A GRIP ON SPORTS • Can it really be true? Are we already halfway through the college football regular season? It seems like only yesterday it was Labor Day. Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here. It’s what happens in-between that is worthwhile. Read on.

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• The Cougars are in the desert Southwest today, toting a 4-2 record into their first game of the second half. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could extrapolate the end of the season from the first half results? An 8-4 regular season record would sure look nice in Pullman, wouldn’t it? Now that would be a turnaround. But first half results don’t guarantee second-half success, or some-sort-of-lawyer-speak like that. I’m sure there are a handful of fans out there that see the glass as half-empty. That see WSU is just a handful of plays from being 2-4. That don’t expect the Cougars to win another game, let alone qualify for a bowl. As my man Homer Simpson would say, “pass the doughnuts.” In other words, quit worrying and enjoy the moment. That goes for you folks too. And by “you folks,” I mean those of you that feel the Cougars could actually be 6-0 and not only in the bowl picture, but painting a masterpiece entitled “playoff bound.” After all, the two losses were to a 5-1 Portland State team that one more drive would have overcome and a California squad that was ranked at the time. A couple of lucky bounces and who knows? But that type of mental exercise is unhealthy as well. Didn’t some wise NFL coach say a team is what its record says it is? The Cougars are 4-2. Pretty darn good. And deserved. But this week they are 0-0. So are the Wildcats. And winning this week is what matters. Not next week against Stanford. Not the Apple Cup. This week. It won’t be easy. Arizona scores. Often. And the Wildcats do it despite not being a great passing team. They run and run and run. Even their quarterbacks, Anu Solomon and Jerrard Randall, are better at running the football than throwing it – though Solomon has been better this season when he's been healthy. Seems like a weakness, no? But it also plays into an area the Cougar defense has struggled with this season, going back to the opener against PSU. The group has had trouble at times accounting for the quarterback in the running attack. It’s all about doing your job and not anyone else’s. Staying home, completing your assignment. If WSU’s front can execute the game plan, they should be OK. If they can’t, well hello long runs. And a long day. Of course, Arizona has its weaknesses on defense as well. The secondary is younger than the cast of “Henry Danger” and can be expected to make enough mistakes to allow Gabe Marks to win a couple of player of the week awards. Heck, the Wildcats struggled at Colorado last week and the Buffs aren’t exactly a powerhouse. With a couple of defenses that aren’t all that stout, one would expect a lot of scoring. Vegas does. The over/under is 73.5. But if I’ve learned anything the past 59 years, it is to expect the unexpected. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Wildcats lose two or three fumbles, the Cougars have trouble in the red zone and the game end up more like 30-24. Which, if you are smart, would lead you to bet the family cow on the “over.” And the Wildcats. Because I’m always wrong.

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• WSU: Consistency is the key to a strong Saturday morning football report, so Jacob Thorpe’s pregame version today would have to be in that category. There is the usual morning post with links, an advance, the keys to the game and, as an extra, added attraction, grades from the just-finished quarter of the season. You are ready for the 1 p.m. kickoff. ... Or you will be after to you check out the mailbag from ESPN.com’s Pac-12 blog. And the site’s viewer guide. ... Host Stanford swept past the Cougar volleyball team last night.

• EWU: The Eagles are in the rare air of Colorado today to face the 4-2 Northern Colorado Bears. Jim Allen has an advance. ... Weber State hasn’t had a three-game winning streak in a while. ... UC Davis and Sacramento State would like a one-game winning streak. ... Montana State will win today. ... Montana has to win today. ... Portland State has bused to Cal Poly for today's game.

• Idaho: The Vandals will try to do something today against Louisiana-Monroe they haven’t done in Paul Petrino’s tenure: Win back-to-back games. ... The soccer team just keeps winning.

• Whitworth: It’s showdown Saturday for the Pirates.

• Chiefs: Spokane battled to a 2-1 win over Victoria last night at the Arena, snapping a six-game losing streak. Tom Clouse has the story. ... Tri-City lost again, this time 5-3 to Brandon. ... Everett lost 2-0 to Portland.

• Preps: As the football season winds down, each game carries more importance. And higher stakes. Mead’s 35-27 win over U-Hi last night allows the Panthers to play for the final 4A playoff berth next week. Greg Lee has the game story and Jesse Tinsley the photographs. ... Gonzaga Prep’s defense dominated in the Bullpups’ 34-7 win over Lewis and Clark. ... Shadle Park kept its 3A playoff hopes alive by edging North Central 28-26. Jim Allen has the story. ... Lewiston handled Lake City 47-22 and earned a 5A playoff berth. Jim Meehan has the story and Tyler Tjomsland the photographs. ... Post Falls upset Coeur d’Alene 24-21, the final margin coming on a late field goal. ... In GNL action, Clarkston took over the frontrunner role with a 52-25 win at previously undefeated Cheney. ... We also can pass along a roundup of other football action and another roundup from other sports.

• Seahawks: If the Hawks were going to have a bad start to a season, this isn’t a bad one to have it occur. ... But if Seattle is going to string together wins now, the Hawks will need Russell Wilson to play better. ... Kris Richard and his defense are all feeling better this morning.

• Mariners: The M’s made it official yesterday, hiring Scott Servais as their manager. The plus? Servais was a catcher, the smartest of all positions. The minus? He’s never managed before. ... The name probably doesn’t get fans all excited but that may be OK.

• Sounders: The Sounders have to win against Salt Lake City to assure Ross Fletcher gets to announce another match.

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• Did we mention consistency somewhere? Yes we did. And we will practice it today when we join Derek Deis on the postgame call-in show. We come on about an hour after the game ends, sooner if Matt Chazanow, Jason Gesser and the rest of the gang vacate the stage quickly. Listen if you can. Until later ...

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