tech.
The current nonconference slates for those WSU opponents show the games that would need to be adjusted:
2028 Washington: vs. WSU, vs.
Eastern Washington, vs. UNLV
2028 Kansas: at Hawaii, vs. Lindenwood (FCS), vs. WSU
2029 Kansas State: at WSU, vs. Sam Houston
2031 Virginia: at WSU, vs. Richmond (FCS)
2032 Texas Tech: vs. WSU, vs. Fresno State, at UTEP
If those matchups disappear, the Cougars could be left with very few chances to build a résumé that stands out to the selection committee. Group of 6 teams already have a thin margin for error, and only four have reached the playoff since it began in 2014. If WSU is mostly facing other Group of 6 teams and FCS opponents, the question becomes whether that schedule can ever be convincing enough.
The new playoff format also adds another layer of uncertainty around the Apple Cup. The series is scheduled for 2027 in Pullman and 2028 in Seattle, but nothing is under contract after that.
In recent days, both schools have signaled interest in keeping the rivalry alive. WSU president Betsy Cantwell said as much at a CougsFirst!
event in Spokane over the weekend, and UW athletic director Pat Chun said there is “ an intent to try and continue the game on both sides ” in a radio interview.
Still, the playoff rules could influence whether Washington wants to keep the game going. The Huskies, as a Power 4 program, will need 10 Power 4 games, leaving one nonconference opening after accounting for the usual FCS game many schools schedule. The question is whether Washington would use that final slot on WSU.
From the Huskies’ point of view, the risk is obvious. A win over the Cougars would be expected and might not move the needle much. A loss to a Group of 6 team, though, could hurt their playoff standing.
For WSU, the math looks different. Beating Washington would be a major boost to the Cougars’ résumé, while a loss would not carry the same weight.
Even so, the expanded field changes the equation a bit. The CFP said that if this year’s 24-team format had been in place, teams such as 4-5 Iowa State and 3-6 Colorado would have been included, which suggests there is more room for losses than before. That could soften the blow for either side if the Apple Cup continues.
Another major shift tied to the expansion: the Power 4 conferences have each announced they are ending their conference championship games. The Pac-12 has not said it will do the same, and neither have the other Group of 6 leagues.
That leaves those conferences with a decision to make. Keep the title game and preserve a revenue source, or drop it and protect the top team’s playoff hopes?
“I saw the headline. I saw the headline maybe about conference championships getting nixed as well,” WSU coach Kirby Moore said Monday in his weekly news conference.
“I don’t think it necessarily changes our path, right? So whether it’s 12, whether it’s 24, our path’s our path, and we gotta focus on that.”
On paper, the expansion gives Group of 6 teams more access, with 12 additional spots now available. But history says the climb is still steep.
In the playoff’s 12-year run, only four G5/G6 teams have made it: Cincinnati in 2021, Boise State in 2025, and Tulane and James Madison in 2026. Each of them lost in its first playoff game.
So yes, the Cougars have a wider lane now. But whether that lane is actually easier to drive through is another question entirely.
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Washington State Can't Overlook This Dangerous Colorado State Problem
Colorado State comes into this matchup carrying the kind of record that can make a team look ordinary on paper, but Washington State would be wise not to treat the Rams that way. Jim Mora Jr.s group has had a difficult season and has already made a major defensive change, parting with defensive coordinator Tyson Summers after the unit struggled to hold up. Even so, the offense has remained a real problem for opponents, and it starts with quarterback Hauss Hejny, who has been productive enough to sit among the Pac-12 leaders in several categories despite missing time with injury.
For Washington State, the warning sign is clear: a shaky overall season does not erase an offense that can still stress a defense in a hurry. Mora has owned the defensive shortcomings and tried to reset that side of the ball, which only adds to the uncertainty for a Cougars team trying to stay sharp. The Rams may not look like a complete team, but they have enough firepower to make this one more dangerous than the record suggests. [Read more 🡒]